Pizza quality
Reviewers repeatedly praise the pizza’s fresh ingredients, crisp texture and carefully made base.
La Strega
Dubai Marina
La Strega is an Italian restaurant in Dubai Marina, located at Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort & Spa. Reviews point to pizza as the main draw, with carbonara, burrata and other traditional dishes adding plenty of choice for a relaxed dinner in an elegant hotel setting.
Reputation Score
4.7
★★★★★
191 ratings
Source: Google Maps
The Good Stuff
Chef hospitality
The chef is often described as warm and involved, sometimes visiting tables and taking interest in guests’ experience.
Italian classics
Carbonara, pasta, risotto and traditional dishes are regularly described as authentic and well prepared.
Elegant setting
The restaurant has a cozy atmosphere with pool, garden and, from some tables, Bluewaters wheel views.
Italian music
The background Italian music adds atmosphere without making conversation difficult, according to one visitor.
Helpful service
Several reviews describe attentive recommendations, including guidance on dishes, wine and occasional off-menu requests.
Family friendly
A kids menu and a Nutella pizza dessert make the restaurant workable for family dinners as well as adult evenings.
What to Eat at La Strega 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 Strega, 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.
Foods and drinks mentioned in reviews of La Strega, ranked by positive reviews minus negative reviews. Zero-score items have no net positive feedback; their labels distinguish neutral-only from mixed feedback.
Food 6
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Burrata Net +4
“The food!! oh my god!! the best Burrata and Tiramisu I’ve ever tried in my life, the service is a bite slow but the staff were welcoming and friendly.”
Positive 4Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The food!! oh my god!! the best Burrata and Tiramisu I’ve ever tried in my life, the service is a bite slow but the staff were welcoming and friendly.”May 2023
“One of the best Burrata and Tiramisu we have had in UAE.”June 2023
-
Tiramisu Net +4
“The food was very delicious and the Tiramisu was excellent.”
Positive 4Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The food was very delicious and the Tiramisu was excellent.”July 2021
“We had pizza capricciosa, carpaccio, burrata and tiramisu. Everything was lovely!”September 2023
-
Carbonara Net +3
“The most delicious carbonara I have ever tasted -served with a smile by the talented chef Giovanni 😋 Really enjoyed the restaurant's atmosphere - will definetly be back! We were mostly impressed by the service, diavalo pizza and supli. 🇮🇹”
Positive 3Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The most delicious carbonara I have ever tasted -served with a smile by the talented chef Giovanni 😋 Really enjoyed the restaurant's atmosphere - will definetly be back! We were mostly impressed by the service, diavalo pizza and supli. 🇮🇹”September 2024
“Food - Delicious! Pizza Bologna, spicy, carbonara, calamari, risotto are authentic Italian!⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️”January 2024
-
Lemon sgroppino Net +2
“We really appreciate the desserts and digestives selection, the lemon sgroppino is even better than all the ones I ever have in Italy.”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We really appreciate the desserts and digestives selection, the lemon sgroppino is even better than all the ones I ever have in Italy.”November 2025
“I liked their wines and cocktails (sgroppino is super!) still, I do recommend the place (just not their pizza;)”August 2022
-
Risotto Net +2
“Pizza, pasta, risotto - every dish on the menu is simply amazing.”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Pizza, pasta, risotto - every dish on the menu is simply amazing.”February 2021
“Food - Delicious! Pizza Bologna, spicy, carbonara, calamari, risotto are authentic Italian!⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️”January 2024
-
Truffle pizzq Net +2
“Very nice pizza (specially truffle pizza) and lovely place.”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Very nice pizza (specially truffle pizza) and lovely place.”August 2021
“The food here was delicious. I recommend the gnocchis with pumpkin puree, the truffle pizzq and the best dish was the truffle bruscheta. The service was Ok nothing to point out. The restaurant is located inside the hitel La royale Meridien and you can find it by the signs inside the hotel. All in all a good restaurant especially for Italian cuisine lovers.”March 2024
Honorable mentions (19)
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Beef carpaccio Net +1
“Food mostly meets the expectations and a good thing is that they offer a real prosciutto ham:) I tried a beef carpaccio and one of their pastas and I liked them both.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Food mostly meets the expectations and a good thing is that they offer a real prosciutto ham:) I tried a beef carpaccio and one of their pastas and I liked them both.”August 2022
-
Burrata salad Net +1
“The food was delicious. The burrata salad was unlike any other I’ve tried and the the pizza was mouthwatering good.”
