Zafran Indian Bistro - Dubai Marina Mall

Name: Zafran Indian Bistro - Dubai Marina Mall
Address: Dubai Marina Mall, Ground Floor, Exit 32 - off Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai Marina, Dubai, AE
Telephone: +971549942435

Dubai Marina

Indian restaurant 0 549 942 435

Zafran Indian Bistro is a contemporary Indian restaurant in Dubai Marina, with indoor dining and a terrace overlooking the Marina. Reviews point to its biryanis, tandoori dishes and sharing platters, while the outdoor setting makes it appealing for relaxed dinners with family or friends.

Reputation Score

4.3

★★★★☆

1,768 ratings

Call Website Directions

The Good Stuff

Showing 2 of 8

Marina terrace

The outdoor terrace and balcony provide standout Marina views, especially for evening meals.

Strong biryanis

Biryani is a consistent highlight, with Kolkata Biryani, lamb biryani and gosht biryani all receiving specific praise.

Let's go!

What to Eat at Zafran Indian Bistro - Dubai Marina Mall

Foods and drinks mentioned in reviews of Zafran Indian Bistro - Dubai Marina Mall, ranked by positive reviews minus negative reviews. Zero-score items have no net positive feedback; their labels distinguish neutral-only from mixed feedback.

Food 9

Biryani Net +7

“Tried Biryani , Tikka etc.. Everything was super and one or the other better..”
Butter chicken Net +4

“The butter chicken is delicious.”
Chicken tikka Net +3

“Then we tried Chicken tikka and biryani. It was so delicious, our craving were satisfied completely. Definitely gonna visit again. 🥰👍🏻”
Chicken tikka masala Net +3

“For those who prefer a creamy and rich curry, the Chicken Tikka Masala is a winner. The tender chicken tikka pieces swimming in a luscious tomato-based gravy with a perfect balance of spices will leave you wanting more. Pair it with their fluffy and freshly baked naan bread, and you have a match made in culinary heaven.”
Chocolate fondant Net +3

“And we ended with our favourite chocolate fondant and it was well presented and tasted really good too!!”
Rose milk cake Net +3

“For dessert, I recommend the rose milk cake, it's so yum.”
Baigan ka bharta Net +2

“Once inside you will find an intimate atmosphere, attentive service, and a truly innovative modern Indian menu – dishes such as Laal Mass (slow-cooked lamb) and Baigan ka Bharta (smoked aubergine) are outstanding.”
Ghosht biryani Net +2

“The one improvement I would suggest is with the ghosht biryani - it was good, but would have preferred more meat.”
Lamb biryani Net +2

“Their Lamb biryani is very tasty and authentic.”

Honorable mentions (46)

Achari paneer tikka Net +1

“Tried few of their signature authentic dishes like Dahi Papdi chaat, Achari Paneer Tikka & Malai chicken kebab for starters & Lamb Biryani & Green Chicken Curry with some Lachcha parathas. All the dishes were excellent & equally good, we could see the efforts done on every item we ordered & was perfect as far as the flavours & spices go.”
Awadhi gosht biryani Net +1

“We ordered awadhi gosht biryani & paneer chaat plater and lentil soup (Indian flavored, highly recommended).”
Bar be que platter Net +1

“Their gosht biryani was just amazing. Bar be que platter was so good and mouth melting.”
Bengali styled prawn coconut curry with mustard and coconut Net +1

“Bengali styled prawn coconut curry with mustard and coconut was just one of the many delicacies that we had here.”
Berieni lamp Net +1

“I ordered a Berieni lamp was OMG veeery delicious the best you can try hiiiiighly recommended, tried also kinoa salad and the kabab mixed plater.”
Breads Net +1

“Make sure to try some of the breads, like Naan, with the variety of flavors! It was really good as I forgot to take pictures except for the view :-)”
Chaat platter Net +1

“The Chaat Platter was delish.”
Chat platter Net +1

“We had Tomato Soup, Vegetable Kebab Platter, Chat Platter and Vegetable Biryani. While the Biryani was okie dokie, other dishes were good.”
Chicken briyani Net +1

“We received a scrumptious dinner their signature Papdi chaat, chicken Tikka masala, Malai chicken, lamb Rogan Gosh, chicken briyani, butter and garlic naan..! I must say they have best package ever. My personal suggestion is chicken briyani and tikka masala they were super soft, tender, more than sufficient for two people.”
Chicken malai tikka Net +1

“Also their Chicken malai tikka was not very spicy.”
Chicken tikka gravy Net +1

“I absolutely loved the rich chicken tikka gravy and dal zafrani which came along with papad.”
Coastline trail of biryanis Net +1

