Could Pepe Cucina be your new go-to for Italian food in Dubai?

N ow open at Address Beach Resort, new Italian restaurant Pepe Cucina brings handmade pasta, wood-fired cooking and all the dishes that make Italian food so hard to resist. All in a cosy yet stylish waterfront setting, with a relaxed atmosphere that makes you want to hang around a little longer. A post shared by What’s On Dubai (@) Pepe Cucina is spread across four distinct spaces, giving the restaurant a little more range than your typical Italian dining room. There are cosy indoor areas alongside open-air seating overlooking JBR and Ain Dubai, making it just as suited to a long lunch as it is to sunset drinks or a lively dinner with friends. The interiors take their cues from the warmth of a traditional Italian trattoria, but with a distinctly contemporary finish. Then there’s the bar, where playful décor touches give the space a more vibrant feel, while a dedicated kids’ area makes it an easy option for families, too. Following the same relaxed approach as the setting, with a friendly, easy-going feel that suits Pepe Cucina’s take on Italian hospitality. You get a real sense that the restaurant is meant to feel welcoming rather than formal, with the team attentive and happy to guide you through the menu. 11 of the biggest new restaurants opening in Dubai The menu leans into the kind of indulgent Italian cooking that makes choosing what to order the hardest part. We started with the yellow and red endive salad with gorgonzola, pecans and figs, followed by the beef carpaccio, thinly sliced and dressed with mustard, pickled mushrooms and parmesan. Both made a good start to the meal, but it was the pasta that really stole the show. The homemade gnocchi arrabbiata with burrata and basil comes with a spicy smoked cherry tomato sauce that packs a real depth of flavour, while the fusilloni alla genovese was the one we’re still thinking about. Made with an onion and beef ragù and finished with a pecorino sauce, it’s comforting and exactly the sort of dish you’d happily go back for. Then came the lobster linguine, the pasta cooked to a perfect bite and the lobster generous and sweet, with just enough sauce to coat rather than drown it. It’s a standout and one we’d happily order again. Dessert wasn’t up for debate: tiramisu, a bombolone alla crema and a mango and passion fruit sorbet all made the table. When it comes to drinks, Pepe Cucina keeps the Italian theme going with a premium wine selection that pairs beautifully with the food, alongside creative cocktails and mocktails.