Dubai is an expatriate city and it eats like one. About nine in ten residents were born somewhere else, and the kitchens follow the migration: Iranian kebab houses in Bur Dubai, Pakistani karahi rooms in Al Satwa, Keralan tiffin halls and chaat counters stacked along the Karama grid, Filipino canteens off Al Rigga, Syrian and Lebanese grills on every second corner. Emirati cooking is the quietest cuisine in its own city, served in a handful of heritage houses in Al Fahidi and Al Seef where machboos, regag and luqaimat come with a pot of karak chai. Above all of that sits the imported fine-dining layer, a Michelin selection concentrated in the hotels of Palm Jumeirah and the villas and resorts of Jumeirah. The useful thing about Dubai is how short the distance is between those two ends: the cheapest plate at Ravi in Al Satwa and the four figure tasting menu at Trèsind Studio on Palm Jumeirah sit about half an hour apart. Almost everything is halal by default, alcohol is served only in licensed venues, and the calendar bends twice a year, once for the summer heat and once for Ramadan.

Peak seasonNovember to March, when terraces reopen and the festival calendar runs
Dining hoursLunch 12:30-15:00, dinner 19:30-23:30, and later than that at the weekend
TippingMany hotel and restaurant bills already carry a service charge alongside VAT and...

Food festivals coming up in Dubai

All Dubai food festivals
Taste of Dubai 6-8 Feb 2027 Taste of Dubai Restaurant tasting dishes, celebrity chef workshops, artisan producers

Book food experiences in Dubai

Dubai: Dinner in the Sky Experience★ 4.8 (1,456)

1.5 hours

Dubai: Dinner in the Sky Experience

Feast on a 3-course meal of your choice 50 meters above the streets of Dubai, and enjoy a unique dining experience in the sky. Eat at a table suspended by a crane abov...

from$219 Check dates

See all 804 bookable experiences in Dubai

Signature dishes in Dubai

The plates that define eating in Dubai.

Machboos

Machboos is the Emirati rice dish at the centre of every Dubai family lunch: long grain rice cooked in the stock of the meat, stained with loomi and bezar spice.

Where Al Fanar Restaurant & Cafe, Al Khayma Heritage Restaurant & Cafe

Where to eat Machboos in Dubai →

Harees

Harees is cracked wheat and meat beaten together for hours into a savoury porridge, salted, topped with ghee, and eaten in Dubai at Ramadan and at weddings.

Where Al Fanar Restaurant & Cafe, Arabian Tea House

Where to eat Harees in Dubai →

Balaleet

Balaleet is the Emirati breakfast of sweet cardamom and saffron vermicelli laid under a thin savoury omelette, the salt and sugar eaten together in one spoonful.

Where Arabian Tea House

Where to eat Balaleet in Dubai →

Dango

Dango is boiled chickpeas tossed hot with cumin, chilli and lime, sold in paper cones and served in Dubai's heritage houses as the snack that opens an Emirati meal.

Where Al Khayma Heritage Restaurant & Cafe, Arabian Tea House

Where to eat Dango in Dubai →

Karak chai

Karak chai is Dubai's default drink: black tea boiled hard with evaporated milk, sugar and cardamom, poured from a height into a small cup and sold for a few dirhams.

Where Al Farwania Restaurant, Al Ijaza Cafeteria, Arabian Tea House

Where to eat Karak chai in Dubai →

Dubai shawarma

Dubai shawarma is the Levantine wrap rebuilt for the Gulf: chicken off the spit, garlic toum, pickles and a handful of french fries rolled into thin Arabic bread.

Where Al Mallah, Zaroob SZR, Allo Beirut, Al Shami Restaurant

Where to eat Dubai shawarma in Dubai →

Chelo kebab

Chelo kebab is Dubai's Iranian staple: minced koobideh and saffron chicken skewers grilled over coals, served on buttered saffron rice with a grilled tomato.

Where Al Ustad Special Kabab, Special Kabab Iranian Restaurant

Where to eat Chelo kebab in Dubai →

Knafeh

Knafeh in Dubai is the Levantine cheese pastry served hot by the slice: shredded kunafa strands over stretchy sweet cheese, soaked in sugar syrup and dusted with pistachio.

Where Al Safadi Restaurant, Aroos Damascus, Karam Beirut

Where to eat Knafeh in Dubai →

Mandi

Mandi is the Yemeni pit roast that Dubai eats on sharing trays: lamb or chicken smoked over charcoal above long grain rice cooked in the dripping meat stock.

