Katerina Lee
Google
Overrated and disappointing
Today was supposed to be a special day — we went for a business lunch at Cipriani, but I honestly don’t understand why people like it.
The appetizer was a beetroot and goat cheese salad with asparagus, which turned out to be just a mountain of beetroot, a few asparagus pieces hidden underneath, and two small pieces of goat cheese on top. Everything felt disconnected instead of working together as a dish, and it was simply too much beetroot to enjoy.
For the main course, we had pasta with mushrooms and cheese. The portion was tiny — just a thin layer of pasta with a few mushrooms under baked cheese. Flavor-wise, I’d rate it 3/5 at best.
The bread basket was included, and dessert was yogurt ice cream — the highlight of the meal, actually delicious. Coffee was fine, and they do offer alternative milk options.
The full set cost 180 AED, which is absolutely not worth it, especially in DIFC where many competitors serve far better business lunches at the same price.
The atmosphere also wasn’t what you’d expect from Italian fine dining — there was even a strange curry-like smell, which felt very out of place.
The staff were friendly and attentive, so service was good. But overall, I wouldn’t recommend Cipriani for lunch, and I definitely won’t be returning.