KRIS KROS, BurgerFuel, Kababji and SushiArt sign up for First Avenue ahead of planned opening in Motor City

First Avenue, the new mall and hotel project, has signed up some of the biggest names in casual dining as plans gather pace to open in Dubais Motor City in the coming months.

The latest restaurants - KRIS KROS, BurgerFuel, Kababji and SushiArt - will be among 15 food and beverage outlets at First Avenue in Motor City. The motoring-themed mall, co-located with a four-star 150-room Park Inn by Radisson hotel, will overlook the race track at Dubai Autodrome. The AED500 million project, owned and operated by Saudi Arabias Al Tawfeeq for Development and Investment (ATDI), will launch in the coming months.

Kababji, the popular Lebanese restaurant, will open a smaller express format outlet, ideal for quick and convenient delivery and dine-in service. Kababjis Lebanese customers requested the location in the Motor City area, though the menu appeals to a broad range of nationalities.

Popular New Zealand-originated gourmet burger restaurant BurgerFuel, which uses grass-fed halal meat, will offer shoppers a great-tasting casual dining menu, including vegetarian options. SushiArt will target young professionals and families in a Japanese-themed, contemporary-styled concept restaurant, with eat-in and online delivery options for home and office. Employing more than 100 staff in the UAE, SushiArt will serve high-quality sushi, sashimi and maki.

Meanwhile, KRIS KROS is a modern restaurant with a broad menu, best known for drawing on the Americas, Mediterranean and Asia for high-quality cuisine.

We predict that consumer confidence will continue to improve as oil prices recover, tourism remains buoyant, economic diversification grows, the business and investment environment stays strong, and Dubai prepares to host Expo 2020, said Dr Ramy Moussly, General Manager of ATDI, the Saudi-owned backer for the project. The local community in Motor City, as well as visitors to the city, are looking for a retail and dining destination that combines quality, convenience and choice. As we add more retailers and food and beverage outlets to First Avenue, we are moving closer to our vision of building a hotel and mall experience that meets the needs of Dubais fast-growing, newest suburban quarter.

Our plan is to draw local residents, tourists, families, and the leisure and business communities to First Avenue all week around. By locating next to Dubai Autodrome, we are leveraging a motoring experience that attracts visitors and creates excitement in an area that is home to so many young families and professionals, he added.

UAE shoppers spend more than most other countries on food and beverage when they visit malls. According to a survey carried out in the UAE by the global professional services firm, KPMG, casual dining restaurants are the most popular food and beverage choices.

Kababji, BurgerFuel, SushiArt and KRIS KROS join a range of other well-known food and beverage brands to sign up with First Avenue, including Krispy Kreme, Costa Coffee and London Dairy.