Café Isan ‘Let’s Go Outside!’

The new Cafe Isan in cluster P: From pop up to permanent feature!

As the great philosopher George Michael once wisely said “Let’s Go Outside!’ Being huge fans of the man himself, the crew at Café Isan Thai Streetfood & Tea Bar have got together with a bunch of scaffolders and created the coolest licensed outdoor terrace in JLT – converting their summer pop up to a permanent indoor / outdoor spot, which will be a huge relief to punters anxiously trying to get a table before the end of November. 

Indisputably, the best authentic Thai food in the city. Café Isan has a trophy cabinet that would make Tiger Woods green with envy and which includes a JLT Dining Award, too! Not bad going for a home cooking sensation turned have-a-go pro!  With a towering urban skyline backdrop the 10-table terrace overlooks the park and is guaranteed to transport you right back to the streets of Thailand.  One of the coolest spots in the city to bring a date or hang out with friends, the vibe is casual, the tunes nostalgic and the dress code is “come-as-you-are.”

In addition to the regular menu folks know and love, Chef New and her team will be cooking up Thai BBQ classics on the terrace such as grilled squid with her infamous spicy seafood sauce, Isan style sausages and… wait for it…. a brand spanking new homemade burger called the “Songkran Burger" - a succulent chicken patty in a crunchy satay coating with a carrot & onion salsa, mature cheddar, homemade peanut sauce and garlic, slightly spicy or spicy skinny fries.  Grape starts from AED 29/glass and AED 99/bottle and Thai hops from AED 35.

Details: Level 1, Armada BlueBay Hotel JLT, Cluster P. Open Mon. - Sat. 2 p.m. - Midnight. Closed Sundays. BBQ on the terrace at 6 p.m. daily. Bookings: 058-5291003 or 050-9132611. Free parking for 3 hours. Adults only after 7 p.m.  More info on Cafe Isan's JLT dining listing here.

Don't forget about Cafe Isan's original location cluster B, which you can find out more about here. Interested in the Cafe Isan story? You can read it here.