Marina views
Outdoor tables look over the yachts and skyline, giving dinner a scenic Marina backdrop.
La Pergola Restaurant and Cafe
Marina area - Dubai Marina
La Pergola is a Lebanese restaurant and cafe in the Marina area - Dubai Marina, with a waterfront setting and a menu that crosses Lebanese, Turkish and Mediterranean cooking. Reviews point to it for marina-view dinners, shisha and desserts such as kunafa, though pricing and consistency deserve attention.
Reputation Score
4.2
★★★★☆
409 ratings
Source: Google Maps
The Good Stuff
Shisha care
Reviewers say the shisha was smooth and attended to throughout their visit, rather than being left unattended.
Fresh cooking
One review specifically says dishes are cooked fresh for each order, with excellent taste.
Kunafa
Kunafa is a standout dessert in several reviews, with one guest especially liking it with Nutella.
Flexible kitchen
A reviewer says the floor manager and chef adjusted lahmacun ingredients to match a special request.
Cold-night comfort
For cooler evenings, one review mentions blankets and a fireplace alongside the Marina view.
Generous portions
A customer described the portions as quite big, which may help when sharing dishes.
What to Eat at La Pergola Restaurant and Cafe How we choose these items We use AI to find praise and criticism of specific foods and drinks in a selection of Google reviews. For La Pergola Restaurant and Cafe, this list is based on 50 reviews, not every review of the restaurant. The score is positive reviews minus negative reviews. For example, two positive reviews and one negative review give +1. Each review counts once per item; neutral comments do not change the score. A zero score is not a positive recommendation. “Only neutral feedback” means there are no positive or negative votes. “Mixed feedback” means equal numbers of positive and negative votes. The quotes are examples of what people said, not every comment we counted. We use different reviews where we can. We normally show up to 10 foods and 5 drinks with non-negative scores. Items with the same score stay together. If a tied group would go past the limit, that group and the lower non-negative scores go into Honorable mentions. If an overflowing positive top tie would leave the list empty, we show up to 10 items from that tie and keep the rest in Honorable mentions. Foods and drinks with a negative score are under What to Avoid. Use this as a guide to what reviewers liked, not a guarantee that you will like it too.
These items at La Pergola Restaurant and Cafe got the most positive mentions in user reviews. Check them out!
Food 2
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Kunafa Net +3
“The kunafa, in particular, was the best in town, and I highly recommend ordering it.”
Positive 3Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The kunafa, in particular, was the best in town, and I highly recommend ordering it.”March 2026
“the kunafa is worth trying .. i Ordered another one as its truly different from the other kunafas i have tried and recommender to try it with nutella..”March 2026
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Mix grill Net +3
“The food is absolutely delicious, full of authentic flavours and freshly prepared. We ordered mix grill, iskendar kebab both were perfect in taste.”
Positive 3Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The food is absolutely delicious, full of authentic flavours and freshly prepared. We ordered mix grill, iskendar kebab both were perfect in taste.”December 2024
“We tried mix grill and fattoush salad and kunafa for dessert , everything is so delicious!”December 2024
Honorable mentions (18)
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1Kg mixed grill Net +1
“1kg mixed grill around 260AED”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“1kg mixed grill around 260AED”August 2023
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Baklava Net +1
“The dessert, baklava, was absolutely perfect — fresh, sweet, and beautifully presented.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The dessert, baklava, was absolutely perfect — fresh, sweet, and beautifully presented.”November 2025
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Beriani with chicken Net +1
“The soujuk was so special, the Beriani with chicken was very spicy.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The soujuk was so special, the Beriani with chicken was very spicy.”April 2024
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Carbonara pasta Net +1
“DUDE. The Carbonara pasta IS SO GOOD. Genuinely, some of the best pasta in Dubai.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“DUDE. The Carbonara pasta IS SO GOOD. Genuinely, some of the best pasta in Dubai.”May 2026
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Cheesy kafta Net +1
“Their chicken mushroom soup, served in a bread bowl, and the cheesy kafta are absolute must-tries.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Their chicken mushroom soup, served in a bread bowl, and the cheesy kafta are absolute must-tries.”January 2025
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Chicken liver Net +1
“Amazing food, we ordered mixed grill, hummus, chicken liver and sheesha, apart from a bottle of masafi being 20 aed the food was amazing delicious, highly recommended yummyyyyyy”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Amazing food, we ordered mixed grill, hummus, chicken liver and sheesha, apart from a bottle of masafi being 20 aed the food was amazing delicious, highly recommended yummyyyyyy”December 2025
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Chicken mushroom soup served in a bread bowl Net +1
“Their chicken mushroom soup, served in a bread bowl, and the cheesy kafta are absolute must-tries.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Their chicken mushroom soup, served in a bread bowl, and the cheesy kafta are absolute must-tries.”January 2025
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Fattoush salad Net +1
“We tried mix grill and fattoush salad and kunafa for dessert , everything is so delicious!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We tried mix grill and fattoush salad and kunafa for dessert , everything is so delicious!”December 2024
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Hummus Net +1
