Savannah Grill: Southern African Fire in the Middle of Sir Bani Yas

Dinner inside the wildlife experience

Savannah Grill is not simply a resort steakhouse with an African menu. Its greatest asset is that the restaurant sits inside the Al Sahel section of Sir Bani Yas Island, where gazelles, peacocks and other wildlife can move through the landscape beyond the terrace. Anantara deliberately leans into that setting, describing the restaurant as Southern African-inspired dining in the heart of the savannah. The result is one of Abu Dhabi’s few restaurant experiences where the journey, the landscape and the meal are inseparable. Even guests staying at other Anantara properties on the island can reach Al Sahel by complimentary transfer.

Wood fire, game and seafood

The cooking matches the environment. Anantara currently describes game and seafood sizzling with smoky intensity from a wood-fired Josper oven, with New World wines suggested as natural companions. The menu’s African identity is broader than a simple steakhouse label, moving through grilled meats, seafood and dishes with Southern African references. Recent guest feedback continues to highlight the outdoor setting and the sensation of dining close to roaming wildlife, while the restaurant remains one of the highest-rated dining addresses on Sir Bani Yas. Vegetarians should check the current menu before travelling specifically for dinner, as meat remains central to the concept, although the resort does accommodate dietary requirements.

Build the evening around the island

Savannah Grill currently lists breakfast from 6am to 10am, lunch from noon to 3pm, dinner from 6:30pm to 10:30pm and lounge service into the evening. The official Anantara contact is +971 2 801 5400, which is the best number to use for dining enquiries and transfer arrangements; some older directories still circulate a different resort switchboard number. For Simply Abu Dhabi, Savannah is less about ticking off a restaurant and more about planning an evening on Sir Bani Yas. Book ahead, aim for outdoor seating when weather allows, arrive before full darkness so the landscape can still be appreciated, then let the wood-fired cooking and wildlife setting do what no city-centre restaurant can reproduce.

Practical details

Location: Anantara Al Sahel Villa Resort, Sir Bani Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Cuisine: Southern African-inspired grill, game and seafood
Telephone: +971 2 801 5400
Dinner: Daily 6:30pm-10:30pm; breakfast and lunch also served
Editorial status: Open