California Pizza Kitchen

California Pizza Kitchen

Dubai Festival City

Restaurant 04 320 4813

California Pizza Kitchen is a casual chain restaurant in Dubai Festival City serving inventive pizzas alongside pastas and salads. Reviews point to the garlic cream fettuccine and chicken Piccata, while the mall setting adds fountain and laser-show views for a more scenic meal.

Reputation Score
4.7
★★★★★
1,105 ratings
5★
81%
4★
11%
3★
3%
2★
1%
1★
4%

Source: Google Maps

The Good Stuff

Showing 2 of 6
01

Scenic setting

Some tables face Dubai Festival City Mall’s fountains, with reviews also mentioning fireworks and laser shows during meals.

02

Strong favourites

The garlic cream fettuccine, chicken Piccata and several pizzas receive repeated praise, giving first-timers a useful starting point.

Let's go!

What to Eat at California Pizza Kitchen

Foods and drinks mentioned in reviews of California Pizza Kitchen, ranked by positive reviews minus negative reviews. Zero-score items have no net positive feedback; their labels distinguish neutral-only from mixed feedback.

Food 8

  1. Pizza Net +6
    “Really really nice food. After a long time I finally had a good pizza.”
  2. Chicken piccata Net +3
    “This is one of our favorite restaurants here in dubai festival city because of the seasonal offers and price range of the high quality food. The pizzas and the chicken Piccata are a definite must try from here. The ambience at sunset paired with the view is stunning and cozy with the interior of the place. The server Donna has always been a sweetheart to us and is very attentive to our needs. Once you visit this place, you'll almost definitely be back.”
  3. Nutella cake Net +3
    “We ordered a Nutella cake . So good.”
  4. Thai crunch salad Net +3
    “The Thai crunch salad is a must-try.”
  5. Barbecue chicken pizza Net +2
    “From the classic Margherita to their mouthwatering BBQ chicken pizza, every bite is a burst of flavor.”
  6. Cheeseburger pizza Net +2
    “My recent fav was the Cheeseburger pizza and I highly recommend everyone to try it.”
  7. Kung pao spaghetti in shrimps Net +2
    “Talking about the food honestly their new launch that is cauliflower pizza crust was just so unique and flavorful, Kung Pao spaghetti in shrimps were so yummy in taste and yes the best one chicken Piccata (you will definitely love this one), also try their Cauliflower buffalo wings!”
  8. Mushroom pepperoni sausage pizza thin crust Net +2
    “For the main course I ordered the Mushroom pepperoni sausage pizza thin crust, the pizza came warm straight from the oven, it was tasty, I got pepperoni and sausage in every bite, the amount of cheese on the pizza wasn’t that much but it’s fine. In conclusion, flavorful pizza with multiple toppings.”
Honorable mentions (28)
  1. Avocado egg rolls Net +1
    “I highly recommend the barbecue chicken salad, barbecue chicken pizza, and avocado egg rolls for a distinctive culinary delight.”
  2. Barbecue chicken salad Net +1
    “I highly recommend the barbecue chicken salad, barbecue chicken pizza, and avocado egg rolls for a distinctive culinary delight.”
  3. Bohn mi bowl Net +1
    “Thai crunch salad and Bohn Mi Bowl were very different salads for us yet they tasted so well.”
  4. Bolognese spaghetti Net +1
    “Went in for lunch, tried the jamaican jerk chicken pizza and the bolognese spaghetti. Both dishes compliment each other and tasted great. Our server Nina was super sweet and made sure everything was in order. Apologies for the unflaterring photos as we had already started eating as soon the dishes reached our table 😂😂”
  5. Buffalo cauliflower Net +1
    “We love the Buffalo Cauliflower.”
  6. Burger Net +1
    “Been back again. Food, service really good. Fantastic burger this time.”
  7. Chicken alfredo pasta Net +1
    “I was very much moved with their different recipe of Chicken Alfredo Pasta and Kung pao Pasta.”
  8. Chicken fajita pizza Net +1
    “Lovely restaurant at a nice location in Dubai Festival City Mall for casual dining. Beautiful interior and delicious pizzas! Chicken fajita pizza was better than grilled steak pizza”