Positive 1Negative 0Neutral 1
Review excerpts
“The food was delicious. The burrata salad was unlike any other I’ve tried and the the pizza was mouthwatering good.”September 2022
-
Calamari Net +1
“Food - Delicious! Pizza Bologna, spicy, carbonara, calamari, risotto are authentic Italian!⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Food - Delicious! Pizza Bologna, spicy, carbonara, calamari, risotto are authentic Italian!⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️”January 2024
-
Cheesecake Net +1
“It was my husband’s birthday and they surprised us with a song and a delicious cheesecake with candles on top, it was absolutely lovely touch from them!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“It was my husband’s birthday and they surprised us with a song and a delicious cheesecake with candles on top, it was absolutely lovely touch from them!”September 2023
-
Diavalo pizza Net +1
“The most delicious carbonara I have ever tasted -served with a smile by the talented chef Giovanni 😋 Really enjoyed the restaurant's atmosphere - will definetly be back! We were mostly impressed by the service, diavalo pizza and supli. 🇮🇹”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The most delicious carbonara I have ever tasted -served with a smile by the talented chef Giovanni 😋 Really enjoyed the restaurant's atmosphere - will definetly be back! We were mostly impressed by the service, diavalo pizza and supli. 🇮🇹”September 2024
-
Gnocchis with pumpkin puree Net +1
“The food here was delicious. I recommend the gnocchis with pumpkin puree, the truffle pizzq and the best dish was the truffle bruscheta. The service was Ok nothing to point out. The restaurant is located inside the hitel La royale Meridien and you can find it by the signs inside the hotel. All in all a good restaurant especially for Italian cuisine lovers.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The food here was delicious. I recommend the gnocchis with pumpkin puree, the truffle pizzq and the best dish was the truffle bruscheta. The service was Ok nothing to point out. The restaurant is located inside the hitel La royale Meridien and you can find it by the signs inside the hotel. All in all a good restaurant especially for Italian cuisine lovers.”March 2024
-
Nutella pizza Net +1
“Great food and atmosphere. Kids menu also fab. Nutella pizza for pudding was great!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Great food and atmosphere. Kids menu also fab. Nutella pizza for pudding was great!”October 2021
-
Parmigiana di melanzane Net +1
“The Parmigiana Di Melanzane was amazing, buttery soft and caramelised.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The Parmigiana Di Melanzane was amazing, buttery soft and caramelised.”September 2023
-
Pasta vongole Net +1
“I’m already dreaming about going back for the pasta Vongole”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I’m already dreaming about going back for the pasta Vongole”May 2026
-
Pizza bologna Net +1
“Food - Delicious! Pizza Bologna, spicy, carbonara, calamari, risotto are authentic Italian!⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Food - Delicious! Pizza Bologna, spicy, carbonara, calamari, risotto are authentic Italian!⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️”January 2024
-
Pizza capricciosa Net +1
“We had pizza capricciosa, carpaccio, burrata and tiramisu. Everything was lovely!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We had pizza capricciosa, carpaccio, burrata and tiramisu. Everything was lovely!”September 2023
-
Pizza with mortadella Net +1
“Food is really great, pizza with mortadella must try.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Food is really great, pizza with mortadella must try.”January 2024
-
Prosciutto ham Net +1
“Food mostly meets the expectations and a good thing is that they offer a real prosciutto ham:) I tried a beef carpaccio and one of their pastas and I liked them both.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Food mostly meets the expectations and a good thing is that they offer a real prosciutto ham:) I tried a beef carpaccio and one of their pastas and I liked them both.”August 2022
-
Seabass fillet Net +1
“I myself had the seabass fillet with a green pea puree and was very happy with my choice. The crispy skin combined with soft flaky meat was just too good.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I myself had the seabass fillet with a green pea puree and was very happy with my choice. The crispy skin combined with soft flaky meat was just too good.”May 2022
-
Steak Net +1
“The steak is so tender and perfect.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The steak is so tender and perfect.”July 2022
-
Supli Net +1
“The most delicious carbonara I have ever tasted -served with a smile by the talented chef Giovanni 😋 Really enjoyed the restaurant's atmosphere - will definetly be back! We were mostly impressed by the service, diavalo pizza and supli. 🇮🇹”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The most delicious carbonara I have ever tasted -served with a smile by the talented chef Giovanni 😋 Really enjoyed the restaurant's atmosphere - will definetly be back! We were mostly impressed by the service, diavalo pizza and supli. 🇮🇹”September 2024
-
Truffle bruscheta Net +1
“The food here was delicious. I recommend the gnocchis with pumpkin puree, the truffle pizzq and the best dish was the truffle bruscheta. The service was Ok nothing to point out. The restaurant is located inside the hitel La royale Meridien and you can find it by the signs inside the hotel. All in all a good restaurant especially for Italian cuisine lovers.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The food here was delicious. I recommend the gnocchis with pumpkin puree, the truffle pizzq and the best dish was the truffle bruscheta. The service was Ok nothing to point out. The restaurant is located inside the hitel La royale Meridien and you can find it by the signs inside the hotel. All in all a good restaurant especially for Italian cuisine lovers.”March 2024
-
Carpaccio Net 0
Mixed feedback
“We had pizza capricciosa, carpaccio, burrata and tiramisu. Everything was lovely!”
