The Provençal-inspired restaurant has made its debut on the Pearl Jumeira shoreline.
Nikki Beach Dubai has long set the standards for reinvention. Winner of “Best Beach Club in Dubai” for more than half a decade at the FACT Spa & Wellness Awards, this chic retreat has added a celebration suite, pool cabanas and undergone a complete refurbishment in recent years. While the beach club has grown, the resort’s restaurant repertoire has also expanded with Chef Kavish Chimajee at the forefront of the brand’s culinary reinvention.
The latest addition is Maison Mer, a new concept from Nikki Beach Hospitality Group, marking the brand’s latest step in its expansion and bringing a slice of Riviera living to one of the city’s most sun-drenched addresses. A French restaurant that serves as a love letter to Provence.
True to its name, Maison Mer translates to “House of the Sea,” and the setting embodies this coastal spirit with breezy views and a relaxed elegance that nods to Provence and the French Riviera. The room evokes a Riviera daydream with rustic textures and a breezy, lived-in charm, rather than polished Parisian formality. Tiles underfoot keep things cool, shelves are dotted with trinkets that feel collected rather than styled, and sprigs of lavender emphasise the Provençal narrative. There are playful details, too: fringed bar stools, parasols, and a vivid green grand piano that anchors the space. If you want the full fantasy, a handful of tables sit right on the sandy shoreline, offering a toes-in-the-sand dining experience, ideal for an aperitif as the sun slinks below the horizon.
The kitchen is led by Head Chef Kavish Chimajee, who takes a selection of fantastic French dishes and delivers them with a distinctive Dubai twist. You can feel his hands-on presence in every plate, from the classic French foundations to the finesse of flavours and portions that understand Dubai’s appetite for generosity.
The menu arrives with a flourish of French text and reads like a postcard from Nice or Marseille, which is charming but slightly confusing. Staff are genial, genuinely enthusiastic about the concept and happy to guide you away from guesswork.
Start with Palourdes au thym sauvage et citron, and you will immediately understand the restaurant’s strongest suit: flavour that feels simple on paper but is engineered with care. The clams arrive steamed open, bobbing in a buttery, lemon-bright sauce that carries the scent of wild thyme. A spoon of crème fraîche, nudged with mustard, adds a soft tang. The focaccia on the side is golden, elastic, and essential, built for scooping up every last drop of the velvety broth.
From there, the Tartare de loup de Méditerranée shows a more playful hand. Sea bass is treated delicately, cut cleanly, and seasoned with restraint, then paired with thin ribbons of zucchini carpaccio and a bright green tomato relish that elevates the dish without turning it into a salad. The clever touch is a bergamot sorbet, which sounds like a gimmick but works as an aromatic flash that cuts through the richness, resetting your palate while evoking sea air and herb gardens, if those things came in spoonable form.
If you want something crisp and comforting, order the Beignet de tourteau. These crab beignets are plump, well-aerated, and fried to a crisp golden crunch. The crab meat stays sweet and present, not lost in batter, and the roasted piquillo and ginger dip brings a smoky warmth and a gentle hum of spice.
Mains continue the theme of coastal familiarity, with the kitchen at its best when it leans into shareable plates. Paccheri Pomodoro features a generous platter of pasta, coated in a coulis of ripe cherry tomatoes and ricotta cream with Provençal basil. For the meat-inclined, Boeuf Entrecôte is cooked with confidence and served in a way that prioritises its pretty pink pleasure over theatre. Simply seasoned, the meat is allowed to stand front and centre, with sauces for embellishment, though they are not really required.
Dessert is where Maison Mer has a little fun. The Crisp Citrus Cannoli is neat and joyful, offering a crunchy shell, ricotta perfumed with candied lemon, and a lime cream that keeps things bright. It is sweet without becoming heavy, and takes you straight to the Amalfi Coast. The Tarte Tropézienne is the showpiece, built to share, with a soft brioche-like base, plush diplomat cream, and a mix of raspberries and strawberries. It is the most “Riviera” moment on the menu, and one that insists on the pleasure of lingering.
With vistas overlooking the waters of the Arabian Gulf, where azure blue swimming pools seamlessly merge with the horizon and palm trees sway to a rhythmic soundtrack straight from the Balearic Islands. Maison Mer understands what people want from a Riviera-inspired restaurant in Dubai: escape, yes, but also real cooking, proper seasoning, and service that makes you feel cared for without being managed.
Nikki Beach has always known how to create atmosphere, but this opening suggests a more serious culinary ambition, one that could translate beyond this stretch of sand if the group chooses to roll the concept out to one of its soon-to-open locations in Oman or Ras Al Khaimah. For now, it is enough that Maison Mer gives Dubai a French coastal restaurant that feels sincere, and lets the afternoon run on longer than planned.
GO: Visit maisonmerrestaurants.com for more information.