Alici's signature dish pairs Italian pasta with anchovies as the main protein. Whole marinated anchovies are tossed with Gragnano spaghetti, capers, black olives, and a generous shower of crispy toasted breadcrumbs (mollica). The anchovies dissolve into an umami-rich sauce.
Tips from diners
Order with a squeeze of fresh lemon to brighten the richness of the anchovies — the acidity is essential.
Handmade ravioli are filled with tender cod and creamy burrata cheese, then finished in a light datterino tomato sauce. The combination of the silky burrata and flaky cod creates delicate, almost cloud-like texture.
Tips from diners
Alici's weekend brunch (Saturday-Sunday 13:00-16:00) includes this dish alongside other seafood offerings at a set price of AED 220 with drinks.
Monkfish (also called 'poor man's lobster') has sweet, tender flesh that works beautifully in this Southern Italian preparation. Rigatoni catches the chunky tomato sauce while the meaty monkfish provides substance.
Tips from diners
This pasta offers excellent value — monkfish is premium seafood at a mid-range price point.
A luxurious preparation where fresh egg pasta is tossed with silky sea urchin roe (uni) and finished with bottarga — salted and dried fish roe that adds a subtle briny crunch. The pasta stays delicate; the sauce is light and purely oceanic.
Tips from diners
Sea urchin is a delicate ingredient — eat this early in your meal before palate fatigue sets in.
A showstopper preparation where a whole branzino is encased in a salt crust and baked until the flesh steams inside. The salt seals in moisture while imparting subtle seasoning. Fennel and lemon create aromatics inside the fish.
Tips from diners
The staff will debone the fish tableside — watch them work as it's an impressive technique.
Located on the waterfront of Bluewaters Island, Alici (meaning 'anchovies' in Italian) brings the essence of the Amalfi Coast to Dubai. Fresh seafood arrives daily from Italy, with anchovies as the hero ingredient — marinated, fried, or starring in pasta. The casual-elegant trattoria atmosphere, combined with stunning Gulf views and Italian Riviera aesthetics, makes Alici a favorite for both lunch and dinner.
Request a waterfront table facing the Gulf — the sunset views over the Arabian Gulf and JBR are among the best in Dubai.
Weekend brunch (Saturday-Sunday 13:00-16:00) at AED 220 includes seafood dishes, drinks, and coffee — excellent value for this location and quality.
Ask your server which fish arrived fresh today — the daily Italian seafood deliveries mean specials rotate regularly.
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