“I highly recommend trying their limited edition 'Coastline Trail' of biryanis, as each dish showcased a delightful fusion of coastal flavors.”
Coconut prawn Net +1

“Indian food lovers will fall in love with it, specially the masala and coconut prawn .”
Coconut prawn curry Net +1

“Tried butter chicken and coconut prawn curry. The biryani had enough taste even by itself. Every bite was delicious!”
Dahi kabab Net +1

“Another must try dish is the dahi kabab & they're even on Entertainer so you can get great value for money when you visit.”
Dahi papdi chaat Net +1

“Tried few of their signature authentic dishes like Dahi Papdi chaat, Achari Paneer Tikka & Malai chicken kebab for starters & Lamb Biryani & Green Chicken Curry with some Lachcha parathas. All the dishes were excellent & equally good, we could see the efforts done on every item we ordered & was perfect as far as the flavours & spices go.”
Dal makhni Net +1

“For mains we ordered Paneer Tikka masala, Dal Makhni, Mix Veg, Assorted Breads, Vegetarian Pulao The food was absolutely delicious and we loved it all.”
Dal tadka Net +1

“They make perfect dal tadka if u are missing india and your mom then just don’t forget to add that .”
Ghosht kairi ka keema Net +1

“Also don't forget to try their Ghosht Kairi Ka Keema, I Highly Recommend it.”
Green chicken curry Net +1

“Tried few of their signature authentic dishes like Dahi Papdi chaat, Achari Paneer Tikka & Malai chicken kebab for starters & Lamb Biryani & Green Chicken Curry with some Lachcha parathas. All the dishes were excellent & equally good, we could see the efforts done on every item we ordered & was perfect as far as the flavours & spices go.”
Gulab jaman Net +1

“Karak tea and gulab jaman is best too.”
Iftar jashn e kabab set menu Net +1

“Went to try their iftar jashn e kabab set menu. The experience was nice . The food was nice lovely with a beautiful view . I hope next time we enjoy the same great deal and it makes our experience great from nice. I recommend the food”
Iftar menu Net +1

“We tried Iftar menu. It was interesting to try Indian food for Iftar.”
Kolkata biryani Net +1

“Their Kolkata Biryani is an absolute must-try. The fragrant basmati rice cooked to perfection, combined with tender and flavorful pieces chicken, creates a symphony of flavors that will transport you straight to the streets of Kolkata. It's a true delight for biryani lovers!”
Laal maas Net +1

“Once inside you will find an intimate atmosphere, attentive service, and a truly innovative modern Indian menu – dishes such as Laal Mass (slow-cooked lamb) and Baigan ka Bharta (smoked aubergine) are outstanding.”
Lachcha parathas Net +1

“Tried few of their signature authentic dishes like Dahi Papdi chaat, Achari Paneer Tikka & Malai chicken kebab for starters & Lamb Biryani & Green Chicken Curry with some Lachcha parathas. All the dishes were excellent & equally good, we could see the efforts done on every item we ordered & was perfect as far as the flavours & spices go.”
Latest chef special platter Net +1

“We tried their latest chef special platter and found it to be a mix of amazingly tasty delicacy. Each item touched taste buds differently.”
Lentil soup Net +1

“We ordered awadhi gosht biryani & paneer chaat plater and lentil soup (Indian flavored, highly recommended).”
Malai chicken kebab Net +1

“Tried few of their signature authentic dishes like Dahi Papdi chaat, Achari Paneer Tikka & Malai chicken kebab for starters & Lamb Biryani & Green Chicken Curry with some Lachcha parathas. All the dishes were excellent & equally good, we could see the efforts done on every item we ordered & was perfect as far as the flavours & spices go.”
Meal for 2 Net +1

“Tried their meal for 2 & prawn lazeez. And let me tell you prawn lazeez simply steals the show. Super super delicious and must try item.”
Mix veg Net +1

“For mains we ordered Paneer Tikka masala, Dal Makhni, Mix Veg, Assorted Breads, Vegetarian Pulao The food was absolutely delicious and we loved it all.”
Naan bread Net +1

“For those who prefer a creamy and rich curry, the Chicken Tikka Masala is a winner. The tender chicken tikka pieces swimming in a luscious tomato-based gravy with a perfect balance of spices will leave you wanting more. Pair it with their fluffy and freshly baked naan bread, and you have a match made in culinary heaven.”
Paneer chaat plater Net +1

“We ordered awadhi gosht biryani & paneer chaat plater and lentil soup (Indian flavored, highly recommended).”
Papdi chat Net +1

