What’s on in Dubai: Poolside Breakfasts, Speed Dating, Diving, Zumba, and Dubai Flea Market!

Good morning Dubai!

This week you can dive 60 metres into a sunken city, float through breakfast in the sky, or throw paint around with a glass of wine in hand. There’s speed dating without the apps, Zumba in neon, a second-hand market the size of a small town, and a summer art show that actually makes you think.

Also, heads up: Gusto has just opened in DIFC and it’s already trying to out-truffle everyone. Worth a peek between this weeks activities.

Stay curious. Stay moving. And maybe pack a snorkel.

— Local Scoop Dubai

THE DUBAI DIGEST

✈️ DXB: World’s Busiest Airport (Again)
Turns out there’s no such thing as a quiet day at DXB. The airport just clocked 92.3 million passengers in 2024, officially making it the busiest international airport on the planet again. That’s up 6.1% from last year, and yes, your delayed boarding was part of it. | Read More

🚗 Robotaxis Are Coming (Yes, Really)
Dubai’s RTA has teamed up with autonomous driving company Pony.ai to launch robotaxi trials in 2025, with eyes on a full rollout in 2026. For now, they’ll be supervised. So no, your Uber won’t ghost you just yet. | Read More

💳 Dubai Is Going (Almost) Cashless
The city’s aiming to make 90% of all transactions digital by 2026. That means fewer coins, more taps, and a lot more fintech. From government services to your morning karak, expect banking apps, contactless tech, and AI-powered payments to take over. | Read More

Nothing in this section is sponsored. They're just the things you need to know. I'll always let you know when something's sponsored.

SCRUMPTIOUS SCOOP

🍝 New Italian Spot Alert: Gusto Brings the Glam to DIFC
Gusto isn’t here to play. It’s here to pour wine, twirl tagliatelle, and make DIFC feel like Milan with valet. This newly opened Italian restaurant and bar serves everything from breakfast through to late-night cocktails, with truffle-topped everything and a wine list that means business.

Plush interiors, incredible flavours, and enough burrata to question your life choices, this one’s for when you're dressing up and showing up.

📍 - Gusto Restaurant & Bar
⏰ - Open daily, 7:30 AM – 10:30 PM
📞 - +971 4 552 4063
📷 - @gusto_dxb

🥙 AMARA: Yas Island's Lebanese Showstopper
Since opening in February, AMARA has made its mark with a menu that blends tradition and theatre. Raw lamb tartare, fig kunafa, beetroot hummus, lobster kibbeh, and golden halloumi wrapped in crunchy ithmaliyeh pastry are just the beginning.

With more than 80 dishes spanning mezze, seafood, grills, and desserts, plus mocktails like the “Blackberry Cinnamon Smash,” it’s built for flavour, flair, and late-night dining.

📍 - The WB Abu Dhabi, Curio Collection by Hilton, Yas Island
⏰ - Mon to Thu: 8:00 AM to 11:30 PM
⏰ - Fri to Sun: 8:00 AM to 1:00 AM
📷 - @amararestaurantabudhabi

ACTIVITY ALLEY

🥂 Breakfast. In a Pool. 210 Metres Up.
Because sometimes a table just isn’t extra enough. At ZETA Seventy Seven, you can start your morning with a floating continental or vegan breakfast served in the world’s highest outdoor infinity pool. The views? Ain Dubai, Bluewaters Island, and Palm Jumeirah. The setting? Calm, elegant, and absolutely unmatched.

This AED 698 experience includes access to the pool and the chance to make everyone else’s morning look painfully average.

📍 - Dubai Marina
⏰ - Daily, 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM
📞 - +971 4 879 8866
🎟️ - AED 698 per couple
📷 - @addressbeachresort

💘 Speed Dating in Style – No Apps, Just Eye Contact
It’s part speed dating, part party, all singles. DubDay is celebrating two years of matchmaking mischief with a 200+ guest bash at IZEL Lounge inside JW Marriott Marquis.

The night kicks off with 8–10 rounds of speed dating (7 minutes per round), plus ice breakers, casual mingling, and an afterparty that goes late. The crowd skews 25–45, career-focused, and up for a good conversation. Tickets include drinks, and the hosts keep things moving so it’s never awkward for long.

📍 - IZEL Lounge, JW Marriott Marquis Hotel, Business Bay
📅 - Friday 25th July
⏰ - From 10:00 PM
🎟️ - From AED 50 (includes drinks)
📷 - @dubdayevents

FRESH EXPERIENCES

🤿 Dive Into a Sunken City Without a Certificate
It’s not just a pool, it’s the deepest in the world. At Deep Dive Dubai, beginners and certified divers explore a 60-metre underwater playground built like a submerged city. Inside, you’ll find flooded apartments, an old-school motorbike, a phone booth, and more.

Non-certified divers (age 10+) can go down to 12 metres with a guide. Certified divers get deeper access, while kids can snorkel from age 6. There are freediving packages, birthday dives, and optional video add-ons to relive every bubble.

📍 - Deep Dive Dubai, Nad Al Sheba
⏰ - Open daily, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
🎟️ - From AED 400 (Snorkelling) to AED 3,000 (Platinum Dive)
📷 - @deepdivedubai

🎨 Turn Your Friday Into a Masterpiece
Join 19 Sixty Four by McGettigan’s for Paint & Pour, where you’ll trade spreadsheets for paintbrushes and wine. It’s a guided art session with three glasses of wine, tasty nibbles, and Burj Al Arab views you don’t have to sketch.

Perfect for date afternoons, mate escapes, or pretending you’re the next Van Gogh after a few sips.

📍 - 19 Sixty Four, Souk Madinat Jumeirah
📅 - Friday sessions (Pre-booking required)
⏰ - 3-hour class
🎟️ - Limited spots available
📷 - @1964bymcgettigans

WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING?

🛍️ - Dubai Flea Market at B1 Mall
Pre-loved clothes, books, electronics, homeware, and the occasional wild card. Hundreds of second-hand sellers, one very full shopping bag.
📍 - B1 Mall | Sunday 20th July | More Info

🖼️ - Summer Collective: “Wavering Hope” at Ayyam Gallery
A group exhibition spotlighting contemporary Syrian artists and themes of resilience, running all summer across two locations.
📍 - Ayyam Gallery, DIFC & Alserkal Avenue | Until 5th September | More Info

🍷 - Ladies’ Night at The Nice Guy
Unlimited wine for ladies from 8–10 PM, live tunes by Jaymie Deville, and a late-night set from DJ TJ. It’s all going down inside the Hush Hush Room.
📍 - The Nice Guy, Jumeirah Emirates Towers | Thursday nights | More Info

💃 - Tropical Fiesta Zumba Party – Dance Your Heart Out
Join the crew at Al Areesh Club for 3 hours of high-energy Zumba, colour-themed outfits, and just AED 10 entry. No experience needed, just good shoes and good energy.
📍 - Al Areesh Club, Festival City | Sunday 20th July | More Info

LOCAL SCOOP DUBAI WEATHER

Friday
43°C 🌡️ 32°C | Sunny.

Saturday
42°C 🌡️ 32°C | Sunny.

Sunday
42°C 🌡️ 32°C | Sunny.
Temperature readings taken the night before publication

THANKS!

Thanks for reading Local Scoop Dubai today. If you found something useful, share it with someone who loves rooftop brunches and pool parties as much as you do.

Local Scoop Dubai

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