30 editor picks across United Arab Emirates.
30 street food worth the trip across United Arab Emirates, editor-ranked by TableJourney. All United Arab Emirates guides.
Al Ustad Special Kabab has grilled seekh kebab on Al Mussallah Road since 1978, its walls lined with photos of famous patrons with the late founder.
OrderSeekh kebab
TipThe minced lamb seekh roll wrapped in fresh bread is the order locals repeat visit after visit.
Al Mallah has served chicken shawarma on Al Satwa's 2nd December Street since 1979, wrapped tight with garlic toum and pickles, and now runs 24 hours.
OrderChicken shawarma
TipOrder the chicken shawarma with extra toum and eat it standing at the counter, the way regulars do.
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.
OrderSudanese foul with bread
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.
Al Farah bakes manaqeesh in its oven on Khalidiyah Street in Abu Dhabi, a Michelin Selected room where regulars queue to collect orders to take away.
OrderManaqeesh from the oven
TipExpect a queue of people collecting manaqeesh orders; the Michelin Guide lists Al Farah among the best breakfast spots in Abu Dhabi.
Abu Kaabi Kabab Restaurant & Grills sells kebab, tikka and shish tawook sandwiches at AED 10 to 14 in Al Khalidiya, Abu Dhabi, open past midnight.
OrderKebab, tikka and shish tawook sandwiches
TipHummus at AED 17 and a khalta of grilled tomatoes with chilli at AED 6 round out a cheap order from the operator's 2026 menu.
Chaat Bazaar fills small crispy puris with spiced water and potato at outdoor tables on 6A Street, Al Karama's busiest chaat counter in Dubai.
OrderPani puri
TipA palate cleansing puri with potato and crunchy topping, but no spiced water, comes at the end of a pani puri round.
Mina Fish Market in Al Mina, Abu Dhabi, lets you pick fish at a stall, have it cleaned for about AED 16 for 3 kg, then cooked at a kiosk or restaurant.
OrderFish cleaned and grilled to order
TipMost stalls are cash only with ATMs at the entrance, and a weekday morning avoids Saturday queues of an hour or more at the cleaning counter.
Chaat Chaska sells vegetarian pani puri, dahi puri, samosas, jalebi and falooda near Madinat Zayed in Al Danah, Abu Dhabi, with chaat items all under AED 12.
OrderPani puri, dahi puri and samosa chaat
TipBest Bites puts a meal for two at AED 49, and the Madinat Zayed outlet is one of three branches, with Musaffah and Mushrif Mall.
Ashwaq Cafeteria slices chicken shawarma off the spit near the Gold Souk, a Deira counter in the Al Hillu Building opposite the Deira Palace Hotel.
OrderChicken shawarma
TipIt is a quick counter stop, best combined with a walk through the souks.
Raju Omlet has cracked eggs onto a hot tawa on 4B Street since 2013, an old school Karama classic that Mumbai style regulars still queue for in Dubai.
OrderMasala omelette
TipThe masala omelette with pav bread and a side of karak chai is the standard order here.
Al Farwania Restaurant has served karak chai on Jumeirah Road since 1981, and from about four in the afternoon cars queue outside for a cup.
OrderKarak chai
TipStay in the car: waiters take orders at the window, and the karak was long famous for costing a single dirham.
Al Alamain Restaurant sells hot dog and liver sandwiches at AED 6 in Al Danah, Abu Dhabi, a long-running street-food counter that opens at 05:00.
OrderHot dog and liver sandwiches
TipFACT recommends the falafel sandwich here, and the room opens at 05:00, so it works as an early breakfast stop.
Zaatar and Karak is a food truck on Hudayriyat Island, Abu Dhabi, baking manakish and saj wraps and pouring karak tea, open 24 hours on the island's listing.
OrderManakish and karak tea
TipYalla names the spiced karak as the reason people return, and the truck also sells seafood dishes such as lobster and oysters.
Just Vada Pav fries thirty variations of the Mumbai potato bun on Sheikh Hamdan Colony's 12B Street, a dedicated counter for one snack in Dubai.
OrderVada pav
TipWith some thirty kinds of vada pav on the board, ask for a spicy one and a cheese one to compare.
Yalla Momos steams momos and jhol momo behind Park Regis Hotel on 4B Street in Al Karama, Dubai, with an Indo-Chinese menu of noodles alongside.
OrderSteamed momos
TipOrder the jhol momos, served in a spiced broth, or the cheese chilli oil dim sum.
