Cucina’s Back in Bellissima Form with Summer Sips, Scoops & the Return of Dubai’s Favourite Italian Duo

The Palm’s most charming trattoria has a new mantra for summer: Keep cool, eat well, and bring the bambinos.

There’s ‘amore’ in the air and gelato on the horizon. Cucina, the effortlessly stylish neighbourhood Italian gem perched at Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah, is bringing the heat – and the cool – with a season of foodie fun, family fiestas, and feel-good flair. But the headline? The OG Italian #DreamTeam is back, baby.

Yes, Cucina has reunited its original culinary power couple: the ever-charismatic Emanuele Rizzo, now donning his new hat as General Manager, and culinary wunderkind Chef Marco Deriu, who continues to reign over the kitchen. If you felt a breeze of nostalgia waft through Palm Jumeirah lately, it’s because these two are stirring up the magic that first made Cucina the local’s Italian of choice.

And they’re not just picking up where they left off—they’re dishing out a summer of frosty delights, flavour-packed fun, and a splash of mischief.

Here’s what’s cooking:

Focaccia, Fizzante & Friendly Fire: Game Night, the Italian Way

Every Wednesday, from 6 PM ‘til late, Cucina ditches the club for the (cheese) board. Enter Game Night, where you’ll sip, snack, and strategise over Cluedo, Monopoly, Uno, and more – all with a distinctly Italian twist.

Where board games meet burrata – the perfect perch for catching up with your crew, the Italian way.

For just AED 195, you’ll get two antipasti dishes and an 800ml carafe of your grape, hop or spritz of choice. Come for the burrata, stay for the bragging rights. It’s socialising the old-school way—because nothing says bonding like flipping the Monopoly board after Nonna bankrupts you.

Little Chefs, Big Smiles: Kids’ Gelato Classes at the Gelateria

Move over, play centres. Cucina’s sweet-as-sugar Gelateria Kids Gelato Making Classes are where the cool kids celebrate. Whether your tiny human dreams of becoming a gelato maestro or just wants to cover their face in chocolate chips, these stress-free classes serve up smiles in scoops.

Warning: one scoop is never enough. Try the hand-churned Sicilian pistachio and thank us later.

Packages start at AED 99 for a hands-on gelato-making class, or AED 149 with the addition of a kids’ pizza and soft drink. From eight guests to twenty mini-divas – it’s fabulously fun, and refreshingly fuss-free.

Little hands, big scoops – Cucina’s sweet spot is officially kid-approved.

Takeaway Gelato Tubs: Chill in Style

Why stop the party at the door? Gelateria’s handcrafted gelato is now available to-go in takeaway tubs, because dolce far niente doesn’t stop at the beach. Priced at AED 145 for 1kg (up to three flavours) or AED 85 for 500g (up to two), it’s the ultimate edible souvenir.

When dessert is this good, even the grown-ups get jealous.

Flavours rotate regularly, from Sicilian pistachio to velvety tiramisu and mango sorbet that sings of sunshine. Ideal for movie nights, poolside cravings, or bribing your children to finally put on sunscreen.

Rustic soul, Riviera style – Cucina serves old-school charm and sundries you can take home with you.

Italian Soul, Dubai Heart

With its hand-painted tiles, espresso bar buzz, and antipasti straight out of a dream sequence in Tuscany, Cucina continues to be a slice of la dolce vita on Palm West Beach. Whether you’re stopping by for an early morning cappuccino, a long and lazy lunch, or twilight spritz with the crew, this trattoria is all heart – and then some.

Because no great story ever started with a salad… pull up a seat at the espresso bar.

And now, with the original Cucina dream team reunited, that heart beats even stronger. Rizzo and Deriu are bringing back the warmth, the soul, and the unbeatable sense of “home, but make it Italian” that made this spot such a standout in the first place.

How to Join the Party

The Summer of Cucina kicks off now, and there’s only one rule: come hungry. To book: call +971 4 666 1408, email reservations@cucinadubai.com, or visit: www.cucinadubai.com. Follow the fun on Instagram: @cucinathepalm.

So whether you’re here for the spritzes, the scoops, or the sweet smell of a sourdough starter rising in the morning sun – know this: summer just got a lot cooler on The Palm.