Cove Beach, Stylish Oceanside Dining – Abu Dhabi

For a mid-week lunchtime treat, we head to the recently opened and incredibly picturesque beachfront lounge of Two.0 by Cove Beach, located in the Makers District Abu Dhabi on Al Reem Island. The brand-new licensed beach club is Cove Beach’s second venue, following the ever-popular location at Bluewaters, Dubai.

Beautifully manicured gardens set the scene for a chilled afternoon escape, with a well-dressed 100-seat al fresco restaurant and lounge, serving up refreshing beverages, fresh Mediterranean cuisine with a modern Japanese seafood twist. In an all-encompassing oceanfront experience, an infinity pool set within the ocean offers seemingly endless views of the turquoise waters, while plush loungers, beach beds and cabanas dotted between the beachfront and pool welcome up to 1,000 guests at a time.

While the beach club vibes yell glitz and glamour, the complex as a whole has a laid-back island-holiday-inspired feel about it. A mostly light grey and cream palette complement the ivory coastline, while the beachy wooden details and cheery staff are visible throughout the palm tree-lined space, in an almost-tropical feel.

From the cushioned chairs you sink into at the restaurant/lounge to the walkway that transports you from the dining area out to the pool and beach, the atmosphere is simple and understated, but evidently luxe with a minimalistic cool-factor. Wooden decking creates a sand-free way to get around the beach club, with the pathway leading you past the beachfront to the large pool which offers more of a party atmosphere.

We take a seat at Two.0 where we reminisce on the ‘good old days’ with the fabulous 90’s R&B soundtrack that had us dancing in our chairs and singing along the entire time we are there. After some time deliberating over the menu, we eventually decide on a couple of smoothies to get our tastebuds flowing. I opt for the Acai Kick (with Acai mango, blueberry and banana) which has all the flavours of a guilty treat, but the ingredients fit for a true health enthusiast. Meanwhile my lunchtime date opts for a green pick-me-up, the Green Machine; packed with fresh green goodies – spinach, broccoli, celery, mango, banana and pineapple. We snack on a bowl of Edamame as we wait for our dishes to arrive.

For our meal, we order a portion of freshly prepared soft cheese Gnocchi which arrives to our table beautifully presented with a creamy Provençale sauce, asparagus, artichoke crisps and basil leaves. Following on, the Covebeach Salad comprises of Mizuna salad leaves, cucumber, avocado, green apples, asparagus and apple dressing. The perfect sunshine salad to be enjoyed in the Abu Dhabi winter sun. Piping hot and served with a ‘just-caught’ flavour, the highlight of our meal is undoubtedly the oven baked Hamour, which has its flavour elevated by the delectable Provençale sauce, grilled vegetables and the complementary zing of a citrus sauce. The freshness, quality and portion sizes are all reasonable.

There is an array of dishes on the menu to choose from including sashimi and nigiri, burgers, salads and even Argentinian rib-eye and prime USDA steaks, although you can’t seem to go wrong with any dish.

The desserts look and taste fantastic and finish our oceanside lunch on a great high. We indulge in the Valrhona Chocolate Fondant which comes served warm (and gooey in the middle) with a side of vanilla ice cream. We also select a portion of the Napoleon Cake; a soft hazelnut sponge with milk chocolate and homemade chocolate ice-cream, all washed down with a cappuccino.

Check out the weekly programme of themed events which includes the Friday Brunch and other not to be missed happenings. So, whether you’re headed there during a weekday afternoon, an evening wind-down or a chilled-out weekend, Cove Beach promises an incredible time with spanning ocean views and a diverse menu.

Prices for weekdays are AED 200 with AED 200 back to spend on food and beverage. Prices for weekends are AED 300 with AED 300 back to spend on food and beverage. If you really want to go all out a private cabana will cost you AED 1,000 minimum spend on weekdays and AED 2,000 on weekends and is limited to 4 people.

Acai Kick, AED 35
Green Machine, AED 35
Edamame, AED 32
Gnocchi, AED 52
Covebeach Salad, AED 52
Hamour, AED 150
French Fries, AED 32
Chocolate Fondant, AED 58
Napoleon Cake, AED 45

Cove Beach, Makers District, Abu Dhabi, +971 563 987 895