Finding a genuinely great Italian restaurant outside of Italy isn't always easy. There are plenty of places serving pizza and pasta, but not many that leave you thinking about the meal weeks later.

For me, Fi'lia, located on the 70th floor of the SLS Dubai Hotel & Residences, did exactly that.

I actually visited Fi'lia for my birthday back in May, and several months later I'm still recommending it whenever someone asks where to eat in Dubai. Between the incredible views, warm service and some of the best Italian food I've had outside of Italy, it's a restaurant I'd happily return to again and again.

As always, this review is completely unsponsored and based solely on my own experience.

About Fi'lia Dubai

Fi'lia is an Italian-Mediterranean restaurant located on the 70th floor of SLS Dubai in Business Bay. It has become well known not only for its panoramic views across Dubai, but also for being the Middle East's first fully female-led restaurant concept.

The menu is inspired by recipes passed down through generations of Italian families and is divided into three sections:

Nonna – traditional Italian classics.
Mamma – familiar dishes with a modern twist.
Fi'lia – contemporary creations inspired by Italian cuisine.

It's a concept that feels thoughtful rather than gimmicky, and the menu manages to stay true to classic Italian flavours while adding enough creativity to make it interesting.

The atmosphere

We visited on a Saturday lunchtime, arriving at around 12:30 pm. The restaurant was fairly quiet when we arrived, which made for a really relaxed atmosphere. By around 1:30 pm, it had started to fill up, but it never felt noisy or overcrowded.

We were lucky enough to be seated by one of the floor-to-ceiling windows, and the views are every bit as impressive as you'd expect from the 70th floor. Looking out across Dubai while enjoying lunch definitely adds something special to the experience.

The service throughout the meal was excellent. Every member of staff we interacted with was genuinely friendly and attentive. Our food arrived at a comfortable pace, so we never felt rushed through our meal, but equally we weren't left waiting for long between courses.

Before we'd even ordered, we were served a complimentary basket of freshly baked bread alongside an olive tapenade. It's a simple touch, but one that's always appreciated, and the bread disappeared very quickly.

What we tried at Fi'lia Dubai

Starters

To begin, my partner ordered the Arancini - fried tomato risotto balls with scamorza cheese, aubergine ragù and smoked marinara sauce. I chose the Parmigiana.

Both starters were excellent, and I was pleasantly surprised by how generous the portions were. Often Italian restaurants treat starters as just a small appetiser, but these felt substantial without being overly filling.

To drink, I ordered an Aperol Spritz, and I can honestly say it was probably the best I've had in Dubai so far. It was perfectly balanced — refreshing, not overly sweet and without that overpowering alcohol taste that some spritzes can have.

Main courses

For my main course, I ordered the Risotto ai Funghi, made with Carnaroli rice, mixed wild mushrooms and aged Parmesan.

My partner chose the Spaghetti alla Carbonara, made with fresh pasta, Angus beef bacon, pecorino romano, egg yolk and black pepper.

If I had to describe both dishes in a few words, I'd call them elevated comfort food. They were brought in separate plates so we still had our own empty plates if we wished to share our dishes.

Everything tasted rich, indulgent and full of flavour, but without feeling unnecessarily complicated. Sometimes the simplest dishes are the hardest to get right, and Fi'lia executes them beautifully.

I also appreciated the portion sizes. They were generous enough to leave us satisfied, but not so enormous that you immediately regret ordering dessert. We finished our mains comfortably full, yet still had room for something sweet - which, in my opinion, is exactly how you want to feel at the point, especially when the dessert menu is to your liking.

Dessert

Anyone who knows me knows I have a weakness for tiramisu, so ordering Fi'lia's Fi'liamisu was never really in doubt.

Made with classic tiramisu cream, ladyfinger biscuits and espresso syrup, it's presented in an oversized coffee cup, which makes it feel a little different without being over the top.

The espresso flavour really shines through, and thankfully it isn't overly sweet. It's the sort of dessert that tastes unmistakably of coffee rather than simply tasting sugary.

My partner ordered the cheesecake, which doesn't appear to be on the menu anymore, suggesting it may have been a seasonal dessert. He enjoyed the light and airy but still creamy texture with delicious berry jam on the side - which was perfect to finish an already carb-heavy meal.

As my partner had mentioned when booking that we were celebrating my birthday, the team surprised us by bringing out the desserts while singing Happy Birthday.

They added a candle to the cheesecake (which was easier to do than on my own dessert) presented me with a handwritten birthday card and made the whole occasion feel genuinely special. It's those small touches that people remember, and that makes me want to come back even more, without any occasions to celebrate.

Is Fi'lia Dubai worth visiting?

Absolutely.

I've eaten at a lot of Italian restaurants over the years, and Fi'lia is comfortably the best Italian restaurant I've visited outside of Italy.

The food strikes that difficult balance between authentic and refined, the service is some of the best I've experienced in Dubai, and the setting speaks for itself.

We felt like each dish was reasonably priced given the portion sizes, flavours and overall quality of the whole experience. To give you an idea, our mains were 110 and 105 AED (about £22 and £21, or $30 and $29).

It's certainly not somewhere I'd visit every week, but it's exactly the kind of restaurant I'd recommend for birthdays, anniversaries, celebrations or simply when you want to treat yourself to an exceptional meal.

Next time I visit, I'll be trying one of their pizzas — because if they're anywhere near as good as the pasta, I already know I'll be planning another return visit.

Final thoughts

Dubai has no shortage of beautiful restaurants with incredible views, but sometimes the food doesn't quite live up to the setting. Fi'lia is one of the rare places where both deliver.

Come for the skyline views, stay for the genuinely outstanding Italian food, and don't leave without ordering the tiramisu!