  9. Chicken tenders Net +1
    “I ordered the chicken tenders for an appetizer and was not disappointed, it came with two sauces, ranch and buffalo, chicken was juicy, tender and delicious, it also came with a side salad which was decent.”
  10. Cocktail shrimp starter Net +1
    “The food has more than just pizza the cocktail shrimp starter is good its not PF Chang but still yummy and not Chang prices”
  11. Creamy shrimp pasta Net +1
    “The creamy shrimp pasta sauce was rich and just oozing with flavor.”
  12. Crispy chicken burger Net +1
    “Food was superb! My kids love the garlic cream shrimp fettuccine and the crispy chicken burger.”
  13. Dynamite shrimp Net +1
    “I had ravioli and dynamite shrimp, the ravioli is nice but the shrimp is ammmmmazing 👌😋 as drink I got the passion fruit mojito it’s very good.”
  14. Egg rolls Net +1
    “The food is GREAT! We had the egg rolls, the spinach artichoke dip, and the cheeseburger pizza, and they were all yummy!”
  15. Flat bread starter Net +1
    “Their flat bread starter was to die for.”
  16. Garlic cream pasta with chicken and parsley Net +1
    “I ordered garlic cream pasta with chicken and parsley but asked to remove garlic cream,less oil. Everything was perfect as I asked.”
  17. Garlic cream shrimp fettuccine Net +1
    “Food was superb! My kids love the garlic cream shrimp fettuccine and the crispy chicken burger.”
  18. Garlic fettucine pasta Net +1
    “Absolutely loved the garlic fettucine pasta!”
  19. Grilled steak pizza Net +1
    “Lovely restaurant at a nice location in Dubai Festival City Mall for casual dining. Beautiful interior and delicious pizzas! Chicken fajita pizza was better than grilled steak pizza”
  20. Hawaiian pizza Net +1
    “Husband was happy with Hawaiian pizza.”
  21. Jamaican jerk chicken pizza Net +1
    “Went in for lunch, tried the jamaican jerk chicken pizza and the bolognese spaghetti. Both dishes compliment each other and tasted great. Our server Nina was super sweet and made sure everything was in order. Apologies for the unflaterring photos as we had already started eating as soon the dishes reached our table 😂😂”
  22. Kung pao pasta Net +1
    “I was very much moved with their different recipe of Chicken Alfredo Pasta and Kung pao Pasta.”
  23. Kung pao pasta with shrimp Net +1
    “We ordered grilled salmon, margarita pizza, kung pao pasta with shrimp (yummy), dynamite shrimp, Caesar slald and chocolate lava cake. We enjoyed the food, the view (fireworks and fountain in festival city mall), and the service was great!”
  24. Margherita Net +1
    “From the classic Margherita to their mouthwatering BBQ chicken pizza, every bite is a burst of flavor.”
  25. Ravioli Net +1
    “I had ravioli and dynamite shrimp, the ravioli is nice but the shrimp is ammmmmazing 👌😋 as drink I got the passion fruit mojito it’s very good.”
  26. Soft fruit cake Net +1
    “Their desserts included Nutella cake and soft fruit cake and both were amazing in texture and rich in taste.”
  27. Spinach artichoke dip Net +1
    “The food is GREAT! We had the egg rolls, the spinach artichoke dip, and the cheeseburger pizza, and they were all yummy!”
  28. Wild mushroom pizza Net 0

    Only neutral feedback

    “We got to taste their wild Mushroom pizza and chicken BBQ pizza and found bbq pizza very tasty.”

Drinks 5

  1. Passion fruit mojito Net +2
    “I order the passion fruit mojito, it was sweet and cold summer beverages, nice addition to the meal.”
  2. Cpk sangria Net +1
    “Tried out the CPK Sangria for the first time and it did not disappoint!”
  3. Lemon iced tea Net +1
    “Whether you choose to observe or relax at your table, the experience is enhanced by delicious beverages like the lemon iced tea and strawberry lemonade.”
  4. Refillable italian soda Net +1
    “We also had the refillable Italian soda, and they were so tasty!”
  5. Strawberry lemonade Net +1
    “Whether you choose to observe or relax at your table, the experience is enhanced by delicious beverages like the lemon iced tea and strawberry lemonade.”
What to Avoid (3)

