What to eat in Dubai: 10 food dishes you must try

With an outstanding food scene, finding great food to eat in Dubai is easy. The city has attracted some of the world’s most talented chefs, and you can find everything from gold-plated biryani to Michelin-starred Italian dishes. But don’t miss out on local favorites and Emirati street food. When searching for food Dubai is known for, look no further than hearty stews and spicy meat and rice dishes, like khuzi, al machboos, and margoogat. Finish off with a sweet treat like knafeh or luqaimat. And wake up to the smell of Arabic coffee and delicately spiced chebab, a sort of Emirati pancake. With this mouthwatering roundup of must-try foods in Dubai, you can explore the city through taste, too.

1. Feast on al machboos

A hearty, heavily spiced meat and rice dish, al machboos is one of Dubai’s most famous foods and a must-eat on your trip. Usually made with lamb and basmati rice, the meat is marinated in a heady mix of spices, including cumin, cloves, bzar (an Emirati spice blend), garlic, and chili, topped with toasted almonds.

How to eat the best al machboos in Dubai?

Make a reservation at a local restaurant, like the Al Khayma Heritage Restaurant, for an introduction to Emirati cuisine and the chance to try the most authentic flavors, including machboos and many other regional delicacies.

2. Start your day with chebab

These melt-in-your-mouth Emirati pancakes are a traditional and favorite breakfast staple in Dubai. A chebab is thickened with yeast, delicately flavored with cardamom, saffron, and turmeric, and typically served with date syrup, cheese, or eggs.

How to eat the best chebab in Dubai?

You’ll find chebab in most Arabian breakfast spots in Dubai, but if you take a day trip from Dubai to Abu Dhabi, grab a table at Luqaimat and Chebab — no prizes for guessing what they do best.

3. Savor a mouth-watering dish of margoogat

Discover margoogat, a succulent stew typically made with chicken or lamb and flavored with tomato, garam masala, spices, and vegetables. This creates a delicious blend of sweet, spicy, and tangy flavors. Top it with yogurt or cucumber salad, which is often served on the side.

How to eat the best margoogat in Dubai?

Lunch and learn about Dubai’s culture and history over a delicious meal of authentic Emirati dishes at the Sheikh Mohammed Center for Cultural Understanding.

4. Indulge your sweet tooth with luqaimat

Luqaimat is one of the best foods in Dubai if you have a sweet tooth. Sample these delectable fried dough balls, which are drizzled with date syrup and sprinkled with sesame seeds. Enjoy their heavenly texture — they’re light and airy on the inside, with a satisfying crunch on the outside.

How to eat the best luqaimat in Dubai?

What better way to eat this delicious delicacy than after preparing it yourself? Immerse yourself in local culture in Dubai by taking a cooking class and learning to make authentic Emirati dishes that will impress your friends back home. If you want to leave someone else to do the frying, you’ll find fresh, warm luqaimat at the camps following a desert safari.

5. Fall in love with falafel

Falafel is from the Middle East, so this popular chickpea-based dish infused with spices is a must-try food in Dubai. These fried balls are crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, a perfect combination of texture and flavor. Even if you’ve had falafel many times before, it might be your best yet in Dubai.

How to eat the best falafel in Dubai?

Take a food tour in Dubai to discover the city’s best falafel, along with a whole range of other tasty regional treats.

6. Dine on a dish of khuzi

The national dish of UAE, khuzi is the food Dubai is best known for. Taste tenderly cooked lamb with a base of spicy rice and toppings of raisins, vegetables, and roasted nuts, flavored with cardamom, cinnamon, saffron, and nutmeg. Enjoy the rich flavors and delicate textures which make khuzi one of Dubai’s most popular foods.

How to eat the best khuzi in Dubai?

With plenty of rice, laban (cucumber yogurt sauce), and Arabic bread. Dubai’s best Emirati restaurants will all claim their khuzi is the best in the city — a great excuse to try them all and find out who’s telling the truth.

