The Italian restaurant Roberto’s, located in the outskirts of DIFC (but with a killer view nevertheless), used to have a lounge bar with a firm focus on cocktails, but after last year’s renovations during the summer, it feels as if they somehow have lost that ambition. Word on the street though is that work is undergoing to get them back to the top again. Food-wise, they do little to disappoint though, with delicious Italian food accompanied by amazing wines. They also have a charismatic restaurant manager in Stefano Bassanese, so if you get the chance - say hi from me.
Come here for Negroni et. al during the Aperitivo hours and get impressed by the snack sized food accompanying the cocktails, and then let the night turn into an Italian food fiesta.
Atmosphere: 5/8
Unfortunately, Roberto’s bar is more often than not used as an afterwork water hole, with men in suites drinking beer - with a better playlist and more focus on the cocktails they could take off. The view over Burj Khalifa through the panoramic windows is without competition one of the best in DIFC.
Cocktails: 5/8
Decent cocktails that all pass the par mark, but more finesse and inspired drinks is needed in order to get to the next level. Worth mentioning is their Aperitivo hours 5-8pm, where each cocktail is accompanied by complementary small bites from the chef.
Bartenders: 5/8
Some of the bartenders seem a big confused over the concept with the ice and fancy cocktails, but good work is underway speerheaded by Vasile Dorofeev.
Ice: 6/8
They do have big, clear ice cubes - and an ice stamp. But the bartenders often miss to pour out the water that melts when stamping the ice (and even sometimes miss the stamp, truth be told), and by that one of the faux-pas of cocktail-making is a fact - dilution.
Building 1
Gate Village
DIFC