Dubai's shopping scene is world famous, with cavernous malls that are much more than mere retail spaces. Luxury cinemas, futuristic play areas, art exhibits, innovative pop-ups and experiential shopping experiences complement rows and rows of shiny designer boutiques and shops selling interesting homegrown labels. All to say, Dubai's malls can be overwhelming, so here are some tips on where to stop for what.
Dubai Mall
In true Dubai style, the world’s largest mall sits directly beneath the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa. Covering one million square metres, Dubai Mall houses a vast number of retail, dining and entertainment outlets, and is visited by more than one million people each year. Everything about it is impressive.
Home to 1,200 shops across seven storeys, covering tech, literature, interiors, sportswear, childrenswear and fashion, it also has 200 dining outlets, an ice rink, soft play areas, a cinema and a 10 million-litre aquarium. It was recently expanded by a further 15,000 sqm with the addition of Dubai Mall Zabeel, a lifestyle space situated across the road and connected via an air-conditioned footbridge. And, to make the large number of Chinese tourists that visit Dubai every year feel at home, Chinatown, an area dedicated to Chinese restaurants and shops, has also been launched, linking the mall to The Address Fountain Views hotel.
For families, Dubai Mall is a one-stop-shop, offering plenty of entertainment options away from the hot Dubai sun. The aquarium is not only intriguing from the outside, an underwater zoo back-of-house makes for an educational day out for the whole family. Other fun things for families include watching the famous fountain show, which takes place every 30 minutes from 6pm, while younger kids will be delighted by a trip to the UK’s most famous toy store, Hamley’s.
For shopping, The Dubai Mall’s fashion folio encompasses everything from high-street giants like Zara, Mango, H&M and Anthropologie, to mid-range lines like Sandro, Maje and DKNY. For luxury afficionados, the glass-domed Fashion Avenue is lined by the likes of Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Dior, YSL and McQueen – to name but a few – along with complementary cafés and restaurants by Armani and Gia, where visitors can take a pause from purchasing.
Get there easily by Dubai metro, taxi or self-park. There is also a valet service at the Fashion Avenue entrance. This is not a mall you can easily pop in and out of – there are vast distances and huge crowds involved, so make a day of it.
Dubai Hills Mall
One of the newer malls in the city, Dubai Hills Mall is a pleasure to shop. Though still large in size, its rectangular layout means it’s far easier to navigate than Dubai Mall and is still largely devoid of crowds. Focusing more on lifestyle than luxury – the most high-end fashion brand you’ll find is Michael Kors – Dubai Hills Mall houses the usual suspects in terms of high-street, including Zara, Mango and Massimo Dutti, with a few more obscure ones thrown in, like Muji, Urban Outfitters and Bauhaus. Sportswear is also popular here, with standalone stores from Adidas, Toms and Dropkick. But overall it’s the interior stores that stand out: Pottery Barn, Haute Boheme Home, Sophia Home, Natuzzi, Home Centre, Zara Home and The One are all in situ. There are also some homegrown cafes and pop-up shops tucked amid the stores. And it wouldn't be Dubai without a little something extra – Dubai Hills Mall is also home to the world's fastest indoor roller coaster, The Storm Coaster, if you fancy a quick adrenaline hit mid-shop.
Mall of the Emirates
A favourite with Dubai’s residents, Mall of the Emirates is one of the founding shopping destinations in the city and one of the busiest for day-to-day living. Here you’ll find people food shopping in Carrefour, upgrading their iPhone at the Apple Store, and leaving Hermès laden with bags, all under the same roof. It has high-end luxury brands like Burberry, Gucci, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana and Fendi in its fashion dome and is home to London’s original multi-brand fashion emporium, Harvey Nichols. All the popular high-street brands are here, too, as with all of Dubai's malls, but the city’s first homegrown multi-brand department store THAT Concept Store brings a more curated fashion-forward edit of brands: MM6 Maison Margiela, Vetements and Simone Rocha are among those displayed in the colourful multi-storey space.
Restaurants abound at MOE, as it is known, with popular homegrown cafes like Common Grounds, More and The Lighthouse dotted around for easy refuelling, and international brands like Shake Shack, PF Changs and The Cheesecake Factory. For entertainment, Mall of the Emirates is best known around the world for Ski Dubai, an inside ski dome complete with penguins and real snow where you can enrol the kids in ski school or give it a go yourself.
The Outlet Mall
For discounted luxury, head to Dubai’s Outlet Mall on the E66, approximately 30 minutes out of the city. If you aren’t driving, it’s easy to taxi, or a complimentary shuttle bus is available to and from most hotels. This is a bargain hunter’s heaven: Lululemon, Nike, Lacoste, Puma, Reebok and Ralph Lauren all have outlets here, plus it's where big luxury department stores like Bloomingdale’s Dubai and Harvey Nichols Dubai send old stock to find new life. You can hunt for Chloè handbags at a snip of the original price, Alexander McQueen shoes, men’s suits by Sacoor or Hugo Boss, as well as timepieces from the Rivoli group and furniture from outlets like The One. Well worth the trip.
Abaya Mall
Abaya Mall in Mirdif is a popular spot for local ladies searching for elegant modest designs. Around 50 boutiques line the mall, showcasing abayas in every eventuality, from traditional black with texture and trims, embellishments and embroideries to more fashion-forward designs in tie-dye prints or unusual appliqués. This is not a glamorous Emaar-developed mall, so don’t expect there to be a Starbucks. You can, however, have a manicure in one of the salons.
The Nakheel Mall
The main mall on Palm Jumeirah’s central trunk is designed to serve the local community. Nakheel Mall is more compact than many in the city, with about 140 shops to mooch about in on an afternoon spent exploring the Palm. A number of cafes and homegrown eateries sit at the heart of this shopping centre, making it a favoured destination for meet-ups and generating an energetic, buzzy atmosphere. During the week, the mall is quiet, aside from mums or nannies with strollers passing the time with a bit of browsing, and gaggles of freelancers on their laptops perched in coffee shops. On weekends, Nakheel Mall is filled with families on breakfast outings at 1762 Bakery & More and The Lime Tree, while friends line the central coffee bar at The Climbing Goat Roastery in Depachika, a gourmet food court championing the best of Dubai-born concepts, from Kilikio, a Greek bakery that bakes divine strifti and spinach pies, to BB Social Dining, whose bao buns and ramen noodles are loved the city over.
The clothes shopping is a mix of lesser-known labels and high street, and the odd gem can be uncovered in one of the local standalone boutiques: pretty linen dresses from Indian designer Ayesha Depala, co-ords from Beach City and the printed silk kaftan and trouser sets by Atelier are particularly good investments.
Galleria Mall
With locations in both Al Barsha and on Al Wasl road near City Walk, the Galleria malls are boutique in size, designed to serve the community with essential elements like a tailor, beauty salon, Organic Food shop and a few gifting boutiques, with an emphasis on providing an interesting environment in which to spend some time with friends. Restaurants are at the heart of Galleria – in Al Barsha, mornings see the Home Bakery and La Gente Roastery full of coffee meetings, and by the evening, the mall is buzzing with groups of people catching up over dinner. In Jumeirah, the set up is less mall and more of a promenade, with a steady flow of women browsing the boutiques before stopping for a light lunch on the terrace at Tashas.