Cipriani Yas Island: Harry’s Bar Heritage Above the Marina

The story starts in Venice, not Yas Marina

Cipriani Yas Island carries a piece of restaurant history that predates Abu Dhabi’s modern dining scene by decades. The brand traces its story to 1931, when Giuseppe Cipriani Sr. opened Harry’s Bar in Venice, and the Yas Island restaurant still frames its cooking around the idea of simple Italian food executed precisely. The official site specifically names Harry’s Bar signatures such as risotto primavera, baked tagliolini and vanilla crème meringue, alongside Venetian and classic Italian dishes made with seasonal premium ingredients sourced from Italy.

Familiar food, but an unusually glamorous setting

The room was designed by Florentine architect Michele Bonan, while the terrace looks across Yas Marina towards the yachts and Yas Marina Circuit. That view changes the character of the meal: the cooking may be rooted in old-school Italian restraint, but the location is unmistakably contemporary Abu Dhabi. The current menu also includes a YOTTO Japanese selection, with sushi, sashimi, tempura and dishes such as black cod, which gives regular diners a second direction without erasing the core Cipriani identity. It is an unusual combination, but one the Yas branch has carried for years.

A restaurant that relies on consistency more than novelty

Cipriani is not a restaurant people visit to discover an entirely new culinary language. They go because the service, proportions, Bellini-era glamour and familiar dishes are meant to feel recognisable from one Cipriani city to another. Current first-party evidence confirms the Yas Island restaurant is operating from 6pm until midnight for dine-in and takeaway, with smart-casual dress and no flip-flops. The contact remains +971 2 657 5400. Recent independent reviews are more mixed than the polished brand language, which is useful context: expectations are high at this price level. Even so, the restaurant’s place in Abu Dhabi is secure because very few dining rooms combine this much international heritage with such a specific local view. For Simply Abu Dhabi, the terrace at night remains the strongest argument for experiencing Cipriani here rather than somewhere else.

Practical details

Location: Building 1, Yas Marina, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Cuisine: Venetian and classic Italian, with a separate YOTTO Japanese selection

Telephone: +971 2 657 5400

Hours: Daily, 6:00pm-12:00am

Dress code: Smart casual; no flip-flops

Editorial status: Open