7. Grab a regag on the go

A must-eat on your Dubai trip, regag is the most well-known Arabic bread, and one of the best snacks if you’d like to try street food in Dubai. Cooked on a special pan over high heat, it’s a wafer-thin bread that is the perfect base for all kinds of foods, from kebabs to eggs, and even chocolate spread.

How to eat the best regag in Dubai?

Take a guided walking tour of Dubai Creek and its souks to discover the city’s best street food, and where to find the tastiest regag in town.

8. Let knafeh melt in your mouth

If you’ve never eaten knafeh, you’re in for a treat. Try this delectable Dubai sweet, which is made of spun pastry, soaked in syrup, layered with melting cheese, and served with clotted cream, pistachio, or other nuts. This mouthwatering and decadent popular food is a must-eat in Dubai.

How to eat the best knafeh in Dubai?

You won’t have to look far for knafeh, there are even food vendors at Dubai Mall dishing out the sweet treat — perfect to grab to-go and head outside for the dazzling fountain show, which is one of the best things to do in Dubai at night.

9. Snack on a street samboosa

Samboosa is one of the best foods for vegetarians in Dubai, where much of the cuisine is meat-based. Like many popular Dubai dishes today, these triangular-shaped pastries made their way to UAE from India and were quickly adopted into the local cuisine.

How to eat the best samboosa in Dubai?

Head to the Al Fahidi Historical Neighborhood where you’ll find some of the city’s best vegetarian street food carts, and discover the best veggie-friendly food in Dubai.

10. Wake up to aromatic Arabic coffee and dates

Sip on a cup of Arabic coffee, which is typically smoother and sweeter than coffee you find in the West, with hints of chocolate and sugar. It’s flavored with cardamom, which adds a fragrant, complex taste, perfectly complemented by the sweet dates it’s usually served with.

How to try the best Arabic coffee and dates in Dubai?

Wake up to the smell of coffee in the lavish surroundings of a luxury Bedouin tent at a Dubai Desert Camp. It’s the perfect morning wake-up after an evening of dune bashing, watching traditional dances, and stargazing.

FAQs

What are the must-try traditional dishes in Dubai?

The most famous foods to try in Dubai include hearty meat and rice dishes, like al machboos, margoogat, and khuzi. Vegetarians can enjoy traditional Dubai foods like regag and samboosa. While sweet treats such as luqaimat and knafeh are popular snacks.

What are the best food tours in Dubai?

There is a wide range of food tours to cater to all palates in Dubai. Take a tasting tour of Dubai’s Souks to discover the sights, sounds, and smells of these atmospheric marketplaces, and find the best of the city’s street food. Or go straight for a gourmet foodie tour if you’re looking for a taste of the finer things.

What are the top local food markets in Dubai to visit?

Dubai has a great selection of local farmers’ markets where you can find top-quality fresh produce. Head to the Ripe Market in Al Sufouh, with its wide range of independent sellers and great food. For vegetables, the top spots are the Fresh Market and the Vegetable Souk, and for a wide range of fresh seafood, go straight to the Jumeirah Fish Market in Umm Suqeim. For a fun food experience, Time Out Market Dubai — on the other side of the lake from Dubai Mall — is a great place to eat, with a huge selection of street food and dishes from around the world, plus bars and a view of the fountains.

What is the best time of year to visit Dubai for food lovers?

The Dubai Food Festival takes place over 2–3 weeks in April and May. An enticing feast for the senses, it is one of the most fun things to do in Dubai. The festival attracts almost 100,000 foodies each year, and there’s a whole range of gourmet experiences on offer.

How much should I budget for food in Dubai?

As with most things in Dubai, there’s a great discrepancy between the high-end restaurants and street food prices, so it really depends on your food preferences. An average traveler in Dubai spends at least 60 USD, or 220 dirhams, a day on food, but if you have a taste for fine dining, expect to spend considerably more.