Avocado-obsessed London restaurant Avobar opens in Abu Dhabi

Foodies in the UAE are in for a creamy treat, as trendy London restaurant Avobar opens its first Middle East outpost in Abu Dhabi on September 7.

The restaurant, with a flagship location in Covent Garden, uses the superfood as its star ingredient, whipping up sweet and savoury dishes for avocado aficionados and health-conscious diners.

The Abu Dhabi branch is located on the ground floor of the Town Square area in Yas Mall.

The restaurant

Avobar co-founder Liana Kazaryan says the flagship London store has so many patrons coming from the Middle East that launching in the UAE was a no-brainer. It also helps that consumers in the Emirates have increasingly become more health-conscious, which she says is the core USP of the restaurant.

“Avocado is synonymous with wellness,” says Kazaryan, adding that because of its versatility, the fruit provides a blank canvas for creative recipes that are both healthy and visually appealing.

The holistic wellness concept also comes through in the restaurant's interior, which is minimalist but bright. This is perhaps the Abu Dhabi outpost's biggest difference from the Covent Garden flagship, which has a more rustic appeal, with rattan furniture and pops of green.

Avobar first opened in 2018, after Kazaryan became enamoured by an avocado toast she had in California, which is known for its massive avocado industry, as well as its bustling wellness scene.

The brand, which Kazaryan describes as a “creative endeavour”, has since gained a cult following, amplified by the social media appeal of avocado-infused dishes.

What's on the menu?

Avobar offers an all-day menu, with breakfast dishes, salads and main courses. As expected, most of the dishes are infused with the creamy fruit – each brought in all the way from Mexico – from acai bowls to sourdough toast.

Other items include avocado on sweet potato, green toast served with cheese, French omelette with sliced avocado and turkey Benedict topped with “avodaise”, the restaurant's take on hollandaise sauce.

For mains, expect grilled salmon with avocado, asparagus and quinoa, as well as lobster tagliatelle.

Many of the dishes on the Abu Dhabi menu are direct lifts from those in London and Hong Kong, but Kazaryan tells The National the team spent some time understanding UAE diners and the food culture in Abu Dhabi to come up with new offerings.

As a result, the restaurant also serves a croissant with labneh, zaatar and avocado, as well as an avocado-infused shakshuka.

Savoury dishes aside, Avobar has a coffee and juice bar where it whips up various healthy beverages.

The Abu Dhabi outpost's pastry offering, too, has been expanded to include Emirati-inspired recipes, such as date pecan cake and baklava croissant.

“We were inspired by the culture in Abu Dhabi, and we saw that coffee and desserts are really prevalent here,” says Kazaryan.

Kazaryan says diners can expect more Avobar venues across Abu Dhabi and eventually in Dubai.

Daily; 10am-10pm from Sunday to Thursday, and 10am-midnight on Friday and Saturday; dishes range from Dh25 to Dh150; Yas Mall, Yas Island; 02 442 0127