Ranked by TableJourney editorial score.
Luqaimat are yeasted saffron and cardamom dough balls fried until the shell cracks, then drowned in date syrup. They close almost every Emirati meal in Dubai.
Luqaimat means small bites, and the recipe travelled the Indian Ocean under a dozen names: lokma in Turkey, gulab jamun's cousin in South Asia, and awameh in the Levant. The Emirati version leans on two local ingredients, saffron carried up from Iran through the creek and dibs, the thick date molasses pressed from the Gulf's own palms. They are the dish of Ramadan: fried in batches at home after the fast breaks, stacked on trays for the majlis, and sold from carts at iftar markets. A good luqaimah is crisp enough to shatter, hollow inside, and never soaked long enough to go soft.
2 editor picks for Luqaimat in Dubai, ranked by editorial score. All Dubai signature dishes · Luqaimat across every city.
Also in: Abu Dhabi.
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.
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
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