Within the sprawling footprint of The Dubai Mall lies a themed district that feels like stepping onto the streets of Hong Kong — Chinatown Dubai Mall. As the UAE’s first Chinatown, it brings together dining, shopping, and wellness in one immersive, brightly lit space, quickly becoming one of the mall’s most photographed and talked-about additions.
Where Is Chinatown Dubai Mall Located?
Chinatown Dubai Mall is located on the first floor of The Dubai Mall, opposite the Dubai Ice Rink and Reel Cinemas, with direct access to Address Fountain Views. To find it, visitors can access it via an entrance adjacent to the Dubai Ice Rink — simply take the escalator right after the rink, and the district will be on your left. It can also be easily accessed via the cinema parking on the fifth floor, making it a fairly quick walk for those parking specifically to visit.
The district began opening to visitors in late 2022, with more restaurants and businesses continuing to launch throughout 2023, and the concept has been described as the mall’s latest addition, transporting shoppers on a journey through Asia without leaving Downtown Dubai. The design draws inspiration from traditional Chinese street markets, Hong Kong streets, Chinese festivals, and contemporary Asian city life, rather than trying to recreate mainland China exactly.
Shops and Stores: What’s Inside
Chinatown covers roughly 70,000 square feet of dining and retail space, combining restaurants, specialty stores, wellness centres, and grocery shops within a single, visually striking district. Once inside, visitors are greeted by a giant panda statue, Chinese lanterns, Instagram-worthy neon signs, and other East Asian décor, alongside a golden dragon statue set within a traditional Chinese home display — details that have made the space as much a visual attraction as a shopping and dining stop.
Retail is still expanding within the district. Xiaomi, the Chinese tech giant, operates a store here for the latest electronics and gadgets, while ftNFT offers an avant-garde art gallery experience, including NFT art. A Hippo Box store is a popular stop for snacks, sweets, and products often seen on social media, and a grocery shop within the district sells fresh produce, beauty products, and other imports from the East, open daily from 10 AM to 11 PM.
Wellness is a genuine focus too — a large Chinese medicine spa within Chinatown offers rituals inspired by the healing traditions of the East, giving visitors a chance to combine shopping with relaxation.
Food, however, is the district’s main draw. With eight food and beverage outlets throughout the venue, most gathered in a dedicated food hall, Chinatown offers everything from traditional dim sum to fiery Sichuan cuisine. Notable names include Haidilao, the well-established Sichuan hot pot restaurant; Golden Joy Express, specialising in dim sum, crispy Peking duck, and kung pao chicken; Hawker Chan, the Michelin-recognised Singaporean street food brand famous for its soya chicken hor fun; and Sushi Joy Express for affordably priced sushi. Bibimbap and other Korean classics are also represented within the food hall, reflecting the district’s broader pan-Asian focus rather than a purely Chinese-only theme.
Chinatown Dubai Mall Timings
Reported hours generally follow The Dubai Mall’s own standard schedule, though most Chinatown-specific outlets keep slightly longer evening hours:
| Days | Timings |
|---|---|
| Monday – Thursday | 10:00 AM – Midnight |
| Friday – Sunday | 10:00 AM – 1:00 AM |
| Grocery shop | 10:00 AM – 11:00 PM, daily |
Weekday afternoons or evenings are generally the less crowded times to visit, while weekends bring noticeably longer waits, especially in the evening, given the district’s popularity.
Metro Station and Connectivity
Since Chinatown is part of The Dubai Mall complex, it shares the mall’s excellent transport connections:
- Nearest Metro Station: The Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Metro Station on the Red Line connects directly to the mall via a covered walkway, though visitors should factor in extra walking time to reach Chinatown specifically, given its location on the first floor near the Ice Rink.
- By Car: Cinema parking on the fifth floor offers one of the most direct routes to Chinatown, making it a useful entry point for drivers heading specifically for this district.
- By Taxi and Ride-Hailing: Both are widely available, with drop-off points near the mall’s various entrances offering flexible access depending on which part of the mall you’re heading to.
- Entry Fee: There’s no separate entrance fee to access Chinatown — it’s part of the mall, so visitors simply enter via any of Dubai Mall’s regular entrances.
Nearby Areas
Since Chinatown sits inside The Dubai Mall, its immediate surroundings mirror the wider mall’s prime Downtown Dubai location:
- Dubai Ice Rink — directly opposite Chinatown’s entrance, easily combined with a visit.
- Reel Cinemas — located near the district, useful for pairing a meal with a movie.
- Address Fountain Views — directly accessible from Chinatown, connecting the district to the hotel and the Dubai Fountain views beyond.
- Burj Khalifa and Dubai Fountain — part of the same broader mall complex, both a walk away from Chinatown’s location on the first floor.
FAQs — Chinatown Dubai Mall
Q1. Where is Chinatown located within Dubai Mall? A: On the first floor, opposite the Dubai Ice Rink and Reel Cinemas, with direct access to Address Fountain Views.
Q2. What are Chinatown Dubai Mall’s opening hours? A: Generally 10:00 AM to midnight from Monday to Thursday, extending to 1:00 AM from Friday to Sunday, following the wider mall’s schedule.
Q3. Is there an entry fee for Chinatown? A: No — it’s part of The Dubai Mall, so there’s no separate entrance fee; visitors simply enter via any of the mall’s regular entrances.
Q4. What restaurants can I find at Chinatown Dubai Mall? A: Haidilao Hot Pot, Golden Joy Express, Hawker Chan, Sushi Joy Express, and Ying Ji Dim Sum are among the notable names, alongside Korean options like bibimbap within the food hall.
Q5. Is there a metro station near Chinatown? A: The Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Metro Station on the Red Line serves the wider mall complex, with cinema parking on the fifth floor offering a more direct route specifically to Chinatown.
Q6. What makes Chinatown Dubai Mall unique? A: It’s the UAE’s first Chinatown, blending Chinese-inspired retail, dining, and wellness within a 70,000 sq ft district featuring lanterns, neon signage, a giant panda statue, and a golden dragon display.