The canonical version and where to order it.
Balaleet is sweet vermicelli scented with cardamom, rose water and saffron, topped with a thin omelette. It is an Emirati breakfast and the first meal of Eid.
Balaleet is a traditional dish of Eastern Arabian cuisine, made of vermicelli sweetened with sugar and flavoured with cardamom, rose water and saffron, then covered with an egg omelette. It is a popular breakfast and is frequently served on Eid al-Fitr as the first meal of the day. Accounts of Emirati cuisine link its arrival to the traders who brought pasta to the Gulf. Meylas serves it at AED 35 on its 2026 menu.
1 editor pick for Balaleet in Abu Dhabi, ranked by editorial score. All Abu Dhabi signature dishes · Balaleet across every city.
Also in: Dubai.
Meylas is a Michelin Selected Emirati restaurant at Al Muneera, Abu Dhabi, begun as a food truck by Shaikha Al Kaabi and grown into an all-day eatery.
OrderThe machboos at AED 56 and the saffron balaleet at AED 35, both priced in tbreak's 2026 guide.
TipMichelin lists Meylas among Abu Dhabi's best breakfast spots; it opens at 08:30, and the chefs cook in an on-view kitchen.
Balaleet makes more sense with someone from Abu Dhabi explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.
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