Positive 1Negative 1
Review excerpts
“We had pizza capricciosa, carpaccio, burrata and tiramisu. Everything was lovely!”September 2023
-
Penne arabiata Net 0
Only neutral feedback
“We also ordered penne Arabiata. Pasta was a bit better, al dente as it should be but the tomato sauce had a strange sweet taste.”
Positive 0Negative 0Neutral 1
Drinks 1
-
Non-alcoholic grape wine Net +1
“The food was excellent, and every dish was perfect. I was pleasantly surprised by the non-alcoholic grape wine. The restaurant management needs to improve the service. Unfortunately, it was a bit slow and clumsy. Overall, the dining experience was a success. We will come back.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The food was excellent, and every dish was perfect. I was pleasantly surprised by the non-alcoholic grape wine. The restaurant management needs to improve the service. Unfortunately, it was a bit slow and clumsy. Overall, the dining experience was a success. We will come back.”March 2024
What to Avoid (3)
Food 3
-
Parma pizza Net −1
“I missed a tomato sauce on the parma pizza (the only taste I felt was the cheese). This is their room for an improvement.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“I missed a tomato sauce on the parma pizza (the only taste I felt was the cheese). This is their room for an improvement.”August 2022
-
Pizza (burrata cheese) Net −1
“The food was OK albeit the pizza (burrata cheese) was soggy and we didn't eat it.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“The food was OK albeit the pizza (burrata cheese) was soggy and we didn't eat it.”July 2022
-
Ravioli dish with lobster Net −1
“My ravioli dish with lobster was particularly underwhelming, the lobster was tiny (closer to the size of a small prawn), and the taste was nothing special.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“My ravioli dish with lobster was particularly underwhelming, the lobster was tiny (closer to the size of a small prawn), and the taste was nothing special.”October 2025
Tips for a Better Visit
Book ahead. Call or book before coming, especially if you want a particular table or a busier evening atmosphere.
Check Sundays. A past review mentions an unlimited-pizza promotion on Sundays; confirm that it is still running before planning around it.
Mark occasions. When booking, mark a birthday or celebration: one guest received a song and cheesecake with candles.
Ask recommendations. Ask the team for dish suggestions or off-menu ideas; reviewers specifically found those recommendations useful.
Find the signs. The restaurant is inside the hotel, so follow the internal signs when arriving at Le Royal Meridien.
Check parking. If you are driving, confirm valet availability in advance rather than assuming it will be available.
Plan the visit
Practical details
Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort & Spa - Al Mamsha St
Marsa Dubai - Dubai Marina, Dubai
| Mon | 6:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
| Tue | Closed |
| Wed | 6:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
| Thu | 6:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
| Fri | 6:00 PM – 12:00 AM |
| Sat | 1:00 PM – 11:30 PM |
| Sun | 1:00 PM – 11:30 PM |
Common Concerns
High pricing
One birthday visit found the small portions and disappointing lobster ravioli poor value for the price.
Slow service
A few reviews mention slow or clumsy service, including one Valentine’s Day dinner.
Pizza inconsistency
Some diners loved the pizza, but others received soggy bases or overly soft, heavily cheesed pizza.
No smoking area
A review notes there is no smoking area, which may matter to guests who specifically want that option.
Parking issue
One visitor reported that valet service was unavailable and they had to park the car themselves.
DXB
LOCAL
LOCAL
The Bottom Line
La Strega is an Italian restaurant in Dubai Marina at Le Royal Meridien Beach Resort & Spa, with pizza as its clearest calling card. Reviews mention fresh ingredients, a well-made base and traditional dishes such as carbonara, pasta Vongole, burrata and risotto. Italian diners and Italian friends are repeatedly cited as recommending it, though the feedback is not uniformly glowing.
The setting is one of the restaurant’s stronger points. Expect a cozy, elegant hotel atmosphere, with views towards the pool or garden and, from some tables, part of the Bluewaters wheel. Italian music plays quietly enough for conversation.
The chef is often described as friendly and hands-on, while the wider team has been praised for thoughtful recommendations, wine guidance and accommodating off-menu requests. Families also have a kids menu, and one review enjoyed the Nutella pizza for dessert. There are a few reasons to plan rather than simply turn up.
Some guests found service slow, portions small for the price, or a pizza soggy; consistency appears to be the main caution. There is no smoking area, and valet availability has been an issue in at least one visit. Book ahead, follow the signs inside the hotel, and ask whether any Sunday pizza promotion is currently running.