Food 3

  1. Bbq grill chicken pizza Net −1
    “Feeling extremely let down by the California Pizza DFC location. Our dining experience today at lunch was nothing short of a disappointment. We decided to try their BBQ grill chicken pizza, but to our dismay, it was served cold. Despite our hunger, we soldiered on and started eating it anyway. But the real nightmare began when we ordered garlic cream fettuccine pasta (Shrimp). It turned out to be an absolute disaster. Imagine our horror when we discovered hair in our food. And if that wasn't bad enough, we also found cockroach in our dish. It's beyond words how disgusted and saddened we felt. It's disheartening when a place you had high hopes for fails to meet even the most basic standards of cleanliness and quality. We had expected a delicious meal, but instead, we were served with cold pizza and a pasta dish infested with unwanted surprises. We sincerely hope that the California Pizza DFC location takes immediate action to rectify these issues and ensures that such incidents never happen again. As customers, we deserve better. 😔🍕🍝”
  2. Cauliflower bites Net −1
    “We got to taste their newly launched cauliflower bites but found them average in taste that might be because I am not a vegetarian person.”
  3. Garlic cream fettuccine pasta (shrimp) Net −1
    “Feeling extremely let down by the California Pizza DFC location. Our dining experience today at lunch was nothing short of a disappointment. We decided to try their BBQ grill chicken pizza, but to our dismay, it was served cold. Despite our hunger, we soldiered on and started eating it anyway. But the real nightmare began when we ordered garlic cream fettuccine pasta (Shrimp). It turned out to be an absolute disaster. Imagine our horror when we discovered hair in our food. And if that wasn't bad enough, we also found cockroach in our dish. It's beyond words how disgusted and saddened we felt. It's disheartening when a place you had high hopes for fails to meet even the most basic standards of cleanliness and quality. We had expected a delicious meal, but instead, we were served with cold pizza and a pasta dish infested with unwanted surprises. We sincerely hope that the California Pizza DFC location takes immediate action to rectify these issues and ensures that such incidents never happen again. As customers, we deserve better. 😔🍕🍝”

Tips for a Better Visit

Showing 2 of 6
1

Check offers. Look for the 150 AED meal offer, which one family used for two mains and dessert.

2

Use discounts. Check the Entertainer app before dining; reviewers mention both a 25% discount and BOGO offers.

Plan the visit

Practical details

Dubai Festival City - Dubai
Dubai Festival City, Dubai
04 320 4813
Get directions

Common Concerns

Showing 2 of 4

Food incident

One review reported hair and a cockroach in a shrimp fettuccine dish, alongside a cold BBQ grill chicken pizza; this is a serious reported incident.

Busy delays

Service can slow when the restaurant is busy, and another diner waited nearly 10 minutes for staff attention.

Customer-reported prices

These are customer-reported mentions, not a current price list. Prices may have changed.

18aed

cauliflower crust

“Keep up the good work! Will definitely come back to try the other menu items especially the cauliflower crust (for an additional 18aed)”
Google review · November 2022
DXB
LOCAL

The Bottom Line

California Pizza Kitchen at Dubai Festival City is a casual mall restaurant built around inventive pizzas, pastas and salads. The menu gives you more than standard pizza-shop fare: reviewers specifically mention garlic cream fettuccine, chicken Piccata, Thai Crunch Salad and kung pao pasta with shrimp. Portions are often described as generous, and the open-concept kitchen adds some visual interest while food is prepared.

The setting is a major part of the appeal. The restaurant is spacious, with some seating overlooking the fountains, and reviews mention enjoying fireworks, laser shows and the IMAGINE show from the mall. It has also been described as child-friendly and wheelchair accessible, so it can work for family meals as well as casual dinners.

Value depends on the offer. A 150 AED meal deal covering two mains and dessert was used by one family, while another diner paid an additional 18 AED for cauliflower crust. The Entertainer app is also mentioned for discounts.

Without a deal, some reviewers find the prices high. Service is usually praised but may slow when busy, and one serious review reported hair and a cockroach in shrimp fettuccine, alongside cold pizza—an important caution, though not a pattern established by the other reviews.

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