Where Al Yemen Mandi, Zam Zam Mandi

Where to eat Mandi in Dubai →

All Dubai signature dishes →

Restaurants to know in Dubai

A handful of the places we send friends to when they are in Dubai.

Shabestan

$$PersianDeira

Shabestan is a Persian dining room on the second floor of the Radisson Blu in Deira, run by the third generation of one family and a Michelin Bib Gourmand.

OrderMarinated grilled meats, Eggplant dip

More about Shabestan →

Ravi Restaurant

$PakistaniAl Satwa

Ravi Restaurant has served Pakistani karahi and kebabs in Al Satwa, Dubai, since 1978, a plain, busy room open from 05:00 until the small hours.

OrderSeekh kebab, Mutton karahi, Chicken biryani

More about Ravi Restaurant →

City Karachi Darbar

$PakistaniAl Karama

Karachi Darbar in Al Karama, Dubai, serves affordable Pakistani, Indian and Chinese cooking from 05:00 until the small hours, a busy neighbourhood canteen.

OrderMutton kabab kadai, Karachi tikka kadai, Kebab biryani

More about City Karachi Darbar →

Karachi Grill

$$PakistaniJumeirah

Karachi Grill on Jumeirah Beach Road in Dubai plates Pakistani kebabs, karahi and biryani in a Jumeirah 2 villa, with a buffet of Pakistani dishes at lunch.

OrderSeekh kebab, Chicken biryani, Mutton karahi

More about Karachi Grill →

See every restaurant in Dubai →

Where to eat by neighborhood

Deira

Old Dubai's trading half, north of the creek. The spice and gold souks, Syrian, Iraqi and Yemeni grill rooms, Filipino canteens off Al Rigga and the Waterfront Market's fish halls sit within a short drive.

Best for: Iranian, Fish, Filipino, Spice souk

Also: al-rigga

Bur Dubai

The creek's southern bank, where the wind tower houses of Al Fahidi meet Meena Bazaar. Pakistani karahi houses and South Indian rooms run all day here.

Best for: Pakistani, South Indian, Emirati, Tea houses

Also: al-fahidi, al-seef

Al Karama

A grid of low walk up blocks that is the city's best value eating district. Keralan tiffin rooms, Pakistani karahi houses, chaat counters and a Nepali momo counter.

Best for: Kerala, Chaat, Tiffin, Cheap eats

Al Satwa

A low rise pocket between Jumeirah and the Trade Centre, known for Lebanese shawarma windows and Pakistani grills that keep working past midnight, plus a Kerala canteen.

Best for: Shawarma, Pakistani, Late night

Jumeirah

The old beachside villa district along Jumeirah Beach Road, where independent cafes, small patisseries and villa restaurants serve a largely residential crowd.

Best for: Cafes, Brunch, Bakeries, Fine dining

Umm Suqeim

Further down the beach road, in the shadow of the Burj Al Arab. Madinat Jumeirah's restaurants and a run of independent cafes and fish counters define the eating.

Best for: Seafood, Hotel dining, Cafes

Eat your way through Dubai

Hotels

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Where to eat in Dubai: editor-picked starting points

5 institutional venues to anchor a Dubai food trip

Signature Dubai dishes

  • Machboos Machboos is the Emirati rice dish at the centre of every Dubai family lunch: long grain rice cooked in the stock of the meat, stained with loomi and bezar spice
  • Harees Harees is cracked wheat and meat beaten together for hours into a savoury porridge, salted, topped with ghee, and eaten in Dubai at Ramadan and at weddings
  • Balaleet Balaleet is the Emirati breakfast of sweet cardamom and saffron vermicelli laid under a thin savoury omelette, the salt and sugar eaten together in one spoonful
  • Dango Dango is boiled chickpeas tossed hot with cumin, chilli and lime, sold in paper cones and served in Dubai's heritage houses as the snack that opens an Emirati meal
  • Karak chai Karak chai is Dubai's default drink: black tea boiled hard with evaporated milk, sugar and cardamom, poured from a height into a small cup and sold for a few dirhams

Best Dubai neighborhoods for food

  • Deira Old Dubai's trading half, north of the creek
  • Bur Dubai The creek's southern bank, where the wind tower houses of Al Fahidi meet Meena Bazaar
  • Al Karama A grid of low walk up blocks that is the city's best value eating district
  • Al Satwa A low rise pocket between Jumeirah and the Trade Centre, known for Lebanese shawarma windows and Pakistani grills that keep working past midnight, plus a Kerala canteen

