Dubai is known as 'The City of Merchants' has it has no fewer than 24 shopping malls. There is something for everyone in Dubai whether its. Shopping, eating different foods, doing activities or even riding a camel. Don't forget Dubai can also provide you with some of the finest golf courses in the world.

Dubai's restaurants and hotels offer an incredibly diverse range of food and beverage choices including both restaurants of all kinds and cafes and bars. The choices consist of cuisine from around the world, including excellent service and decor. Here, unlike many other cities your best bet might be to eat in your hotel because restaurants located outside hotel and club premises are not permitted to serve alcohol. However, the rest of the city does offer small eateries which support Dubai's high standards of international cuisine. Some of the types of food you will find besides Gulf, Middle Eastern and Arabian are Italian, Spanish, Swiss and Chinese.

Dubai is no longer the cheap destination it was 10 years ago. At most restaurants, expect to pay about £5 for starters, £13 for mains and London prices for wine.

The choice is astonishing, with highlights including Nina, a funky modern Indian at the Arabian Court and Anar, a Persian restaurant at Madinat Jumeirah, where specialities include lamb and pistachio koftas with pomegranate seeds. If you're really pushing the boat out, try Verre at the Hilton Dubai Creek, Gordon Ramsay's only restaurant outside the UK. At the other end of the spectrum, you have backstreet Indians in the textile souk of Bastakia, where you can get an authentic Gujarati thali for £2.

Top seafood choices include the Aquarium at the Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club and the Fish Market at the Hotel Inter-Continental; and Dubai boasts an abundance of European restaurants, particularly Italian: the Bice Ristorante in Umm Suqueim offers first-class Italian delicacies, fine service and alfresco dining; the elegant Cubo Pasta restaurant at the Ibis Hotel receives rave reviews; Venezia, the largest restaurant in the Middle East, is beautifully designed like an Italian village square, complete with gondola rides, musical entertainment and an extensive selection of fine wines. La Moda's plush setting and delicious Italian dishes makes it the place to be and to be seen in. Other top choices include Da Vinci's in Garhoud and the all-day Fontana diner.

As Dubai is a Muslim city, many restaurants, especially at the cheaper end of the market, are not licensed to serve alcohol. However, restaurants in the tourist and business hotels almost always serve alcohol. Sales tax at 10% is added to all bills. Service charges at 10-15% are also frequently added but, if they are not, a 10% tip is expected.

If you feel like dinner in shorts and flip-flops, go to The Boardwalk at the Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club, which overlooks the Creek and serves delicious burgers.

Thursday marks the beginning of the weekend and restaurants are always very busy, so if you are interested in any of the below we highly advise you to book, especially in the Summer months as a lot of restaurants will close their outdoor dining areas as it is too hot.

Dubai is also famous for its Friday brunches, where sumptuous buffets cover the whole spectrum of international cuisines, some lasting all day. Competition is intense and great promotions often apply: some venues offer free use of facilities, such as swimming pools, as part of the Friday brunch package.