Following its preview at Sole DXB, Neo-Temaki will officially open this July at JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai, bringing its contemporary take on Japanese handroll culture to the city.

Centered around freshly prepared temaki, counter dining and an energy-fueled atmosphere, Neo-Temaki offers an experience where quality ingredients, craftsmanship and interaction come together. With a menu composed by Chef Miguel Huelamo, the concept celebrates handrolls made to order alongside a selection of Japanese-inspired small plates and beverages.

Menu highlights include the Otoro Bomb with bluefin tuna belly and crispy scallions, Hamachi Crunch with yellowtail and plum coated sesame, and Scallop Lux with Hokkaido scallop and yuzu kosho. Beyond the handrolls, guests can also enjoy dishes including Salmon & Hamachi Ponzu, Neo Nigiri Selection and Spicy Wagyu Tartare, complemented by a thoughtfully curated selection of sake, cocktails influenced by Japan, a select range of grape labels, and non-alcoholic concoctions.

Neo-Temaki is set to open in July, marking another step in JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai’s evolving culinary landscape as the hotel continues to introduce original, home-grown dining concepts. Reflecting a broader vision for its food and beverage offering, each is developed in-house to create distinctive dining destinations centred on creativity, quality and exceptional guest experiences.

Known for its signature biga pre-ferment dough, crafted using the brand’s secret recipe, premium Italian ingredients and bold flavour combinations, Naughty Pizza has built a loyal following with standout creations. These include the Tartufino, featuring a truffle cream base, mixed mushrooms, stracciatella cheese and fresh truffle shavings; the hearty Don Brisket, topped with San Marzano tomato sauce, mozzarella fior di latte Agerola, 24-hour slow-cooked beef brisket, semi-dried red tomatoes, parmesan cream and fried rosemary; and the signature Naughty Pizza, made with a pecorino cheese cream base, fior di latte, crispy chicken tenders, fresh chili, basil, and spicy buffalo sauce. Guests can also enjoy a selection of handcrafted classics and seasonal specials that celebrate authentic Italian flavours with the brand’s distinctive twist.

The opening of the Naughty Pizza food truck at Alserkal Avenue marks another milestone for founder Bart Misztal, who launched Naughty Pizza in the UK during the Covid-19 pandemic, growing the brand when much of the hospitality industry faced unprecedented challenges. Building on that success, he brought the concept to Dubai in 2023, followed by a second location at Dubai Festival City. 

The Alserkal Avenue opening marks the brand’s third UAE location and represents a significant achievement, as Alserkal Avenue is widely recognised as one of Dubai’s most sought-after lifestyle and cultural destinations. Home to leading galleries, design studios and independent concepts, Alserkal Avenue carefully curates its tenant community, making the opportunity to open within the district a strong endorsement of Naughty Pizza’s growing reputation.

The expansion comes at a time when many independent restaurants are navigating softer consumer spending amid regional uncertainty and the annual summer slowdown. Rather than slowing its momentum, Naughty Pizza has continued to invest in growth while introducing creative collaborations and community-driven initiatives that keep guests engaged. Recent partnerships, including a collaboration with CAIA, brought together two homegrown brands through a limited-edition menu that generated strong interest during a traditionally quieter trading period.

Naughty Pizza officially opens at Alserkal Avenue on July 15, welcoming guests to experience its Italian-inspired menu in one of Dubai’s leading destinations for art, culture and creativity. To celebrate the opening, Alserkal Avenue visitors can enjoy 20 per cent off their orders during the first week of operations, offering the perfect opportunity to discover the brand’s signature pizzas at its newest location.

Coffee Planet, one of the GCC’s most established integrated coffee companies, has announced a series of major regional partnerships with IKEA operated by Al-Futtaim, Emarat and Union Coop, further cementing its position as a leading player within the Middle East’s evolving retail and self-service beverage sector.

The agreements mark a key milestone in the company’s growth strategy, expanding its footprint across high-volume retail, convenience and food service environments throughout the UAE and wider GCC.

Allan Jones, Founder and Chairman of Coffee Planet, said: “This latest phase of expansion represents a major step forward for Coffee Planet and reflects how rapidly consumer expectations are evolving across the region. Whether in retail, convenience or food service environments, customers today expect high-quality coffee experiences wherever they are, and that is exactly where we are positioning the brand.”

He added: “What makes these collaborations particularly significant is that they place Coffee Planet at the intersection of multiple high-growth channels. From IKEA’s integrated retail and food service ecosystem to Emarat’s convenience network and Union Coop’s large-scale retail presence, each partnership strengthens both our accessibility and our regional market leadership.”

As part of its partnership with IKEA operated by Al-Futtaim, Coffee Planet is now present across seven locations in the UAE, as well as stores in Oman and Qatar. The collaboration spans multiple customer touchpoints, including self-service coffee solutions in food courts, beverage offerings across snack and food kiosks, and retail placement of Coffee Planet’s packaged whole bean and ground coffee ranges.

The partnership is also set to expand further in the coming months, with capsules and instant coffee products due to launch across IKEA retail shelves, alongside a planned rollout into IKEA Egypt.

The brand has also expanded its presence across 80 Emarat petrol station locations in the UAE.

The rollout includes self-service espresso-based coffees, teas and matcha, supported by Coffee Planet’s integrated model spanning machines, consumables and supply operations. A new iced beverage range, including iced coffee and iced matcha, is also set to launch across locations later this year.

Meanwhile, Coffee Planet’s partnership with Union Coop will see branded self-service beverage units installed across 13 UAE locations by the end of summer, offering a range of hot coffee and tea beverages within one of the country’s leading retail cooperative networks.

The expansion reflects rising demand for premium coffee experiences beyond traditional café environments, as convenience, accessibility and self-service formats continue reshaping the regional beverage market.

Jones concluded: “As a UAE-born company, we are incredibly proud to see the brand continuing to scale across the GCC while competing confidently alongside international players. This is not just about expansion in footprint but about building long-term relevance within the everyday consumer landscape across the region.”

Founded in the UAE in 2005, Coffee Planet has grown into one of the region’s most established integrated coffee businesses, operating across roasting, distribution, retail and self-service beverage solutions, and serving customers across the GCC and international markets.