“Also the papdi chat was too good must try it.”
Prawn lazeez Net +1

“Tried their meal for 2 & prawn lazeez. And let me tell you prawn lazeez simply steals the show. Super super delicious and must try item.”
Rasmalai Net +1

“Don't forget try their yummiest spongy Rasmalai.. 🤤🤤🤤”
Samosas Net +1

“When it comes to appetizers, Zafran's Samosas are crispy, golden parcels of goodness, filled with a delectable blend of spiced potatoes and peas. They are the perfect start to your meal and will have you eagerly anticipating the main course.”
Spinach and corn cutlets Net +1

“The food was fantastic, my favourite was the spinach and corn cutlets they were delicious (and I don’t even usually like spinach).”
Tandoori chicken Net +1

“If you're a fan of grilled delicacies, Zafran's Tandoori Chicken and Chicken Tikka are simply outstanding. The succulent pieces of chicken, marinated with aromatic spices and cooked in a traditional clay oven, result in juicy and smoky delights that are bursting with flavor.”
The coastline trail Net +1

“This is my second time visiting on zafran.we tried their new limited time menu "The Coastline Trail" and it is very tasty and authentic.”
The starter platter Net +1

“First, we had The starter platter which was very good.”
Tomato soup Net +1

“We had Tomato Soup, Vegetable Kebab Platter, Chat Platter and Vegetable Biryani. While the Biryani was okie dokie, other dishes were good.”
Vegetable kebab platter Net +1

“We had Tomato Soup, Vegetable Kebab Platter, Chat Platter and Vegetable Biryani. While the Biryani was okie dokie, other dishes were good.”
Veg pulao Net 0

Mixed feedback

“For mains we ordered Paneer Tikka masala, Dal Makhni, Mix Veg, Assorted Breads, Vegetarian Pulao The food was absolutely delicious and we loved it all.”
Non veg platter Net 0

Only neutral feedback

“Not on par with the hype, tried their non veg platter which was okish.”
Vegetable biryani Net 0

Only neutral feedback

“We had Dahi kabab, Dal Makhani, panner masala with some veg briyani. All were good except for paneer which seemed over cooked.”

Drinks 1

Karak chai Net +3

“Ended our meal with Karak chai which was served along with Parle G biscuit. Loved it!!”

What to Avoid (3)

Food 2

Alo bukhara kofta Net −1

“This restaurant has a hype of great taste, seriously, which i didn't find. It has totally Typical Indian taste, as we ordered paneer tikka Masala, alo bukhara kofta, veg pulao, naan.”
Mushroom pulaoo Net −1

“No5 to dry dish is dal zafran and mushroom pulaoo just because it is not worth it.”

Drinks 1

Orange juice Net −1

“but the orange juice wasn’t fresh.. it tasted like canned juices but as an overall we had really enjoyed the food.”

Tips for a Better Visit

Showing 2 of 6

Adjust spice. Ask the kitchen to reduce the spice if you prefer milder food; one reviewer specifically recommends doing so.

Choose outside. Request an outer or terrace table if the Marina view matters to you; reviewers describe it as the strongest setting.

Plan the visit

Practical details

Dubai Marina Mall, Ground Floor, Exit 32 - off Sheikh Zayed Road

Dubai Marina, Dubai

0 549 942 435

Get directions

Common Concerns

Showing 2 of 5

Spicy food

The food can be too spicy for some diners, although another review says the kitchen can adjust it on request.

Price concerns

Some diners felt the bill was high relative to portion or quality, despite the ambience and views.

DXB
LOCAL

The Bottom Line

Zafran Indian Bistro is a contemporary Indian restaurant inside Dubai Marina Mall, where the main draw is the combination of substantial Indian cooking and a terrace overlooking the Marina. It suits a dinner with family, friends or a date, particularly when the outdoor setting matters as much as the meal. The reviews give first-timers several clear starting points: Kolkata Biryani, lamb or gosht biryani, Chicken Tikka Masala, and the Chaat Platter.

Tandoori Chicken, Chicken Tikka and the prawn dishes also receive specific praise. For dessert, rose milk cake and chocolate fondant are safer bets than ordering blindly. Vegetarian diners have plenty to work with, including paneer, dal, mixed vegetables and vegetarian pulao.

The food is often described as richly spiced, so ask for less heat if needed. Portions can be generous; one Iftar review says two petite diners could not finish everything. Service is usually reported as quick and friendly, though isolated reviews mention uneven dishes, overcooked paneer and an uncomfortable service interaction.

For the best view, request an outer or terrace table. Weekend diners around 8pm should book ahead, and the mall parking is available. Prices are not consistently seen as modest, so a platter may offer better value than ordering several individual dishes.