Gymkhana, the two Michelin-starred Indian restaurant that has anchored London’s Mayfair dining scene since 2013, will open its first UAE location this September. The restaurant will take up residence in Gate Village at the Dubai International Financial Centre, bringing its tandoori specialities, chaat-style plates and distinctive peacock bar to a city already well versed in ambitious dining.
Founded by siblings Jyotin, Karam and Sunaina Sethi of JKS Restaurants, and its name is drawn directly from the elite social and sporting clubs that once anchored Indian public life, spaces where members gathered to dine, drink and mark occasions together. This has followed the brand through more than a decade of growth, from a Michelin star within nine months of opening to a second in 2024, and now to a fourth international address.
Dubai joins Riyadh and Las Vegas as Gymkhana’s latest step beyond London, arriving shortly after the opening of sister restaurant Ambassadors Clubhouse in New York earlier this year. The Gate Village site will seat up to 137 guests across two levels, plus an additional terrace, giving the brand considerably more room to work with than its original London home.
Mayfair to Dubai
Gymkhana’s rise has been impressively swift by the standards of fine dining. The restaurant secured its first Michelin star within nine months of opening in Mayfair in 2013, a rare pace of recognition for a newly launched dining room. A second star followed in 2024, cementing its position among London’s most decorated restaurants.
“DIFC is proud to be the home of Gymkhana’s UAE debut. As Dubai’s leading hub for world-class gastronomy, Gate Village is the perfect stage for Gymkhana’s celebrated two Michelin-starred dining experience. We look forward to our community of residents, professionals, and international visitors experiencing their legendary hospitality right here in the heart of the city.”
Saleh Al Akrabi, Chief Real Estate Officer, DIFC Investments
That trajectory has since extended well beyond the UK capital. Riyadh and Las Vegas both welcomed Gymkhana openings before Dubai, part of a steady international rollout that has picked up pace over the past three years. The Dubai restaurant marks the brand’s UAE debut and its fourth market outside London, a expansion that has moved deliberately rather than rapidly.
Two levels, two moods
The Dubai restaurant will be arranged across two floors, each with its own character. The ground floor will house two dining areas defined by warm lantern lighting, patterned ceilings and a mix of booth seating and banquettes, a setting designed for both quiet lunches and longer evenings.
Downstairs, mirrored ceilings and ornate chandeliers frame a lower level built around a peacock bar, the kind of detail likely to become a focal point for the space. Between the two floors and the additional terrace, the venue can accommodate up to 137 guests, giving it considerably more scale than a typical Mayfair dining room.
A menu crafted from tradition
The food at Gymkhana draws on the breadth of Indian cooking rather than any single regional style, favouring bold flavours and layered spicing across its menu. Dishes are grouped into chaat-style sharing plates, tandoori-grilled specialities, classic curries and biryanis, a structure that has remained consistent across the brand’s various openings.
For Dubai, the kitchen has developed a number of dishes exclusive to the location, giving regular visitors reason to return and newcomers something distinct from the London original. It is a small but telling adjustment, one that suggests the brand is treating each new city as its own dining room rather than a straightforward copy of the last.
“Dubai has established itself as one of the world’s leading culinary destinations, making it a natural home for Gymkhana’s next chapter. Our ambition has always been to share the restaurant’s approach to Indian cuisine and hospitality with new audiences, while remaining true to the heritage and character that define the brand. We are excited to bring Gymkhana to DIFC and look forward to welcoming guests to experience the food, service and atmosphere that have made the restaurant so special.”
Pavan Pardasani, Global CEO, JKS Restaurants
DIFC’s Gate Village has steadily built a reputation as one of Dubai’s more considered dining addresses, with a mix of business set menus, flexible lunch hours and strong transport links supporting a steady flow of professionals and visitors. Gymkhana’s arrival adds further weight to that reputation, pairing an established international name with a district already geared towards long lunches and evening bookings alike.