As in Dubai, most of the dining in Abu Dhabi happens in hotels, the only licensed buildings in town. There's a big eating-out and café culture among expats in the city, and the last couple of years has seen a large number of high-quality new openings in higher-end hotels (for up-to-date reviews of the city's eateries, check www.timeoutabudhabi.com). While the food on offer is often extremely impressive, wine lists are the city's true Achilles heel: they're generally overpriced and unimaginative, although this is starting to change as alcohol merchants start to take the gourmet scene more seriously. Anyone expecting a slice of local food culture is certain to be disappointed - there's not a single Emirati restaurant in the city.

If you're happy to eat European, The Hilton (Corniche Road, +97126811900) is home to two of the city's best restaurants, the beachside Vasco's with its upmarket Mediterranean menu and the fabulous Bice, whose truffle tortelloni have made grown foodies cry with delight. The Beach Rotana (Tourist Club Area, +97126443000) has a great steakhouse in Rodeo Grill, a fabulously authentic German in Brauhaus and a top fish joint in Finz. If you want a lighter meal you won't be disappointed by the bustling Ninar café (+97126722267) or Café Firenze on Al Naser Street (+97126660955).