Fresh pasta
Pasta is often praised for being fresh and perfectly cooked, including the Bolognese Fusili and Penne Arrabbiata.
Vapiano
Dubai Internet City
Vapiano is a laid-back Italian restaurant in Dubai Internet City serving made-to-order pasta, pizza and salad. Reviews especially highlight the customisable counter experience, with dishes such as chicken Alfredo and Penne Arrabbiata prepared to suit your pasta, seasoning and topping preferences.
Reputation Score
4.3
★★★★☆
1,555 ratings
Source: Google Maps
The Good Stuff
Custom orders
You can choose the pasta, seasoning and toppings while the chef prepares the dish in front of you.
Quick service
Several reviews describe the food as arriving quickly, making the restaurant useful for a faster lunch or casual meal.
Popular dishes
Chicken Alfredo, Penne Arrabbiata, tomato soup and truffle pizza are repeatedly singled out by customers.
Large portions
One customer specifically noted the generous serving sizes alongside fair pricing.
Flexible seating
The restaurant has plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, plus a separate smoking area.
Easy splitting
Individual cards make it easier for groups to order separately and avoid splitting one bill at the end.
What to Eat at Vapiano 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 Vapiano, 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 Vapiano, ranked by positive reviews minus negative reviews. Zero-score items have no net positive feedback; their labels distinguish neutral-only from mixed feedback.
Food 4
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Truffle pizza Net +3
“Best italian in Dubai. Truffle pizza is a must try. Pasta was great. Would highly recommend for italian food.”
Positive 3Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Best italian in Dubai. Truffle pizza is a must try. Pasta was great. Would highly recommend for italian food.”March 2025
“As for the pizza, Truffle Pizza is such a gem!! I feel like I have finish the whole pizza on my own! Cant get enough of it!!!! 🍕 🍕”December 2024
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Bolognese Net +2
“Bolognese pasta is amazing.”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Bolognese pasta is amazing.”December 2025
“Love bruscheta too bits, and the bolognese ofcourse my all time favorite.”April 2021
-
Pumpkin soup Net +2
“The pumpkin soup was also good”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The pumpkin soup was also good”June 2025
“Met Jyothi over dinner in Vapiano. First time for me here. A charming restsurant with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Although not a great fan of pizzas and pastas, there was a decent selection of vegetarian dishes. Pumpkin soup was sumptuous and filling, as also the greek salad, fresh juicy and crunchy. The strawberry was smoothie delicious.”March 2026
-
Tomato soup Net +2
“This place never disappoints. Amazing food and service. The tomato soup is fresh and refreshing. The verdure pizza was amazingly made by chef diwash and the person who assisted in serving, Nishan, was great too. And tiramisu to end the night with. I would recommend anyone who wants good Italian good.”
Positive 2Negative 0
Review excerpts
“This place never disappoints. Amazing food and service. The tomato soup is fresh and refreshing. The verdure pizza was amazingly made by chef diwash and the person who assisted in serving, Nishan, was great too. And tiramisu to end the night with. I would recommend anyone who wants good Italian good.”May 2025
“I'm obsessed with tomatoes, so I've ordered tomato soup and bruschetta with tomatoes. And they were totally AMAZING 😍”September 2025
Honorable mentions (19)
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Alfredo chicken pasta Net +1
“I really enjoyed the Alfredo chicken pasta , it was so delicious and the pasta was fresh.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I really enjoyed the Alfredo chicken pasta , it was so delicious and the pasta was fresh.”June 2025
-
Alfredo pasta Net +1
“I ordered Alfredo Pasta, and it was amazing. 10/10 for food taste”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I ordered Alfredo Pasta, and it was amazing. 10/10 for food taste”February 2025
-
Bolognese fusili Net +1
“I had the Bolognese Fusili. It was beautifully presented, tasty, and cooked perfectly. The atmosphere of the restaurant was pleasant. Particularly at the pasta counter, the chef is pleasant. He made my pasta just how I wanted it, and it tasted great. It was well worth my money and effort, I can't wait to visit again 🫰”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I had the Bolognese Fusili. It was beautifully presented, tasty, and cooked perfectly. The atmosphere of the restaurant was pleasant. Particularly at the pasta counter, the chef is pleasant. He made my pasta just how I wanted it, and it tasted great. It was well worth my money and effort, I can't wait to visit again 🫰”March 2026
