Il Gattopardo

Aug 7

Il Gattopardo – DUBAI

Sitting on top of the 51st floor of ICD Brookfield Place in DIFC, Il Gattopardo has quickly become one of Dubai's most talked-about restaurant openings. Named after the classic Italian novel and film "The Leopard," the acclaimed restaurant made its journey from London to Dubai, bringing with it the promise of La Dolce Vita, sixties-inspired style, and unapologetically authentic Italian cuisine. You can't help but be struck by the iconic leopard statue that greets you as you step inside the entrance, a work of art and a playful wink at the restaurant's name at the same time.

From there, the space unfolds into something designed by Lázaro Rosa-Violán that feels decadently distinct: moody cobalt-blue walls, chrome fixtures, dark glossy woodwork, and leopard-print accents scattered throughout, all pulled together by hand-painted murals that read like a love letter to Italian design that spans across time. Wherever you choose to sit, the vast Dubai skyline stretches out below you, gold and glistening as the sun sets. It's the perfect backdrop for a long, indulgent culinary interlude.

THE CHEF

At the heart of it all is Executive Chef Massimo Pasquarelli, who hails from Pizzoferrato, a small town in Abruzzo, Italy. Michelin-starred kitchens in Imola and Venice shaped his early years, and stints with two of hospitality's biggest names, Alain Ducasse and The Ritz, sent him cooking across Europe and Asia before he settled into leading Il Gattopardo under the D.ream International group, the team also behind Coya, Amazónico, and Zuma. Chef Massimo's career is one built on precision and instinct in equal measure, and it shows in every plate that leaves his kitchen.

THE CUISINE

I had the rare privilege of stepping into that kitchen myself, and the highlight of the afternoon was working alongside Chef Massimo on the restaurant's Stracciatella Agnolotti, delicate hand-cut pasta parcels filled with soft, creamy stracciatella and bathed in a rich tomato sauce that was dotted with vibrant pesto.

Rolling and cutting the pasta by hand under his guidance was a lesson in patience: the dough had to be thin enough to be tender but strong enough to hold its filling, and Chef Massimo made it look effortless while quietly correcting me along the way. The finished dish was everything you could hope for in a pasta: silky, generous, and rich, with the sweetness of the tomato playing beautifully against the cool creaminess of the stracciatella.

Little did I know that our Agnolotti was just the warm-up. What followed was a full tasting session that showcased why this menu has generated so much buzz since its opening.

We started with Il Gattopardo's signature octopus: a dish that balanced smoky char with vibrant bursts of freshness. From there, the agnolotti made its return as part of the tasting, before the kitchen sent out its signature Veal Milanese: a perfectly golden, crisp cutlet that let the quality of the meat speak for itself, needing nothing more than a squeeze of lemon. As soon as I sank my teeth through the crispy exterior and into the perfectly cooked flesh, I could hear a toothy "crunch" echo throughout the room.

To finish, there was really only one way to go: Il Gattopardo's now-famous tiramisu. It's become something of a signature in its own right and it's easy to see why: light and impeccably layered, it was the ideal way to bid arrivederci to an afternoon spent in one of Dubai's most exciting kitchens.

But beyond the food, what stayed with me the most was the atmosphere Chef Massimo has built around him, and a kitchen that runs with discipline but never loses its warmth. It's easy to understand why this restaurant has so quickly carved out a place among Dubai's dining elite. It's not just a meal at Il Gattopardo; it's an open invitation into La Dolce Vita, hundreds of feet above the city.

Shot on location at Il Gattopardo

Special Thanks to Chef Massimo Pasquarelli and the team at Il Gattopardo

Lidija Abu Ghazaleh

Il Gattopardo

Birch

DEVOUR by LIDIJA