Lana Shemonaeva moved to Dubai in 2012 and over the last 14 years the futuristic skyscraper-laden metropolis has become “home for me”, says the Russian-born partner in laid-back hangout Lady Bird.

Lady Bird, part of the 7 Management hospitality portfolio, opened late 2025 at 25 Jump Street, the newly spawned nightlife destination within the One Central development at Dubai World Trade Centre. Led by an all-female team, the neighbourhood bar impressed from the get-go with its convivial atmosphere. Here, signature cocktails are built around archetypes – the Oracle, for example, pairs Roku gin with pickled ginger sake, dry vermouth and genmaicha tea syrup – and the DJ booth is backdropped by an assemblage of retro speakers.

Just a few months later, rising regional tensions triggered an abundance of flight cancellations and delays across the United Arab Emirates, inevitably slashing the occupancy rates at coveted luxury hotels and diminishing covers at lively restaurants and bars. Suddenly, Dubai’s typically thriving food and drink scene felt precarious, but it didn’t deter passionate hospitality leaders.

“Yes, it’s an unpleasant situation, but I was here when Covid happened and I came to the country when it was still recovering from the economic crisis in 2008,” explains Shemonaeva. “I think it’s a unique place in the world where people actually trust the government. Emirati leadership does everything for us to feel secure. As with any terrible period, it will pass.”

Anna Sebastian, managing director of London-based Anna Sebastian Hospitality, has numerous Middle Eastern clients and has observed them nimbly make adjustments from afar. “Tourism is gone and there’s just a huge sense of uncertainty,” she points out. “A lot of changes are having to be put in place, but without a huge amount of insight into what’s next it’s hard to make set plans. Saying that, a lot of businesses are doing everything they can to keep staff on and focus on local clientele, innovative offers, reduced pricing and so on.”

Residents are currently fuelling the F&B ecosystem

In January, Barrafina, the buzzy London restaurant concept from Harts Group revolving around Spanish tapas and informal counter dining, unveiled its first international outpost at Dubai International Financial Centre courtesy of Anthem Hospitality Group.

The absence of tourists is certainly notable, but “Dubai is more than a transit city; it has genuine roots”, says Robby Ceriale, co-founder of Anthem Hospitality Group. “Long-term residents have built their lives here and it’s their loyalty that carries the most weight right now. We see this as a moment to show up more fully, not pull back. Dubai will recover and when it does, the relationships we’ve built during the difficult times will matter most.”

Elie Kreidy, general manager of Salmon Guru Dubai at the Opus by Omniyat in Business Bay, acknowledges the shift in international travel has had an effect, “particularly in a city like Dubai where hospitality is so closely connected to global movement”. He explains: “A large part of our business usually comes from travellers, visiting industry professionals and guests who actively seek out Dubai’s dining and bar scene, so the loss of that predictability has been felt.”

Yet it’s the ongoing connection with residents that he credits with keeping morale high for both the team and the wider industry. Food and beverage experiences are integral to Dubai residents, and he says: “That culture of going out and supporting hospitality has made a real difference. They are not only visiting, but also bringing friends, recommending venues and helping maintain a sense of energy in the room. In moments like this, that support goes beyond commercial impact; it is emotional support as well.”

Mindful modifications

The Gulf Bar Show, the first event of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa, was originally slated for the end of March, but to ensure its continued expansive, global reach, the second edition has been rescheduled to May 4 and 5 at Dubai’s Madinat Jumeirah.

Ongoing changes at restaurants and bars, however, have been more subtle. “Service standards, opening hours and team presence remain the same because stability is reassuring for both guests and staff,” says Roxane Auriel, business manager at Rosy Hospitality. “Moments like these only remind us of what the hospitality industry is truly about: consistency, being a reliable space that guests can count on.”

To encourage gathering, Rosy Hospitality implemented its Ladies’ Night experience all day, every day at both CQ French Brasserie locations in Jumeirah Lakes Towers and Barsha Heights during Women’s History Month in March and, at Girl & The Goose, Restaurante Centroamericano at the Anantara Downtown Dubai Hotel, hosted Paint & Grape sessions and pottery workshops.