-
Bruscheta Net +1
“Love bruscheta too bits, and the bolognese ofcourse my all time favorite.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Love bruscheta too bits, and the bolognese ofcourse my all time favorite.”April 2021
-
Bruschetta with tomatoes Net +1
“I'm obsessed with tomatoes, so I've ordered tomato soup and bruschetta with tomatoes. And they were totally AMAZING 😍”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I'm obsessed with tomatoes, so I've ordered tomato soup and bruschetta with tomatoes. And they were totally AMAZING 😍”September 2025
-
Death by chocolate cake Net +1
“Good experience, i like the food, the death by chocolate cake is amazing, the staff is friendly”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Good experience, i like the food, the death by chocolate cake is amazing, the staff is friendly”June 2019
-
Filetto di manzo Net +1
“My favourite Vapianon dish : Filetto di manzo. Pasta with Beef fillets, veggies and parmesan on top👌”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“My favourite Vapianon dish : Filetto di manzo. Pasta with Beef fillets, veggies and parmesan on top👌”September 2023
-
Greek salad Net +1
“Met Jyothi over dinner in Vapiano. First time for me here. A charming restsurant with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Although not a great fan of pizzas and pastas, there was a decent selection of vegetarian dishes. Pumpkin soup was sumptuous and filling, as also the greek salad, fresh juicy and crunchy. The strawberry was smoothie delicious.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Met Jyothi over dinner in Vapiano. First time for me here. A charming restsurant with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Although not a great fan of pizzas and pastas, there was a decent selection of vegetarian dishes. Pumpkin soup was sumptuous and filling, as also the greek salad, fresh juicy and crunchy. The strawberry was smoothie delicious.”March 2026
-
Omlette Net +1
“I have breakfast here at least three times a week. Aida makes the best Omlette in Dubai. She is amazing.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I have breakfast here at least three times a week. Aida makes the best Omlette in Dubai. She is amazing.”May 2026
-
Pasta gamberi red sauce Net +1
““The Pasta Gamberi Red Sauce was delicious—fresh shrimp, flavorful tomato sauce, and perfectly cooked pasta. Highly recommended!””
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
““The Pasta Gamberi Red Sauce was delicious—fresh shrimp, flavorful tomato sauce, and perfectly cooked pasta. Highly recommended!””July 2026
-
Penne arrabbiata Net +1
“I recently tried their Penne Arrabbiata, and it was nothing short of exceptional. The pasta was cooked perfectly al dente, and the sauce had the ideal balance of rich tomato flavor with a bold, spicy kick that wasn’t overpowering but just enough to excite the palate. You could really taste the freshness of the ingredients in every bite.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“I recently tried their Penne Arrabbiata, and it was nothing short of exceptional. The pasta was cooked perfectly al dente, and the sauce had the ideal balance of rich tomato flavor with a bold, spicy kick that wasn’t overpowering but just enough to excite the palate. You could really taste the freshness of the ingredients in every bite.”March 2026
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Penne carbonara Net +1
“The pasta is extraordinary! ♥ Specially the penne carbonara!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“The pasta is extraordinary! ♥ Specially the penne carbonara!”January 2019
-
Penne chicken alfredo Net +1
“Between our group, we ordered spaghetti in arrabbiata sauce and penne chicken alfredo. Both dishes were quite authentic and tasted as expected, not disappointing us at all.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Between our group, we ordered spaghetti in arrabbiata sauce and penne chicken alfredo. Both dishes were quite authentic and tasted as expected, not disappointing us at all.”August 2024
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Pink sauce risotto Net +1
