Sontaya: Southeast Asian Dining Among the Floating Pavilions of Saadiyat

The setting earns the name

Sontaya means ‘sunset’ in Thai, and the restaurant’s location makes that name literal rather than decorative. At The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, the dining spaces sit among interconnected pools and floating pavilions, with a terrace facing Saadiyat Beach and the Arabian Gulf. It is one of those Abu Dhabi restaurants where the approach to the table is already part of the meal. The design suits celebrations and romantic dinners, but the kitchen is substantial enough that the view does not have to do all the work. The current menu ranges across Thailand and the wider region rather than narrowing itself to one national cuisine.

Curries and seafood give the menu depth

Sontaya’s present menu is full of specific reasons to order beyond the usual resort shorthand of ‘pan-Asian’. Green chicken curry sits beside yellow prawn curry and a King Massaman beef curry built around braised short rib, sweet potato and cashew nuts. Seafood is equally important: ginger-lotus sea bass is roasted with galangal, lemongrass and shrimp paste, while the menu also lists miso-glazed black cod, tiger prawns and whole lobster. Pad Thai, nasi goreng and crab ginger fried rice widen the choices without diluting the core. Recent July 2026 diners repeatedly singled out the Massaman curry and the service, reinforcing that the food is carrying its share of the experience.

A current programme, not a legacy resort listing

Sontaya’s dedicated website is active and currently advertises a handmade noodle journey, while Marriott lists dinner every night from 6pm to midnight and lunch from 1pm to 4pm Friday to Sunday. That current first-party activity is more persuasive than stale aggregator warnings that still describe the venue as temporarily closed. Reservations are available through the resort on +971 2 498 8888, with the restaurant email also live. For Simply Abu Dhabi, Sontaya is best approached as a complete evening: arrive while there is still light over the pools, begin with something fresh and spicy, then move into curry or seafood as the pavilions take on their night-time character.

Practical details

Location: The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Cuisine: Southeast Asian
Telephone: +971 2 498 8888
Hours: Mon-Thu dinner 6:00pm-midnight; Fri-Sun lunch 1:00pm-4:00pm and dinner 6:00pm-midnight
Editorial status: Open – current first-party site and 2026 activity verified