Tuesday 19 March 2024 (UAE)

The Dubai Mall

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The Dubai Mall, Downtown Burj Dubai

The Dubai Mall is the largest shopping mall in Dubai, maybe even the world depending on how you measure it, (and until the Mall of Arabia opens) and is located in the Downtown Burj Dubai area on Doha St (Financial Center Rd), off Defense Roundabout. After the usual Dubai construction delays, it only opened 2 years late, in November 2008. Some Dubai residents thought the new mall deserved top spot on their whine list but we think The Dubai Mall is great. If (or when) you visit, have a look at one of the largest fish tanks in the world, buy some books at Kinokuniya BookWorld, walk through the gold souk area, have a look at the indoor waterfall, watch a movie at Reel Cinemas, get an adrenaline fix at Sega Republic, and go for a quiet coffee at The Grove. Or head next door to Souk Al Bahar after your shopping expedition and have a meal overlooking the Burj Dubai Lake while watching the Dubai Fountain. After 04 January 2009, you'll also be able to head to the Burj Dubai observation deck for a spectacular view over Dubai. There are information kiosks everywhere in the mall, with helpful attendants to answer your questions (although you'll often get different answers if you ask more than one), and information brochures with maps and a list of shops.

Dubai Mall fire - August 2012
Dubai Mall evacuation due to gas leak - March 2012
Dubai Mall opening hours
Section Sunday-Wednesday Thursday-Saturday
Shops, Dubai Aquarium, Dubai Ice Rink, SegaRepublic 1000-2200 (10am-10pm) 1000-2400 (10am-12am)
Gold Souk 1000-2200 (10am-10pm) 1000-2200 (10am-10pm)
Food Court 1000-2200 (10am-10pm) 1000-2400 (10am-12am)
Waitrose 0800-2400 (8am-12am) 0800-2400 (8am-12am)
Ramadan Food court and restaurants closed until 7pm, open until 3am (in Ramadan 2011).
Sega opens 3pm (12pm Fri/Sat) (during Ramadan 2010).
Most shops, activities open 1000 until 0100 (10am-1am) 7 days.
Banks are open shorter hours, closed on Fridays.
Dubai Mall numbers, statistics, facts and figures

All figures are before expansion work in 2013-2014 (or later) which will add another 1 million sq ft to mall area.

Is The Dubai Mall the largest shopping mall in the world? Or even the universe?
  1. New South China Mall, Dongguan, China, GLA 600,153 square meters
  2. Golden Resources Mall, Beijing, China, GLA 557,419 square meters
  3. SM City North Edsa, Quezon City, Philippines, GLA 482,878 square meters
  4. 1 Utama Selangor, Malaysia, GLA 465,000 square meters
  5. Central World, Bangkok, Thailand, GLA 429,500 square meters
  6. (3 malls in 6th = spot) Persian Gulf Complex, Shiraz, Iran, GLA 420,000 sq m. Mid Valley Megamall, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, GLA 420,000 sq m. Cehavir Mall, Istanbul, Turkey, GLA 420,000 sq m.
  1. The Dubai Mall, Dubai, UAE, GLA 350,244 square meters
  2. West Edmonton Mall, Edmonton, Canada, GLA 350,000 square meters
The Dubi Mall expansion (announced 13 February 2012)
The Dubai Mall metro station walkway expansion
Dubai Mall special attractions and facilities
Shops in The Dubai Mall

As of 25 May 2009, about 900 out of a total of 1200 shops have opened. Two anchor department stores are Galeries Lafayette and Bloomingdales.

Leviev, a diamond jewellery company based in Israel, announced in April 2008 that they would be opening a store in The Dubai Mall, and another one in the Atlantis Resort on Jumeirah Palm. Understandably, there was some consternation about an Israeli business operating in Dubai. As of May 2009, it's not clear what the situation is. There's no Leviev store listed on the Dubai Mall website but not all planned shops have opened yet. Leviev jewellery is already available in Dubai apparently, in Levant Jewelers in Madinat Jumeirah (opened March 2008) and the Atlantis Resort.

New store openings at The Dubai Mall
Dubai Mall eating and drinking

Total number of outlets fluctuates in Emaar press releases: 150 in October 2007, 150 in January 2008, 120 in April 2008, 160 in May 2009. Whatever the number, there are more than you'll find in any other shopping mall, and enough cholesterol suppliers to keep even the hard core hamburger junkies satisfied. Main Food Court is on the top floor, with an outdoor seating area, and the first Taco Bell in the UAE (if you haven't tried it, it's not that exciting). Another food court is on the lower ground floor - feels more spacious and less crowded than the top floor food court. Other snack bars, cafes, and restaurants scattered throughout the shopping mall. For a pleasant place to sit down and eat, visit The Grove, an indoor/outdoor area that's covered up in the hot Dubai summer.

During Ramadan 2010, there aren't any cafes open during the day for dine-in but several outlets are open for takeaways only - Burger King, Charlie's Subs, MacDonald's. Maybe Wafi Gourmet and Le Pain Quotidien? Nearby in Souk Al Bahar is the Shakespeare & Co Cafe which is sometimes open daytime during Ramadan for dine-in (not in 2013).

Parking at The Dubai Mall
Dubai Mall awards
London Olympics 2012 at The Dubai Mall (press release 24 June 2012)
Dubai Mall history and timeline
Last update Tuesday 08-Jul-2014
Related pages
Related websites (new window)
Sponsored links

www.dubaifaqs.com/the-dubai-mall.php (PDF and print version).

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