“Amazing food, we ordered mixed grill, hummus, chicken liver and sheesha, apart from a bottle of masafi being 20 aed the food was amazing delicious, highly recommended yummyyyyyy”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Amazing food, we ordered mixed grill, hummus, chicken liver and sheesha, apart from a bottle of masafi being 20 aed the food was amazing delicious, highly recommended yummyyyyyy”December 2025
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Iskendar kebab Net +1
“The food is absolutely delicious, full of authentic flavours and freshly prepared. We ordered mix grill, iskendar kebab both were perfect in taste.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The food is absolutely delicious, full of authentic flavours and freshly prepared. We ordered mix grill, iskendar kebab both were perfect in taste.”December 2024
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Lahmacun Net +1
“Food was great I ordered lahmacun but I wanted some adjustment to the ingredient and the floor manager and chef were very flexible and did the adjustment to the ingredients they way I wanted it”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Food was great I ordered lahmacun but I wanted some adjustment to the ingredient and the floor manager and chef were very flexible and did the adjustment to the ingredients they way I wanted it”November 2023
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Lebanese mix grill Net +1
“Was about to go to Nandos (nextdoor) but, the La pergola Host Karim approached me and introduced me to Lebanese mix grill. Me and my family enjoyed the food.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Was about to go to Nandos (nextdoor) but, the La pergola Host Karim approached me and introduced me to Lebanese mix grill. Me and my family enjoyed the food.”August 2023
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Mediterranean platter Net +1
“The ambience at Dubai Marina tends to be scenic, lively yet relaxed, with a mix of waterfront romance, Loved the Mediterranean platter here—so delicious!””
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The ambience at Dubai Marina tends to be scenic, lively yet relaxed, with a mix of waterfront romance, Loved the Mediterranean platter here—so delicious!””January 2026
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Pancakes Net +1
“We decided to stop by and try a few items, including Turkish coffee, pancakes, kunafa, and shisha—and everything was amazing.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We decided to stop by and try a few items, including Turkish coffee, pancakes, kunafa, and shisha—and everything was amazing.”March 2026
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Pide flatbread Net +1
“And the pide flatbread was soo good.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“And the pide flatbread was soo good.”May 2026
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Shashlik Net +1
“The shashlik was incredibly delicious — juicy, tender, and full of flavor.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The shashlik was incredibly delicious — juicy, tender, and full of flavor.”November 2025
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Soujuk Net +1
“The soujuk was so special, the Beriani with chicken was very spicy.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The soujuk was so special, the Beriani with chicken was very spicy.”April 2024
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Waffles Net +1
“Their waffles are perfectly crispy, and the milkshakes are rich and flavorful.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Their waffles are perfectly crispy, and the milkshakes are rich and flavorful.”December 2024
Drinks 4
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Turkish coffee Net +2
“the foods and turkish coffee is so awesome..”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“the foods and turkish coffee is so awesome..”March 2026
“We decided to stop by and try a few items, including Turkish coffee, pancakes, kunafa, and shisha—and everything was amazing.”March 2026
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Mango smoothie Net +1
“The mango smoothie is so good.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The mango smoothie is so good.”May 2026
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Matcha with coconut milk Net +1
“I had pasta and matcha with coconut milk, plus a delicious chocolate dessert.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I had pasta and matcha with coconut milk, plus a delicious chocolate dessert.”November 2025
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Tea Net +1
“The Egyptian guy was very friendly invited us in to the restaurant, we only entered the resturant because of him actually, very friendly staff and had a good cup of tea and cake. Thank you for being so kind. Was a lovely experience. شكراً جزيلاً ترحيبك فينا كان رائع.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The Egyptian guy was very friendly invited us in to the restaurant, we only entered the resturant because of him actually, very friendly staff and had a good cup of tea and cake. Thank you for being so kind. Was a lovely experience. شكراً جزيلاً ترحيبك فينا كان رائع.”July 2024
What to Avoid (2)
Food 1
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Turkish chicken Net −1
“He lied to me about the salad coming with the Turkish chicken which was pounded down chicken with salt, then I said something and he went to his manager to say “ I told buddy it came with a salad” then at the end he tried charging me $33 for the salad ontop of the 95 for a garbage meal.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“He lied to me about the salad coming with the Turkish chicken which was pounded down chicken with salt, then I said something and he went to his manager to say “ I told buddy it came with a salad” then at the end he tried charging me $33 for the salad ontop of the 95 for a garbage meal.”June 2026
Drinks 1
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Mango shake Net −1
“The mango shake is very sour.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“The mango shake is very sour.”May 2023
Tips for a Better Visit
Choose outside. Ask for an outdoor table if the view matters; a reviewer specifically recommends booking outside for the yachts and skyline.
