Two BFF’s uncover a profound love for bagels on a trip to the Big Apple, and decide to recreate the experience right here in the UAE. Fast-forward a decade of decadence, and they have an entire chain of restaurants spread across the UAE and KSA.

The very name of the cafe is derived from the shape of the New York bagels they so fell in love with, and till today the bagels at Circle Cafe are imported all the way from NYC. I visited the branch at The Dubai Mall last week; ironically I didn’t have a bagel! I was there for lunch with fellow blogger Rafael from DubaiFoodie.com and my lovely colleague Nisha, and we had quite a spread of globally inspired dishes.

Circle Cafe at The Dubai Mall is situated on the Ground Floor, right next to the Dubai Waterfalls. You can hear the powerful gush of water from every corner of the cafe, and this might prove to be rather zen if you are choosing to dine here alone, nose hooked into one of the many books on their cosy shelves. However, the noise can be a little overpowering when you are trying to socialize (or answer a phone call for that matter). The staff tell us they are working on getting the area closed off with a noise-proof glass wall.