Madrid’s Salmon Guru bar opens Dubai outpost

Diego Cabrera has brought his celebrated cocktail bar to the UAE

Located within The Opus by Omniyat building designed by Zaha Hadid, in Dubai’s Business Bay, Salmon Guru bar has opened its doors to the public.

Named after the fish with a propensity to go against the flow, the bar’s concept is inspired by salmon’s seemingly rebellious attitude.

Diego Cabrera opened the first Salmon Guru in Madrid in 2016. Last year, Salmon Guru Madrid was ranked number 24 on the World’s 50 Best Bars and also won the Michter’s Art of Hospitality award.

Inspired by the original Salmon Guru in Madrid, the new Dubai branch, the first outside of Spain, has been designed by Diego Cabrera personally. He said: “Salmon Guru is, to put it simply, a fun, elevated and very different bar. We like to go against the grain and opening Salmon Guru in the Middle East is certainly an “out there” move for us. Nobody was expecting it, but now is the right time to share our unique cocktail bar vision with everyone in Dubai.”

 Bar snacks

Speaking about partnering with the Salmon Guru team, Elements Hospitality founders Jad Aboujaoude and Farah George Farah said: “We are so excited to bring the Salmon Guru brand to life in the Middle East. It’s been so much fun working with Diego Cabrera and his team to make this happen. We are huge fans of Diego’s fun approach to cocktails. What he has done for the bar scene is really special and we’re delighted to help bring Salmon Guru to the UAE audience.” 

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The venue combines three distinct aesthetics and areas: the Sixties-style tropical speakeasy, an Asian night market and a comic book-themed space. There’s also a terrace for cooler months.

On the drinks menu, guests will find surreal and finely balanced signature drinks complete with custom glassware that resembles tree frogs, glow-in-the-dark lotus flowers and anthropomorphised fish.

Cabrera has specially curated the Dubai menu and introduced a new signature cocktail available exclusively in the Middle East alongside original signatures that are found on the Madrid list.

For more information, vist www.salmon-guru.ae