Hunter & Barrel will open at Vida Emirates Hills this month

The Australian concept will light up Dubai’s dining scene with its charcoal roast fire pits.

Brace yourselves for the arrival of a major new food and beverage concept at Vida Emirates Hills this month. Australian high-end casual dining restaurant Hunter & Barrel is set to open at the neighbourhood hotel, specialising in charcoal roasted meats and barrel-aged craft beverages. 

Renowned for its hunt, gather and fire inspired culinary fundamentals, Hunter & Barrel in Dubai is the first opening for the brand outside of Australia and lays a significant marker in regional expansion plans.

Open for lunch, dinner and everything in between, the 232-cover restaurant boasts a spacious dining room and adjoining full-service bar, two private dining spaces and in-venue entertainment spaces for live DJ sets and sports. 

Hunter & Barrel offers a communal dining experience inspired by abundant sharing feasts of quality food enjoyed in an unpretentious setting with a menu rooted in coal-roasted rustic and artisanal dishes.

“Our carefully curated menu pays homage to how communities of yesteryear would unite to cook the rewards of a hunt for the evening meal. Hunter & Barrel taps into this ancient tradition with incredible fare minus the gimmicks,” said Head Chef Kamil Bouloot, Seagrass Boutique Hospitality Group’s Head of Culinary – UAE.

With succulent, smoky meats at the heart of the Hunter & Barrel offering, Chef Bouloot has created starters of open fire prawns and smoky chicken wings. Lighter meals include salad options like char-grilled chicken and kale and cured salmon fillet, and burger lovers are catered to with choices of Angus beef and cornfed chicken. 

“The menu incorporates native Australian spices and herbs, and only the finest meats from Australia, USA and South Africa, but we’ve taken great care to subtly adapt the menu to encapsulate the hunting traditions and preferred flavours of the local region and the Dubai dining community.”

The restaurant’s signature charcoal roasted skewers served with either new harvest potato wedges or house salad provide a meaty theatrical display. Options include the chicken thigh, wild-caught salmon and garlic and rosemary Wagyu. There’s also a nod to regional flavours with a five-grain kebab serviced with a hummus tahini dip.

Steak lovers are in for a treat with the extensive Steak Programme menu, which includes a variety of premium cuts, and those who enjoy sharing can tuck into a 1.3kg tomahawk or 700g Angus t-bone. 

Coal roasted vegetables take equal billing to meats, with vegetarian dishes including pumpkin and cauliflower croquettes for starters and stuffed bell peppers, a homemade vegan burger and emerald dal for mains.

Hunter & Barrel’s extensive top-shelf beverage options are another unique allure for diners, with barrel-aged drinks matured in an in-venue cellar, eight different hops, 16 varieties of grape, and an inventive mixed drinks list.

The venues design aesthetics, draw inspiration from local customs and feature a medley of regional falconry, fishing and archery juxtapositions. From light fittings created using falcon blinders, a hombre colour palate representing coral reefs, and curvaceous wooden bows lining the bar, each area of the restaurant has been meticulously designed to pay homage to the region and heighten the overall guest experience.

GO: Call (0)4 872 8888 for reservations and more information.