Gastro cafe to open on Dubai's Palm Jumeirah

Sophie’s, a new gastro-cafe, will launch this December in the RIVA Complex, Building 8 of The Shoreline Palm Jumeirah.

It will be serving up natural and healthy meals, salads, a selection of homemade cakes and pastries as well as fresh juices, teas and coffee, and it opens as part of the New Fresh Food Movement.

Sophie’s has been created by, Markus Thesleff and Ramzy Abdul Majeed, the founders of boutique hospitality management group Whissle and award-winning luxury Japanese sestaurant and lounge, OKKU.

“People in Dubai aspire to healthier lifestyles and recognise the appeal of home-style cooking in line with the latest fresh food movements, said Thesleff. “We want the concept to fill a gastro-cafe niche in the city where quality and taste are at the top of the agenda.

“Sophie’s brand ethos — Eat Well, Live Well, Be Well — was born in response to this trend and we promise to deliver good, honest and natural food cooked in the same way you would at home — the perfect convenience and a true lifestyle choice.”

The Dubai-based concept will provide a healthier option for quick and easy home-style meals with the Sophie’s team sourcing fresh local produce and the best imported natural ingredients available.

On the menu are over 120 dishes, available on a rotating basis, including mains, salads, dips, homemade cakes and pastries – all created in house from start to finish with a particular focus on whole foods, local produce and great taste.

Highlights include: red quinoa, lemon chicken with avocado corn salsa; and spicy garbanzo bean salad and marinated beetroot with feta cheese. Mains feature favourites such as roast chicken, Mediterranean meatballs, chicken Milanese, poached and grilled salmon and herb roasted stuffed peppers.