“We go there frequently to have the pink sauce risotto with a few veggies. It’s not on the menu, but they make it for us. It’s usually a different person making and as it is not a standard item on the menu it tastes a bit different each time, but is usually very good.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“We go there frequently to have the pink sauce risotto with a few veggies. It’s not on the menu, but they make it for us. It’s usually a different person making and as it is not a standard item on the menu it tastes a bit different each time, but is usually very good.”November 2023
-
Spaghetti in arrabbiata sauce Net +1
“Between our group, we ordered spaghetti in arrabbiata sauce and penne chicken alfredo. Both dishes were quite authentic and tasted as expected, not disappointing us at all.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Between our group, we ordered spaghetti in arrabbiata sauce and penne chicken alfredo. Both dishes were quite authentic and tasted as expected, not disappointing us at all.”August 2024
-
Truffle pasta Net +1
“Addicted with truffles, the truffle pasta is to die for!”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Addicted with truffles, the truffle pasta is to die for!”April 2021
-
Verdure pizza Net +1
“This place never disappoints. Amazing food and service. The tomato soup is fresh and refreshing. The verdure pizza was amazingly made by chef diwash and the person who assisted in serving, Nishan, was great too. And tiramisu to end the night with. I would recommend anyone who wants good Italian good.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“This place never disappoints. Amazing food and service. The tomato soup is fresh and refreshing. The verdure pizza was amazingly made by chef diwash and the person who assisted in serving, Nishan, was great too. And tiramisu to end the night with. I would recommend anyone who wants good Italian good.”May 2025
-
Zoodles pasta Net +1
“Love the zoodles pasta made by Chef Christian. Its healthy and tasted amazing.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Love the zoodles pasta made by Chef Christian. Its healthy and tasted amazing.”September 2025
-
Risotto Net 0
Mixed feedback
“A must try yummy risotto will bright up your day! Thanks for the good service!”
Positive 1Negative 1
Review excerpts
“A must try yummy risotto will bright up your day! Thanks for the good service!”October 2025
Drinks 2
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Italian cappuccino coffee Net +1
“On this occasion, I started my day with a cup of their Italian cappuccino coffee by Illy and some sparkling water while attending a business meeting.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“On this occasion, I started my day with a cup of their Italian cappuccino coffee by Illy and some sparkling water while attending a business meeting.”August 2024
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Strawberry smoothie Net +1
“Met Jyothi over dinner in Vapiano. First time for me here. A charming restsurant with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Although not a great fan of pizzas and pastas, there was a decent selection of vegetarian dishes. Pumpkin soup was sumptuous and filling, as also the greek salad, fresh juicy and crunchy. The strawberry was smoothie delicious.”
Positive 1Negative 0
Review excerpts
“Met Jyothi over dinner in Vapiano. First time for me here. A charming restsurant with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Although not a great fan of pizzas and pastas, there was a decent selection of vegetarian dishes. Pumpkin soup was sumptuous and filling, as also the greek salad, fresh juicy and crunchy. The strawberry was smoothie delicious.”March 2026
What to Avoid (6)
Food 6
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Carbonara Net −1
“pasta(spaghetti al bolognese and carbonara) was over cooked🍝👎”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“pasta(spaghetti al bolognese and carbonara) was over cooked🍝👎”November 2022
-
Fungi risotto Net −1
“We ordered the Chicken Alfredo and the Fungi Risotto, and both dishes were completely tasteless. The Alfredo had no depth or seasoning, and the risotto lacked flavor and richness — it felt bland and poorly executed.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“We ordered the Chicken Alfredo and the Fungi Risotto, and both dishes were completely tasteless. The Alfredo had no depth or seasoning, and the risotto lacked flavor and richness — it felt bland and poorly executed.”February 2026
-
Lasagna Net −1