Try kunafa. Put kunafa on the order, and consider the Nutella pairing mentioned by a repeat visitor.
Check prices. Confirm charges for bottled water and other drinks before ordering; one guest was surprised by a AED 40 water bill.
Expect shisha. If you avoid smoke, ask about seating first: a review warns that shisha and cigarette smells can be noticeable.
Allow time. Build in extra time at dinner, since one review says service took a while even though staff kept checking in.
Request adjustments. For dishes such as lahmacun, ask whether ingredients can be changed; one reviewer says the chef accommodated a special request.
Plan the visit
Practical details
Walk, East
Marina area - Dubai Marina, Dubai
| Mon | 8:00 AM – 3:00 AM |
| Tue | 8:00 AM – 3:00 AM |
| Wed | 8:00 AM – 3:00 AM |
| Thu | 8:00 AM – 3:00 AM |
| Fri | 8:00 AM – 3:00 AM |
| Sat | 8:00 AM – 3:00 AM |
| Sun | 8:00 AM – 3:00 AM |
Common Concerns
Price surprises
Reviews flag expensive add-ons, including AED 55 for one coconut water and AED 40 for a large water bottle.
Uneven food
Food feedback is inconsistent: one guest called the shawarma dry and tasteless, while another described a Turkish dish as missing its egg.
Slow service
One diner reported very slow service even when they were the only guest eating.
Shisha smoke
Non-smokers may notice shisha or cigarette smoke, as well as music and football on a screen.
Billing dispute
One recent review describes a disagreement over whether salad came with the Turkish chicken, followed by an attempted extra charge.
Customer-reported prices
These are customer-reported mentions, not a current price list. Prices may have changed.
AED 55
single coconut water
“Pricing is another concern—while Dubai is known for its high-end dining, charging AED 55 for a single coconut water is beyond excessive”Google review · February 2025
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The Bottom Line
La Pergola is a Lebanese restaurant and cafe in the Marina area - Dubai Marina, set by Marina Walk with outdoor views toward the yachts and skyline. It suits a relaxed dinner, a catch-up over shisha, or a dessert stop. Reviews specifically mention kunafa, mixed grill, Carbonara pasta and Turkish coffee, giving the menu a broader Lebanese-Turkish-Mediterranean feel than the category alone suggests.
The setting is a major part of the appeal. Several guests describe a cosy terrace, Marina views and a relaxed evening atmosphere; one says to book outside if possible. Shisha is available, and a reviewer says it was looked after throughout the visit.
Cold-weather touches such as blankets and a fireplace were also mentioned. Staff are often described as warm, attentive and helpful, and one kitchen team accommodated a requested ingredient adjustment. There is a real consistency warning.
Some diners found the food excellent and freshly cooked, while others reported dry shawarma, disappointing Turkish dishes or poor service. Timing can be slow, and non-smokers should expect possible shisha or cigarette smoke. Check drink and add-on prices before ordering: reviews mention AED 55 coconut water, AED 40 bottled water and a disputed salad charge.