Where to stay in Dubai

A sample of Dubai hotels from our booking partner, who list 2,677 here. Live prices and availability open on their site.

easyHotel Dubai Jebel Ali With a stay at easyHotel Dubai Jebel Ali in Dubai, you'll be 10.4 mi (16.8 km) from Ibn Battuta Mall and 10... Check dates Citymax Bur Dubai A stay at Citymax Bur Dubai places you in the heart of Dubai, within a 5-minute drive of Dubai Museum and T... Check dates Metropolitan Hotel Dubai With a stay at Metropolitan Hotel Dubai in Dubai, you'll be in the business district, just steps from Sheik... Check dates Premier Inn Dubai International Airport With a stay at Premier Inn Dubai International Airport in Dubai (Garhoud), you'll be a 4-minute drive from ... Check dates Coral Dubai Deira Hotel A stay at Coral Dubai Deira Hotel places you in the heart of Dubai, within a 5-minute drive of Al Ghurair C... Check dates Reflections Hotel Dubai Located in Dubai (Bur Dubai), Reflections Hotel Dubai is within a 5-minute drive of City Centre Deira and D... Check dates Novotel Bur Dubai With a stay at Novotel Bur Dubai in Dubai (Bur Dubai), you'll be steps from Mohammed Bin Rashid University ... Check dates Premier Inn Dubai Silicon Oasis Located in Dubai, Premier Inn Dubai Silicon Oasis is in the business district, a 1-minute drive from Dubai ... Check dates Aloft Dubai South With a stay at Aloft Dubai South in Dubai, you'll be 11.5 mi (18.5 km) from Dubai Parks and Resorts and 13.... Check dates Aloft Me'aisam, Dubai With a stay at Aloft Me'aisam, Dubai in Dubai, you'll be 9 mi (14.4 km) from Jumeirah Beach and 9.1 mi (14.... Check dates Premier Inn Dubai Investment Park Located in Dubai (Dubai Investment Park), Premier Inn Dubai Investment Park is within a 15-minute drive of ... Check dates Citadines Metro Central Dubai With a stay at Citadines Metro Central Dubai in Dubai (Barsha Heights), you'll be within a 5-minute drive o... Check dates

Also compare: Booking.com in Dubai · Expedia in Dubai

Stays are listed by our booking partners, not editor picks. We earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you.

Map of Dubai

Every restaurant, cafe, market and bar we cover in Dubai, pinned. Click a pin for the page.

Trip planner

Plan your Dubai trip

Pick your dates: we line up the festivals on, what is in season, where to eat on the days you are in town, and experiences you can book for those dates.

When to come hungry in Dubai

Peak food season: November to March, when terraces reopen and the festival calendar runs. June to September is 45C and the eating moves indoors. Ramadan moves earlier each year and reshapes every service around the iftar table.

Local dining hours: Lunch 12:30-15:00, dinner 19:30-23:30, and later than that at the weekend. The UAE weekend has been Saturday and Sunday since January 2022, with a half day on Friday, but the big hotel brunch stayed a Friday institution at many rooms, with a growing number now also running a Saturday sitting. Old Dubai cafeterias open early and many run past 01:00.

Tipping: Many hotel and restaurant bills already carry a service charge alongside VAT and municipality fees, so check the bill before tipping. Where there is none, 10 per cent in cash for good service is normal and goes to the staff directly.

Dubai food, FAQ

What food is Dubai known for?

Dubai's signature dishes include Machboos, Harees, Luqaimat, Chebab, Khameer bread. See our signature dishes chapter for where to eat each.

What are the best food neighborhoods in Dubai?

TableJourney editors map Dubai by district. Deira, Bur Dubai, Al Karama, Al Satwa are among the strongest for food, each with its own guide.

Where should I eat fine dining in Dubai?

Editor picks in Dubai include Trèsind Studio, FZN by Björn Frantzén, Il Ristorante - Niko Romito, plus the full fine dining chapter on TableJourney.

Are there food tours in Dubai?

TableJourney covers 10 editor-picked food tours in Dubai, with what each shows you and how much to budget.

Does Dubai have good vegetarian or vegan food?

TableJourney's Dubai dietary chapter covers vegan, vegetarian, gluten_free, halal, kosher venues, each editor-picked with what to order and how to ask.