It’s a bold restaurant that takes its name from one dish but Duck & Waffle is no ordinary restaurant and its signature dish is no ordinary dish. More than three million people who have enjoyed the flavour explosion of Duck & Waffle in London, Edinburgh and Dubai can attest to that.
Even more surprising than a restaurant being named for a single dish is the fact that the dish tastes so good. The idea of serving confit duck leg on top of a waffle with fried egg and maple syrup might sound ridiculous, but as every flavour aficionado knows, the salty/sweet combo is always a winner.
The dish has been winning fans since it went on the menu at Duck & Waffle in London in 2012. A second Duck & Waffle opened in Edinburgh in 2023, and the third in Dubai’s DIFC (Dubai International Financial Centre) in 2024.
During our recent extended stay in the UAE, we had an opportunity to experience the Dubai restaurant and its playful take on modern dining.
Located in DIFC’s Innovation Hub, not far from Dubai Mall, it’s a striking looking restaurant with a buzzy atmosphere and décor that is as bold as the food — vibrant colours, mood lighting, a sleek, modern bar, and pot plants dotted around.
As an all-day dining destination, open around the clock from Thursday to Saturday and long hours the rest of the week, Duck & Waffle moves effortlessly from day to night.
We arrived shortly before 6pm and within half an hour, the lights were dimmed and the eclectic soundtrack – ranging from mambo to the Bee Gees and everything in between – gave way to a live guitarist with a delightful and equally eclectic playlist, including Quizas Quizas Quizas, the song that follows us around the world.
But it’s the terrace that really captures our attention with its views of the Dubai skyline including the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa. Duck & Waffle is the first venture in Dubai for CBH Hospitality, a company with grand plans to bring well-known restaurant brands to the city.
Executive chef Aaron Gillespie hails from Australia and brings more than 20 years of international experience, having honed his craft across Australia, Hong Kong and the UAE, most recently at Gordon Ramsay’s Bread Street Kitchen in Atlantis The Palm.
We sampled the restaurant’s Early Dinner menu, a 3-course set menu with a glass of Prosecco, served Monday to Friday from 5pm to 8pm. Not surprisingly, the menu is anchored around the Duck & Waffle main course, with a total of four starters, five mains, and two desserts to choose from.
We enjoyed the flavours and the variety of textures in the starters we shared: deliciously creamy burrata with heirloom tomatoes, basil and a sprinkle of pinenuts and dried black olives; and little cubes of baked beetroot tossed with quinoa, avocado, blood orange and pistachio nuts.
The Duck & Waffle main was truly a surprise. It was delivered to the table as a confit leg sitting on top of the fluffy waffle with a perfectly fried egg covering the lot, and a jug of mustard-infused maple syrup on the side. Our server deftly deboned the leg before pouring over the syrup then slicing the dish in half, so that the egg yolk ran free and combined with the syrup in one deliciously gooey mess. Not a dish for the faint-hearted!
There was more fun (and more waffle) to come with The Full Elvis dessert, with its topping of peanut butter and strawberry jam, caramelised banana and chantilly cream. We struggled through, but the other dessert of maple caramel apples with cinnamon icecream — also a gigantic serve but simpler in its execution — was more my thing.
As the ambience transforms throughout the day, so too does the menu, with wood-fired mezze breakfasts and flaky avocado croissants giving way to business lunches, aperitivo hour snacks, and hearty à la carte dishes.
Weekends bring a change of pace with a classic Sunday roast, while creative cocktails hit the spot for late-night catch-ups. There’s even something for the kids, with waffle-making classes on Sundays from noon till 3pm. In short, there’s something for everyone at this quirky hotspot.
Duck & Waffle Dubai
Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC)
Innovation One, Concourse Level
Dubai, UAE
Tel: +971 043 369876
duckandwaffle.com
With thanks to Duck & Waffle for hosting us for the Early Dinner set menu. All photos are © FoodWineTravel except for the top photo which was supplied by the restaurant and used with permission.
