Jumeirah Mina Al Salam: Shimmers Dubai at the beach

Begin with spreads if you want the table to find its own pace. Tzatziki brings yoghurt, cucumber, garlic and mint; htipiti combines feta, yoghurt, red capsicum and pine nuts. Melitzanosalata is roasted aubergine with mint, while hummus adds chickpeas and tahina. The menu allows a trio of dips. That makes a useful opening for a mixed table before everyone decides whether lunch is going towards grilled fish, a meat dish or vegetables.

The familiar Greek dishes have particular ingredients worth noticing. Greek salad uses cucumber, Datterino tomatoes, feta and Kalamata olives; watermelon salad adds toasted almonds and basil. Spanakopita folds spinach, feta, lemon confit and black pepper into the dish. Baked feta comes with fig chutney, honey, kadaif and pistachios. For someone who wants the Greek side of Shimmers, these smaller dishes give the meal a clear starting point before the larger plates arrive.

A seafood order can move through several temperatures. Raw dishes include tuna carpaccio with kalamansi and mandarin dressing, truffle yellowtail and sea bass with caviar. Warm starters bring crispy calamari, roasted prawn saganaki with tomato and feta, or grilled octopus on fava purée. The menu marks raw seafood and allergens. Mention an allergy before making a selection; the restaurant warns that food may contain allergens or come into contact with them.

The main seafood plates are more substantial: baked sea bass with tomato, capers and kaffir leaves; Mediterranean cod with chickpea ragout, clam jus and beef spianata; lobster with harissa, garlic, chilli, tomato and fennel. The cod’s description is especially useful to someone choosing fish for dietary reasons, because its accompaniments include beef. Read the whole dish with your waiter when your restrictions go beyond a preference for seafood.

Sharing is built into part of the menu. Shimmers Shyros centres on lamb shoulder with tomato, onion and cucumber salad, tzatziki and pita bread. Butterfly-grilled sea bass comes with tomato and chimichurri, and seafood calamarata uses the chef’s daily seafood selection. A seafood mixed grill and a wagyu tomahawk extend the same idea. Ask about the size of these dishes before ordering individual mains as well, particularly at a table that has already begun with mezze.

Vegetarian and vegan choices are visibly marked. Vegetable moussaka uses aubergine and vegetable ragout and carries the vegan symbol; roasted-aubergine dip and hummus are also marked vegan. Basil orzo comes with burrata, tomato salsa and balsamic vinegar and is vegetarian. Sides include rice, pan-roasted vegetables and salads. The symbols give you a starting point, while the restaurant’s own allergen note asks you to discuss special dietary needs with the team before ordering.

Dessert can stay Greek. Yoghurt ice cream comes with caramelised walnuts and honey; Shimmers Sharing Greek Filo brings pistachio ice cream, vanilla-and-orange diplomat cream, pistachio crunch and caramelised filo. The separate dessert menu also lists raspberry pavlova, baked chocolate mousse and vanilla crème brûlée with fresh oranges. Small and large fruit or watermelon platters give a table another way to finish. Decide whether to share after seeing how much of the main course you want.

For a more contained weekday plan, An Aegean Pause is a 3-course lunch created by head chef Emanuele de Leo. The offer runs Monday to Thursday from 12.30pm to 2pm and is valid until 31 December 2026. At AED 180 per person in the offer read on 17 October 2026, it includes service charge and VAT and attracts an additional municipality tax. The offer specifically welcomes all ages and says the menu accommodates vegetarian preferences.

Choose the weekday offer when a 3-course sequence suits you. À la carte gives you more freedom to order mezze, select fish individually or share lamb shoulder. The right format depends on the food your table wants and the sitting you can make.