Barrafina has also leaned in on events, collaborating with bartender Jimmy Barrett on a ‘tiny Martini’ series with Cygnet gin, organising hospitality industry nights and “exploring what it means to be a neighbourhood restaurant.  We believe in what we’re building, and that doesn’t pause because of circumstance”, points out Anthem Hospitality Group co-founder Andre Gerschel.

Navigating fluctuating logistics has been challenging, but the solutions haven’t been disruptive. For Barrafina, the focus is on “working with more local suppliers as supply chains tighten”, continues Gerschel.

Flexibility has proven an advantage at Lady Bird. The business lunch is normally available from 12pm. But now if someone walks in at 3:30 or 4pm craving it, they will be accommodated. “It’s additional revenue for us and every cover helps, especially considering that lots of people are more cautious with spending in the current situation,” says Shemonaeva.

“Remaining present and steady rather than reactive” is the objective, as Kreidy puts it, and at Salmon Guru Dubai, that mission translates to: “Refining how we operate, staying close to the numbers, monitoring guest behaviour and making practical decisions around programming and cost control while preserving the experience our guests know us for– making sure the business remains healthy without losing its soul.”

Third places are a balm

Restaurants and bars are social spaces that provide a temporary escape from everyday life and Dubai residents, eager to unwind, continue to flock to them. Ahead of the Eid Al Fitr holiday weekend, for instance, Shemonaeva had already counted 190 diners booked for a single night.

“We are aware that guests may arrive carrying different emotions with them.

“Our teams pay close attention to that. We often see it in the small notes guests leave on their reservations. Messages like, ‘I’m bringing a friend whose flight just got cancelled, please help me make them feel special tonight’. Those little messages tell you a lot about what people need in that moment,” says Auriel. “If we can help someone forget about what’s happening in the world for even an hour and leave feeling a little lighter, then we feel we’ve done our job.”

In Barrafina’s first month of operation, 43% of guests returned more than twice within two weeks. “Now in these difficult times we remind the team: every person who walks through the door right now is a future regular. As veteran operators in this city, we know that every step back is followed by many more forward. The first thing we did was express gratitude. We’re surrounded in DIFC by some of the finest restaurants and teams in the city, so we extended a special offer to hospitality workers, a small way of giving back to the community that gives so much to this industry,” says Ceriale.

Guest behaviour is telling

“Guests are lingering longer than usual,” points out Auriel. “They aren’t just coming for a quick meal, they are staying back, talking, sharing bottles of wine and enjoying the company around them. It’s created a real sense of community and it’s been incredibly special to witness.”

Gerschel also notices that patrons are “ordering better, seeking comfort in quality”. He says: “We’ve seen a genuine resurgence in sherry and vermouth, the classic aperitifs that belong alongside Spanish food. Barrafina has decades of history in London, and that nostalgia has translated here in ways we didn’t fully anticipate.”

The observations made by Kreidy and his team are “small but meaningful – friends gathering with more intention, guests checking in on one another, conversations lasting longer and a stronger sense of gratitude in the room”, he explains. “There is often a different energy in these moments, more warmth, more patience and more appreciation for simply being together.”

Dynamic hospitality workers are an asset

Dubai’s engaged, thoughtful hospitality workers are among the industry’s greatest strengths, heightening the city’s ambitious dining concepts. Many have known each other for years, points out Auriel, adding: “There is a genuine culture of support, whether it is sharing advice or simply showing up for one another. At the same time, they bring a remarkable level of professionalism. Many of them come from different parts of the world and have built their careers far from home, which creates a deep sense of commitment to the craft of hospitality.”

Dubai’s engaged, thoughtful hospitality workers are among the industry’s greatest strengths, heightening the city’s ambitious dining concepts. Many have known each other for years, points out Auriel, adding: “There is a genuine culture of support, whether it is sharing advice or simply showing up for one another. At the same time, they bring a remarkable level of professionalism. Many of them come from different parts of the world and have built their careers far from home, which creates a deep sense of commitment to the craft of hospitality.”