Dubai restaurant Asma rolls out Middle Eastern tapas-style breakfast across three locations
Asma, a Dubai-based restaurant group known for modern interpretations of regional dishes, has introduced an all-week, tapas-style breakfast across its three city branches. The move reflects a broader shift in Dubai’s dining scene toward more social, shareable morning meals that suit both business and leisure customers.
Opened in 2018 by Emirati entrepreneur Nahla Wali, Asma has grown from a single site into a small local chain. The brand presents a menu conceived for communal dining, adapting familiar Middle Eastern flavours into small plates designed to be shared at the table. The breakfast offering is available seven days a week and is aimed at a mix of diners – from professionals seeking a quick power start to families and groups meeting over the weekend.
Menu and dining format
The breakfast format leans on the tapas concept, with a selection of compact dishes meant to be ordered and shared. Signature items highlighted in the restaurant’s rollout include hummus topped with pine seeds, warm Al Quds bread, spicy baked feta, a sweet-and-savoury honey halloumi, a refined take on Foul Baghdadi, and labneh paired with egg and tomato. Prices for individual items start at AED 40, with an à la carte structure rather than set combos.
By presenting breakfast as a series of shareable plates, Asma is tapping into a trend that has been gaining traction in global dining—transforming what is traditionally a solitary or quick meal into an occasion for conversation. In Dubai, where dining is as much social as it is culinary, such formats can appeal to business groups, tourists and locals who favour experiential meals.
Locations, design and customer experience
Asma currently operates three outlets across Dubai: Dubai Mall (first floor near P5 cinema parking), Nad Al Sheba Mall (ground floor) and Al Khawaneej Walk. Each venue follows a design-led aesthetic with polished interiors intended to create a warm, contemporary atmosphere. The brand positions its spaces as photogenic yet approachable, a balance that matters in a city where ambience frequently informs dining decisions.
Opening hours vary by branch: Dubai Mall operates later hours on weekends with a 10am start Friday to Sunday, while the other two branches open from 9am on weekends. Reservations are not required.
Business context and outlook
Asma’s breakfast rollout comes at a time when Dubai’s food and beverage sector is increasingly diverse, with operators introducing variations on classic formats—brunch, all-day dining and now tapas-style breakfast—to capture different dayparts and customer segments. The approach can help restaurants increase table turnover during morning hours and elevate average spend through multiple small-item orders.
Founded and led by Nahla Wali, Asma has emphasised continuity in quality as it has expanded. The company has also signalled further growth ambitions, with plans for expansion over the coming years. For a regional brand, scaling while maintaining the balance between tradition and contemporary presentation will be a key test, particularly as competition in Dubai’s casual dining space remains intense.
What diners should know
The breakfast menu is available every day and is suited for groups who prefer sharing plates rather than individual breakfasts. With items priced from AED 40 and an à la carte model, guests can mix and match according to appetite and budget. The restaurants also promote a relaxed, design-forward environment that supports both informal meetings and family gatherings.
Asma continues to maintain an online presence where menus and updates are posted. For those curious to try the new breakfast concept, all three branches are now serving the tapas-style morning menu.
Practical information:
Locations: Asma Dubai Mall (1st floor, P5-Cinema parking), Asma Nad Al Sheba Mall (ground floor), Asma Al Khawaneej Walk.
Opening hours: Vary by branch; weekend starts earlier at most outlets. Items start at AED 40. Reservations not required.
Asma’s expansion of its breakfast offer underlines a broader evolution in Dubai’s hospitality sector, where traditional regional dishes are being repackaged for new dining occasions without losing sight of provenance.