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BosnianAl Markaziyah
Bosnian Hut serves cevapi, haji kebab and burek in a cottage-style room on Hazza Bin Zayed The First Street in Al Danah, Abu Dhabi, open daily from noon.
OrderCevapi with somun and kaymak, haji kebab, klepe and warm burek, the dishes Best Bites names.
Why locals goIts front is dressed as a Bosnian cottage on Defence Road, and inside there are only five tables and a private family room.
TipYalla suggests starting with Bey soup, an okra soup in a chicken broth, then Sitni Kebab served in somun bread.
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ChineseAl Zahiyah
New City Palace cooks Peking duck, dumplings and noodle dishes by Al Falah Street in Abu Dhabi, and is open every day from 11:00 until 23:00.
OrderPeking duck, the dumplings and a rice or noodle dish, the three things Best Bites recommends.
Why locals goA simple, low-priced Chinese room by Al Falah Street that Best Bites calls a community favourite, though even regulars are unsure if it is New or just City Palace.
TipBest Bites counts New City Palace a community favourite for its low-priced Peking duck, dumplings and rice and noodle dishes.
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SandwichAl Mina
Barbassi, from the team behind Marmellata, serves stuffed focaccia sandwiches and coffee in the M39 creative district of Mina Zayed, Abu Dhabi.
OrderOlive, tomato and oregano focaccia, or the melted ham and cheese sandwich with veal rump and mustard pickle.
Why locals goA canteen-style sandwich counter in a subtle corner of the M39 creative neighbourhood in Mina Zayed, with room only to order and sit for a quick bite.
TipWhat's On put the plain olive, tomato and oregano focaccia at AED 25 and the filled focaccia sandwiches at AED 45.
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Ice creamAl Mina
Mina Creamery scoops ice cream in weekly-changing flavours such as blueberry earl grey and halwa salted saffron at its first shop in Mina Zayed, Abu Dhabi.
OrderWhichever flavour is new that week, or olive oil with za'atar and halwa salted saffron.
Why locals goA homegrown ice cream brand that began as a delivery operation and opened its first shop in the MiZa district of Mina Zayed, near Barbassi.
TipBest Bites says each week brings a new flavour, with past ones including blueberry earl grey, white choco matcha and a cheeseboard ice cream.
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Middle EasternAl Zahiyah
Dubai Special Kabab Grills has served kebabs in Abu Dhabi since 1987 and trades near the Ministry of Finance on Al Falah Street, an Urban Treasure.
OrderTikka bil roub, saffron chicken, kebabs and the sultani kebab that Khaleej Times names.
Why locals goRun since 1987, it moved after redevelopment to a site near the Ministry of Finance on Al Falah Street, and some diners drive in from Liwa.
TipKhaleej Times says the yoghurt-based tikka bil roub recipes have stayed unchanged for generations, and some diners drive four hours from Liwa for it.
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KoreanAl Nahyan
Hankook serves Korean hot pot, cook-at-the-table meals and fried chicken on Defence Road in Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi, open daily from 11:00 to 23:00.
OrderCook-your-own hot pot or a big bowl of Korean fried chicken, both named by Best Bites.
Why locals goEach table has its own stove for cooking at the table, and eight private booths sit in a room Best Bites says will not win awards for looks.
TipBest Bites says the dishes it tried cost AED 56 to AED 68, and that the room has eight private booths and tasting menus.
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CafeYas Island
Nowhere Cafe serves speciality coffee, pastries and all-day breakfast at the West Entrance of Yas Marina Circuit on Yas Leisure Drive, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.
OrderSpeciality coffee with a pastry, or the all-day breakfast served from 08:00 until 17:00.
Why locals goNamed among the top 10 lesser-known places in a 2026 tourism-department survey, it sits at the West Entrance, Gate 20, of Yas Marina Circuit.
TipThe Huntr lists breakfast from 08:00 until 17:00 daily, and the cafe is the official coffee partner of Etihad Arena.
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CafeAl Bateen
Art House Cafe in Al Bateen, Abu Dhabi, is furnished with recycled pieces, and guests can paint a plate for AED 20 or a miniature brick for AED 10.
Why locals goKhaleej Times reports a 2026 tourism-department survey that ranked it first among Abu Dhabi's lesser-known places, with nearly 78 per cent of visitors calling it one.
TipThe shakshuka is What's On's pick of the brunch menu, and mask painting costs AED 30 if you want a longer sit.
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Latin AmericanAl Khalidiya
Fonda Colombiana serves empanadas, arepa de choclo and patacones con carne desmechada from a colourful villa on Al Mihtham Street in Al Manhal, Abu Dhabi.
OrderEmpanadas, arepa de choclo with cheese and patacones con carne desmechada, as Best Bites advises.
Why locals goDownstairs in a villa on Al Mihtham Street, with murals on the walls and hammocks outside, so Best Bites says it takes a little hunting to find.
TipSeating runs from inside with air conditioning to outside among hammocks, and the restaurant takes reservations on WhatsApp.
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ChineseAl Markaziyah
Qian Zhou Hot Pot serves buffet-style Chinese hotpot from AED 49 in the old cinema building on Najda Street, Al Markaziyah, Abu Dhabi, with a BBQ option.
OrderThe individual hotpot at AED 49 with the buffet counter, or hotpot with BBQ at AED 69, plus tax.
Why locals goHoused in the old cinema building on Najda Street, a buffet hotpot room that Best Bites says feels like a find once you locate it.
TipIt takes cash only and charges extra for food waste, so take only what you will finish from the buffet counter.
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Middle EasternAl Zahiyah
Abu Al Afwal has served Sudanese foul and falafel in Al Zahiyah, Abu Dhabi, since 1975, opening each evening and named an Urban Treasure in 2023.
Why locals goA Sudanese cafeteria in Al Zahiyah that opens only in the evening for foul and falafel, named an Urban Treasure in 2023 and a stop on a 2025 food walk of lesser-known cuisines.
TipFoul is an evening dish here: the cafeteria opens in the late afternoon and runs to 23:30 daily, so a lunchtime visit finds it closed.
