New jazz bar aims to bring French Riviera glamour to Abu Dhabi

The glamour of the Côte d’Azur will soon arrive in Abu Dhabi – with Penelope’s Brasserie and Jazz Bar Americain set to open on November 17th.

Art Deco-inspired venue promises to send guests back jazz The French Riviera era – think traditional bistro dining, bespoke cocktails, and of course live jazz.

That’s a huge commitment, as the French Riviera is synonymous with the genre. The world’s first major jazz festival was held in Nice in southeastern France in 1948.

Penelope’s is located at Yas Quay and is scheduled to open with Formula one Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

“The Yas Marina perfectly reflects the yachts, sparkling waters and warm sunny weather of the French Riviera,” said Penelope.

It’s the passion project of Hamdan Al Khafaji, the restaurateur behind Mexico’s La Carnita, and Layla Kardan, the jazz artist behind Dubai’s famous Papillon cabaret club. Eddie Ghazal, the creative behind the Dubai Canary Club and Tikis Lounge, also helped bring the project to life.

Penelope’s menu will feature sharing French-Mediterranean cuisine.Guests will enjoy live jazz performances and possibly the occasional performance by Kardan herself, who brings soulful songs such as goddess, as a and Closer.

The venue adds to the growing space “Eat, drink and play” Destinations in the UAE – where dinners and shows are served.

A number of such restaurants opened in the last year, including Nova, Dream and The Theatre.

Popular in the West since the 1900s, the concept was launched in the UAE in 2016, when Play Restaurant and Lounge brought live performances to Dubai.

Scroll through the gallery below to see other dinner show destination in Dubai

Updated: November 3, 2022 10:32 am