What To Eat in Dubai

Dubai was historically a trading city, so the cuisines from various regions have always been common. Gulf and East Arabian cuisine (Khaleeji cuisine) often centres around bread (khubz), rice, meat (lamb and chicken), fish, yoghurt and dates. The spices are fragrant and diverse.

Middle Eastern cuisine is a true fusion, with a merging of cuisines from Africa, the Indian Subcontinent, the Mediterranean, Turkey, Persia/Iran and the Caucuses. There is even Chinese influence.

Due to the expat population from all over the world, the cuisines from the various expat communities have also become commonplace.

Dubai’s food scene is as diverse in origin as it is in price. Meals are easily found for AED3 to AED3000. The price also doesn’t indicate the quality of the experience.

The experience of food in Dubai is one of the best parts of visiting without a doubt.

Shawarmas:

Shawarmas are the classic Arabic street food. Originally coming from Turkey (Doner Kebab – “Donairs” and “Kebabs” elsewhere in the west), the vertical rotisserie meat sandwich is now ubiquitous in the middle east. “Shawarma” is an Arabic rendering of Turkish “çevirme” meaning 'turning'. The technique was even taken to Mexico city by Lebanese traders and created “tacos al pastor”. Each café and restaurant is different, serving different combinations. In traditional Lebanese restaurants (like Al Mallah), shawarmas are served in Lebanese bread/pita/Arabic bread. A lot of the cafes now use various breads, sometimes two types wrapped around each other.

Most street shawarma places in the middle east are hole in the wall places charging AED10 or so. After 2016, there was a widespread crackdown on shawarma stands in Dubai, and about half of the locations closed. Most cafes now are more modern and lack the old grit. You can get different sizes, large and small. Chicken or “meat” (which is lamb). And now it is common to have regular and “spicy” which can be quite spicy (which is good). Many cafes in Dubai only have chicken. They are filled with meat, tahiniyeh (tahini and yoghurt), salads, pickles, French fries, and onion in various combinations. Each place is different, extras can be ordered (hummus is not standard for instance).

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Pickles:

When you order at most cafes and restaurants, you will be given pickled vegetables and olives, sometimes nuts. The vegetables are often carrots, chillis, turnip, onion and cucumbers. This is like an amuse bouche, and they are delightful in their vinegar and salt.

Bread:

Bread is one of the most important staples in the Arab world. In Egypt it’s referred to as “aish”, which literally means “life”. Never feel shame in ordering extra, it’s expected. Enjoy the freshly baked types of bread too, as there will be numerous styles, from the Lebanese/Arabic bread (pita) to the khubz and multitude of flatbreads available.

Lemon and mint juice:

A classic beverage to quench your thirst in the heat of the desert is lemon and mint juice. Freshly squeezed, often sweet. Sometimes made with blended ice. While some may suggest pomegranate, you can’t visit the middle east without lemon and mint juice.

Za’atar:

Zaatar, often spelled a million ways, is a herb and spice mix made up of roasted thyme, crushed sumac berries, sesame seeds and se salt. There are regional variations and colours, but the main (and best) is green. Sumac berries are tart to taste, and when mixed with oil they taste lemony. Zaatar and cheese bread (fatayer) baked in open ovens is one of the delights from the middle east.

Kibbeh Nayyeh:

Kibbeh Nayyeh (not to be confused with many other versions of kibbeh) is a Lebanese raw meat dish similar to the French tartare. While this may seem odd, it is a delicacy and should be tried at least once. The meat is either beef or lamb, served with garlic and mint.

Stuffed Vine Leaves:

Known as “dolma” in Turkey and “dolmades” in Greece. They are grape leaves, filled with rice and spices and often served warm. Decadence and refreshing.

Juice stores:

As above, juice is a big deal in the middle east. Fresh juice stores are everywhere, and it’s always a good idea. Lemon and mint, pomegranate, apple (fresh, not like from a supermarket), coconut, mango lassies, even sugar cane and all fruit combinations possible. The juice is squeezed fresh before your eyes.

Labneh and Laban:

Labneh is strained yoghurt as a dip. Thoroughly suggest a bowl. Laban is a yoghurt/buttermilk drink that you can buy in many supermarkets. Along with flavoured milks (date, cardamom) and camel milk. Labneh is a must try.

