If your usual date night is starting to feel like a routine, VNTG Dubai is exactly what you did not know you needed. The newly opened VNTG Grape and Cheese Society at JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai in Business Bay is what happens when someone actually thinks about how people want to drink wine, without the stuffy rules and the sky-high markups.
What VNTG Actually Is
VNTG Grape and Cheese Society is inspired by European enotecas, promising to be a warm, understated, and unpretentious social space on the ground floor of one of Dubai’s most recognizable hotel addresses. The concept is straightforward: serious wine, no attitude, and food that actually makes sense with what’s in your glass.
The wine list at VNTG features more than 350 labels sourced from around the world, with over 55 available by the glass, along with rotating wine flights curated daily by an in-house sommelier. Those flights are essentially guided tastings that let you try different regions and styles without having to commit to a full bottle right away. Whether you’re a seasoned wine person or someone who just knows what they like, the format works.
Instead of traditional restaurant markups, bottles are priced with a retail philosophy, with a transparent service element layered on top, shifting the focus from price to exploration. The idea is that you pick up a bottle the way you would at a good wine shop, with a corkage charge added and clearly indicated, so there’s no guessing involved.
Chef Tom Allen’s Menu
The food side of VNTG is handled by chef Tom Allen, and the menu is ingredient-led and made for sharing. Highlights include mussels with white wine, garlic and seaweed butter, chicken pie with roast chicken sauce, creamed potato and Russian kale, and smoked roasted cauliflower with yoghurt, lovage and toasted pine nuts. Apple tarte tatin and sticky toffee pudding round out the dessert menu.
Nothing on the menu tries to compete with the wine. It’s all there to make the drinking better, which is exactly how it should work.
The Cheese Program
The cheese selection at VNTG is sourced from Frères Marchand, known for its expertise in maturation and quality sourcing, and is available for both dine-in and retail. So if you find something you love, you can take it home with you. That retail option is a nice touch that most wine bars in the city do not bother with.
The pairing between the cheese program and the wine list is intentional throughout, giving guests a genuinely cohesive experience rather than two separate offerings sitting next to each other.
The Space and the Vibe
Designed as a social space with both indoor and outdoor seating, the venue caters to a range of occasions, from casual after-work visits to extended dining experiences. It is not a place that rushes you. The whole setup is geared toward people who want to stay, try a few things, and actually enjoy the evening.
The space leans toward a relaxed, European-style spot, with a long list of more than 350 bottles and plenty available by the glass at genuinely good prices.
When to Go
VNTG is open Monday to Thursday from 4pm to 2am, and Friday to Sunday from noon to 2am. Weekend lunch service means you can get there early and make a proper afternoon of it.
The Bottom Line
VNTG Dubai is a genuinely good addition to the Business Bay dining scene. The pricing model is honest, the wine list is one of the more impressive in the city right now, and the food is exactly what you want alongside a glass of something good. Put it on the list for your next night out, because this one is going to fill up fast.
Cover Image: VNTG/Website
