Ranked by TableJourney editorial score.
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.
Knafeh belongs to Nablus and Damascus, and Dubai's Syrian and Palestinian restaurants brought both versions: khishneh, made with coarse shredded pastry, and na'ameh, made with fine semolina crumb dyed orange. Underneath is akkawi or nabulsi cheese, desalted overnight so it melts sweet rather than salty, and the whole tray is flipped out hot and drenched in attar syrup scented with orange blossom. The city's late night Levantine dining rooms sell it by the slice until the small hours. Dubai's viral pistachio and kunafa chocolate bar borrowed the same shredded pastry and sent the ingredient worldwide.
3 editor picks for Knafeh in Dubai, ranked by editorial score. All Dubai signature dishes · Knafeh across every city.
Also in: Tel Aviv.
Al Safadi Restaurant grills Lebanese mezze and steaks a short walk from DIFC in Dubai, open from 09:30 for breakfast through to a late dinner at 00:30.
OrderMixed grill platter with hummus and a plate of warm knafeh to close.
TipBreakfast runs from 09:30 and uses the same grill list as dinner.
Aroos Damascus is a Syrian grill house in Al Muraqqabat, Deira, Dubai, serving kebbeh, grills and manakish from breakfast until well past midnight.
OrderKibbeh, Mixed grill, Knafeh
Karam Beirut bakes manoushe and rolls shawarma on the lower ground floor of The Dubai Mall, a Lebanese street food counter dressed for Downtown Dubai.
OrderZaatar manoushe with a side of shawarma and a glass of jallab.
TipThe branch sits on the lower ground floor, entered from the Fashion Avenue car park, P1 and P2.
Knafeh makes more sense with someone from Dubai explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.
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