Vanitas 3 Course Set Menu in Dubai

The Vanitas 3 Course Set Menu in Dubai is a chef-chosen Italian lunch or dinner at Vanitas, the signature Italian restaurant of Palazzo Versace on the Jaddaf Waterfront, overlooking Dubai Creek. It is a straightforward way to try one of the hotel’s most atmospheric dining rooms: three courses, soft drinks and valet parking, with the menu decisions taken care of for you.

The hotel promotes Vanitas for romantic dinners and intimate gatherings, and the set menu makes that kind of evening a more relaxed, predictable affair.

Palazzo Versace Dubai is managed by Palazzo Hospitality, and the fashion house’s look runs through the property; at Giardino, for example, meals are served on Rosenthal meets Versace porcelain. Vanitas is the hotel’s signature Italian restaurant, the one it positions for evenings with a sense of occasion.

The room

Vanitas is on the ground floor of the hotel’s East Wing. Its interiors are the opposite of minimalist: hand-painted frescos, red velvet seating and soft, low lighting, all wrapped in the Versace aesthetic that runs through the property. The effect is intimate rather than grand, with a sense of an old Italian dining room rather than a modern hotel restaurant.

The restaurant looks out over Dubai Creek and the hotel’s waterfront, and the hotel’s photography shows an outdoor dining area as well. In the cooler months, ask whether outdoor tables are available when you reserve.

What is on the set menu

The booking page describes the three courses as a carefully curated, authentic Italian culinary journey that blends traditional flavours with a modern touch, made with premium ingredients. It does not publish the individual dishes, which suggests the menu is chosen by the kitchen and may change.

To set expectations, Vanitas’s regular menu is built around the classics: freshly made and handmade pastas, velvety risottos, wood-fired pizzas, seafood and indulgent desserts. Expect the set menu to draw on that repertoire, but confirm the current dishes with the restaurant if anyone in your group has dietary requirements.

What is included

• A three-course set menu, at lunch or dinner
• Soft drinks
• Complimentary valet parking at the hotel

Water, mocktails and alcoholic drinks are not included. The listing mentions optional wine pairings, so if you would like wine with each course, ask about it on arrival. Gratuities and personal expenses are extra. The offer is dine-in only and cannot be combined with other promotions.

Lunch or dinner?

The booking page lists two services: lunch from 12pm to 4pm, with the last seating at 3:30pm, and dinner from 6pm to 11pm, with the last seating at 10:30pm. Allow around two hours for the meal.

One caution: Palazzo Versace’s own Vanitas page currently says the restaurant is closed for lunch and open daily for dinner only. If you are planning a lunchtime visit, confirm with the hotel before you book. For most people, dinner is the natural choice anyway, when the candlelit room and the Creek views are at their best.

The set menu is not available on public holidays and special occasions. The terms list Eid, National Day, Valentine’s Day, Christmas, New Year, Ramadan and Iftar as excluded, which is worth knowing if you had a romantic dinner in mind for one of those dates.

Who it suits

• Couples looking for a romantic dinner with a sense of occasion
• Small celebrations, such as birthdays or anniversaries, where a fixed menu keeps things simple
• Visitors curious to see the inside of Palazzo Versace
• Lovers of classic Italian cooking

Children under six are not permitted at Vanitas, and the adult ticket covers ages 12 and over. The dress code is smart casual or traditional local attire, which fits the formality of the room, so leave beachwear and sports kit at home.

Bookings come with instant confirmation, and the listing allows cancellation up to 96 hours before your reservation.

Getting there

Palazzo Versace Dubai is on the Jaddaf Waterfront, on the Al Jaddaf side of Dubai Creek. Driving is easiest, as valet parking is included; follow the signs to the hotel. By Metro, take the Green Line to Al Jadaf station, then a taxi of about five minutes. By taxi, ask for Palazzo Versace Dubai.

Note that the directions section of the booking page refers to Giardino, the hotel’s buffet restaurant, which appears to be copied from another listing. Vanitas is in the East Wing, so ask the hotel team to point you in the right direction on arrival.

If you would like to explore the rest of the hotel, Giardino and Mosaico are also on site, and Gazebo, the shisha lounge in the same East Wing, faces the La Piscina pool and serves Mediterranean flavours outdoors, an easy place for a drink after dinner. For more ideas, browse our dinner and brunch guide, more things to do in Dubai, and our November guide.