By Keith J Fernandez  www.emirates247.com

Emirate raises the bar with 442-metre-high lounge and grill called At.mosphere; outlet to serve dinner, lunch and tea

At.mosphere, at the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, can host 210 guests over a lounge and grill, each with an unparalleled view of Dubai's impressive skyline (Patrick Castillo
At.mosphere, at the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, can host 210 guests over a lounge and grill, each with an unparalleled view of Dubai's impressive skyline (Patrick Castillo

The luxury lifestyle hits a new high in Dubai with the opening this week of At.mosphere, a chi-chi fine-dining venue that is the world’s highest restaurant in a building.

At.mosphere, situated 442 metres above ground on the 122nd floor of the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, opens to dinner guests today, but anyone looking for a table this week will be put on a wait list, insiders said.

“It redefines the restaurant concept in Dubai,” said Marc Dardenne, CEO of Emaar Hospitality, which operates the restaurant.

At.mosphere is reached by its own private elevator from the tower’s corporate suites lobby and can accommodate 210 people over a lounge and grill, each with an unparalleled view of the emirate’s eye-popping skyline.

While there is no minimum spend, punters must call and book ahead to be granted access to the tower, which is perhaps Dubai’s highest security zone.

Dardenne described the food as modern eclectic European cuisine with an emphasis on grilled items.

On the menu are starters such as chestnut and pheasant soup, priced at Dh120, and free-range Australian salt bush lamb at Dh260 or grilled Maine lobster at Dh590. For dessert, the gianduja chocolate mousse costs Dh75, while a cheese platter for low-carb dieters notches up Dh120. An espresso costs Dh30.

But with service including lunch, high tea, dinner and bar service to a music by an inhouse DJ, Dardenne said the restaurant offered something for everyone.

Previously, the world’s highest restaurant was 360, at a height of 350 metres in Toronto’s CN Tower. The restaurant at the highest elevation is the Chacaltaya Ski Resort, outside Bolivia’s capital, La Paz, with 5421m.