“I love this restaurant so much and honestly, most of the order we made was great except for the lasagna. It was the worst. They burned the top and brought the dish without a top. When I told them about it, they took the dish to make a new one. Suddenly, they gave me the same dish with too much mozzarella cheese on top of it not cooked well and still cold from the heart and the taste was horrible. We tried it from several sides, but still horrible. And they didn’t care. DON’T ORDER LASAGNA”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“I love this restaurant so much and honestly, most of the order we made was great except for the lasagna. It was the worst. They burned the top and brought the dish without a top. When I told them about it, they took the dish to make a new one. Suddenly, they gave me the same dish with too much mozzarella cheese on top of it not cooked well and still cold from the heart and the taste was horrible. We tried it from several sides, but still horrible. And they didn’t care. DON’T ORDER LASAGNA”June 2024
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Pasta de fungi Net −1
“We ordered a Risotto very dry no vegetables no garlic or chives or any parsley and a pasta de fungi without much flavor to the dish.”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“We ordered a Risotto very dry no vegetables no garlic or chives or any parsley and a pasta de fungi without much flavor to the dish.”January 2024
-
Spaghetti Net −1
“- The spaghetti was less sauce and the pasta is was all cut into small pieces. I asked for extra sauce but the chef just trying to avoid adding more after couple of conversation”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“- The spaghetti was less sauce and the pasta is was all cut into small pieces. I asked for extra sauce but the chef just trying to avoid adding more after couple of conversation”December 2018
-
Spaghetti al bolognese Net −1
“pasta(spaghetti al bolognese and carbonara) was over cooked🍝👎”
Positive 0Negative 1
Critical review excerpts
“pasta(spaghetti al bolognese and carbonara) was over cooked🍝👎”November 2022
Tips for a Better Visit
Customise pasta. Ask the chef to adjust the pasta, seasoning and toppings; this is a defining part of the ordering experience.
Skip lasagna. Choose another dish if you want to play safe: one review describes a burnt, then cold, replacement lasagna.
Use back parking. When street parking is busy, check the paid parking accessed from the back of the building.
Choose your area. If smoking bothers you, request the non-smoking section; reviews also mention indoor smoking and terrace areas.
Plan breakfast. Breakfast is a recurring option for one regular customer, who visits at least three times a week.
Split by card. For group meals, use the individual ordering cards so each person can pay separately.
Plan the visit
Practical details
Aurora Building - 2 Al Falak St
Al Sufouh - Dubai Media City, Dubai
| Mon | 8:00 AM – 10:30 PM |
| Tue | 8:00 AM – 10:30 PM |
| Wed | 8:00 AM – 10:30 PM |
| Thu | 8:00 AM – 10:30 PM |
| Fri | 8:00 AM – 10:30 PM |
| Sat | 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM |
| Sun | 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM |
Common Concerns
Mosquitoes
One diner reported persistent mosquitoes indoors, multiple bites and an unsatisfactory response from staff.
Poor lasagna
A lasagna arrived burnt, was replaced with a cold and poorly cooked version, and was described as horrible.
Inconsistent flavor
Some customers found the risotto and fungi pasta dry or bland, with sauces lacking flavor.
Overcooked pasta
One visit produced overcooked spaghetti Bolognese and carbonara.
Limited WiFi
A review noted that WiFi was unavailable in some indoor areas and that this had not been fixed for almost a year.
DXB
LOCAL
LOCAL
The Bottom Line
Vapiano is a casual Italian restaurant in Dubai Internet City where pasta is made to order rather than simply picked from a finished menu. The counter setup lets you choose the pasta, seasoning and toppings, and several reviews say the food arrives quickly. Chicken Alfredo, Penne Arrabbiata, Bolognese pasta and truffle pizza are among the better-known choices, while tomato soup and pumpkin soup give non-pasta diners alternatives.
The strongest theme is customisation: one customer enjoyed watching Penne Arrabbiata being prepared in front of them, while another said a chef regularly adjusted their dish. Portions are described as generous, prices as fair, and the restaurant has indoor and outdoor seating. For groups, individual cards make splitting the bill much less awkward.
Paid parking in the same building can be useful when street parking is busy. Quality is not completely consistent. Reviews describe perfectly cooked pasta and fresh sauces, but others report bland Chicken Alfredo, dry risotto, overcooked pasta and a particularly poor lasagna experience.
One diner also reported a serious indoor mosquito problem. If that concerns you, check the dining area before settling in, and avoid the lasagna based on the clearest negative feedback. Smoking and non-smoking areas are available.