Emirati in Dubai

Al Fanar Restaurant & Cafe ★ 4.2

Al Fanar Restaurant & Cafe on the Al Seef waterfront serves Emirati seafood and heritage recipes for a brand founded in 2011, and is in the Michelin Guide.

OrderGrilled seafood, Traditional Emirati bread

Al Khayma Heritage Restaurant ★ 4.3

Al Khayma Heritage Restaurant occupies an old courtyard house in Al Fahidi Historical District, Dubai, plating home style Emirati family cooking.

OrderLamb machboos, Lamb saloona, Luqaimat

TipPart restaurant, part museum: tables sit under a tree in an air conditioned covered courtyard, and bread is baked in view of the diners.

Al Fanar Restaurant & Cafe ★ 4.0

Al Fanar Restaurant & Cafe rebuilds 1960s Dubai in its Al Seef dining room, serving machboos and harees the way the UAE ate before towers rose.

OrderLamb machboos with a plate of luqaimat and date syrup to finish.

TipAsk for the terrace, which looks across the creek at the boats and old Dubai.

Al Khayma Heritage Restaurant & Cafe ★ 4.3

Al Khayma Heritage Restaurant & Cafe seats diners under a tree in a covered courtyard in Al Fahidi, a Bib Gourmand kitchen cooking rustic Emirati food.

OrderMachboos rice with dango chickpea soup and a plate of luqaimat.

TipBread is baked in view of the courtyard tables, and live music plays in the evening.

Arabian Tea House ★ 4.3

Arabian Tea House has poured karak chai and served Emirati breakfasts since 1997 in a courtyard house built in the early 1920s in Al Fahidi, Dubai.

TipAsk for a courtyard table under the big tree; the Emirati breakfast tray comes with khameer and chebab baked in the house tanoor.

Local House Restaurant ★ 4.0

Local House Restaurant in Al Fahidi, Dubai, is a traditional Emirati restaurant known for its camel menu, from camel burgers to camel biryani and milkshakes.

TipPair the camel burger with the camel milkshake, the combination regulars order most.