Baba Ghanoush and/or Mutabbal:

This roasted eggplant dish is one of my favourites from growing up in the middle east. The two names are swapped almost at will, though in Dubai some restaurants will have both on the menu, the only difference is tomato added to the baba ghanoush. Mutabbal with fresh Arabic bread is one of the quintessential orders, especially if it is garnished with pomegranate molasses. Especially at Blue Barjeel.

Tabbouleh and Fattoush Salads:

Tabbouleh is a parsley and mint salad with onion, tomato and burghul (cracked wheat) doused in lemon juice. Fattoush is a Lebanese salad with fried Arabic bread pieces. Both should be tried, especially tabbouleh.

Halloumi Cheese:

I’m not going to wax poetic about this cheese. Halloumi cheese, when fried or baked into dough, is the best cheese in the world. It’s salty and rubbery, crisp when friend and elastic. It’s delicious with lemon juice, zaatar, plain or covered in aromatic seeds. The cheese in the middle east is amazing, as it has been a staple for thousands of years. Don’t limit yourself to halloumi, but know it’s the best one.

Dates:

Dates and camel milk were the lifeblood of the Bedouin. The Arab people are very particular about their dates, and they have become enshrined in the culture and religion of the area. Like fanciers of wines or cheeses, not all dates are created equal. There are thousands of types of dates, some more popular than others. My favourite is Khidri, but you should try as many as possible. They range is sweetness, size, shape, chewiness, flavour and taste.

Kunafeh:

Kunafeh, knefe, konafeh, kunufe, kunafa… is a Palestinian dessert that will change your life. Mentioned in 1001 arabian nights, and spelt a million different ways, it is either Palestinian nabulsi cheese or cream (cheese is best), baked with a vermicelli pastry or semolina crust, covered in orange blossom or rosewater syrup.

It is baked on large trays and servings are hacked off and soaked in syrup, often sprinkled with pistachios. Firas sweets is the best kunafeh, but the “Just Kunafa” in Souq Al Bahar is good. There’s a different version in Bait Al Mandi and Wafi Gourmet.

"Kunafah swimming in butter, Bearded with right vermicelli, God has not given my belly; Half of the words it would utter; Of kunafah' s sweetness; And syrup'd completeness.

Kunafah lies on the table; Isled in a sweet brown oil, Would I not wander and toil, Seventy years to be able, To eat in Paradise, Kunafah's subtleties?" - 1001 Nights

Indian (subcontinent) food:

With a huge population of workers from the Indian subcontinent, the Indian/Pakistani/Sri Lankan/Bangladeshi food is some of the best in the world.

Coffees:

The middle east is where the best coffee in the world is. Even though you will see starbucks and weirdly tim hortons full of people, any Lebanese café will have the best coffee. Turkish coffee is strong coffee served with the grounds in the pot, a little pot with a long handle. The best way to have it is “semi sweet”. Have it at blue barjeel after eating your bodyweight in food, watching the restaurant barges return to their docks.

Arabic coffee, qahwa, is the opposite of Turkish coffee. It is relatively weak, served in a brass dallah, lightly spiced with cardamom and sometimes saffron, it is served in small cups over and over until the recipient states that they are content (locals will simply wiggle their cups).

Teas:

If you have tea, drink it black and as sweet as you can take it. “Minted” tea is minted black tea, not peppermint tea, and is delicious. Black, lots of sugar. The Persian influence is strong here.

Brunches:

Brunches are very popular in the UAE with the expat community. They are usually at fancy hotels, with all you can eat food and alcohol (non-alcoholic brunch options are cheaper). The food isn’t some swill from an all you can eat buffet in a mall, it’s high end gourmet food. Set aside hours, and check to see if there’s a pool at the hotel as part of the brunch.

Shisha:

Shisha, the mix of tobacco, molasses and fruit dried fruit is a popular relaxation device enjoyed across the middle east. There are shisha cafes around the mall, as well as in most popular places. Apple or double apple are the best choices. There are so many flavours to choose from, some awful and some good. Grape is sweet, melon is not great, lemon is subtle, mint can be added to many, chocolate and coffee are interesting, bubblegum is vile. I always go classic double apple. It will be the best that you will ever have, and is worth it. Just look at how happy I am in my photos. The blue barjeel does shisha for a fraction of the price at the mall, for instance. You can’t go to dubai without smoking a shisha pipe.