House of Dim Sum is a stall in the Flavours Hub food hall at Masdar Park, Abu Dhabi, selling dumplings and buns priced at AED 18, open to midnight or later.
OrderDumplings and steamed buns
TipThe National likens the hall to Singapore hawker centres, with menu boards showing clear prices at each stall and shared tables.
Farisian Cafeteria sells falafel sandwiches, samosas and potato sandwiches from a Meena Bazaar counter, a fixture of Bur Dubai's side streets.
OrderFalafel sandwich
TipThe menu is three items long, so just point at the falafel and it comes wrapped in seconds.
Bacolod Inasal BBQ grills chicken inasal over charcoal inside Al Ghurair Centre's Flayva food hall, a Bacolod style counter serving Al Rigga's Dubai.
OrderChicken inasal
TipThe chicken inasal comes with garlic rice and a small dish of vinegar dip for the char.
Man'oushe Street bakes za'atar manakish around the clock on Al Diyafah Road in Al Satwa, Dubai, a Levantine counter built around one flatbread.
OrderZa'atar manakish
TipThe lahm bi ajeen topped with minced meat and tomato is worth ordering alongside the za'atar classic.
Mr. Chaat Cafeteria fries its samosas fresh and piles them into chaat opposite the BurJuman metro exit, a Khalid Bin Al Walid Road fixture in Dubai.
OrderSamosa chaat
TipThe samosa chaat, crushed samosa under yoghurt and tamarind, is the dish to order here.
I Love Burgers is a burger food truck at Marsana West on Hudayriyat Island, Abu Dhabi, serving made-to-order patties and fries by the beach, open 24 hours.
OrderMade-to-order burgers and fries
TipYalla mentions breakfast burger buns and cheesy late-night bites, with seats by the sea on Marsana Beach.
Al Hara Cafeteria pours strong karak chai around the clock from a corner counter in the Al Shamook Building on 9A Street in Al Karama, Dubai.
OrderKarak chai
TipPavement tables fill in the evenings; the counter runs around the clock.
Joshi has fried samosas and served thali beside the Al Munna Bookshop in Meena Bazaar since 1968, the oldest Indian kitchen in Dubai by What's On's count.
OrderSamosas and vegetarian thali
TipThe kitchen shuts between 14:30 and 17:30, so plan a samosa stop for the morning or the evening rush.
Mashakeek and Steak is a barbecue food truck on Hudayriyat Island, Abu Dhabi, grilling lamb skewers, shrimp mashakeek and wraps from 11:00 to 03:00 daily.
OrderCharcoal-grilled mashakeek and kebabs
TipYalla lists lamb skewers, shrimp mashakeek, pasta, wraps and hearty salads, so groups with mixed tastes can share one counter.
Mlt. is a food truck on Hudayriyat Island, Abu Dhabi, serving burgers, bao buns, tacos and specialty coffee to take away, open daily from 09:00 to 23:00.
OrderBurgers, bao buns and tacos
TipThe island lists it as a gourmet street food concept, and Yalla gives the same hours, 09:00 to 23:00, for the truck.
Harr & Hloo is a barbecue food truck on Hudayriyat Island, Abu Dhabi, grilling mashakeek alongside burgers, wraps, pasta and risotto, open 24 hours.
OrderMashakeek skewers and grilled wraps
TipYalla lists lamb, wagyu steak, chicken, shrimp and squid from the grill, with Italian pasta and Mexican sandwiches as sides.
Cento Gelato scoops Italian gelato from a food truck at Marsana West on Hudayriyat Island, Abu Dhabi, open every day from midday until midnight.
OrderItalian gelato
TipThe island's own listing places the truck at Marsana West, and Best Bites names it among Marsana vendors with a BB+ member discount.
Rabbash pours karak by the cup from a roadside cafeteria on Al Khaleej Road near Al Mamzar Beach, and What's On names karak its most ordered item.
OrderKarak chai
TipIt serves around the clock, so a karak here after an evening on Al Mamzar Beach is the local routine.
Shawarma Hut Cafeteria wraps chicken shawarma from a small counter inside Al Faris Mall, a late night fixture for Al Quoz's warehouse workers in Dubai.
OrderChicken shawarma
TipIt serves until 02:00, useful for anyone finishing a late shift nearby.
Mom & Pops sells vegan popsicles made with real fruit from a food truck at Marsana West on Hudayriyat Island, Abu Dhabi, open from 15:00 until 23:45.
OrderVegan fruit popsicles
TipThe brand says its popsicles carry no refined sugar or artificial colours and are lactose-free and gluten free, so they suit most diets.
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