Dubai is among the most well-known cities in the world, renowned for its trading, luxurious lifestyle, and nightlife. But have you ever considered, “What is Dubai food like?”
Dubai is a place of tradition and authenticity where one can savour the finest Emirati dishes and beverages. Dubai provides all the best options, from mouth-watering pastries to delectable stews. Recently, Dubai has been on the culinary map due to its magnificent, brand-new restaurants.
Dubai won’t disappoint you if you are a food lover since the city caters to everyone’s tastes. As Dubai is renowned for its luxury and grandeur, it is easy to discover affordable restaurants across the city, providing the best of both worlds.
This post will check about 15 famous Dubai food options you must taste during your trip. Also, these lists veg food in Dubai for vegetarians. So, let’s get started!
Experience the tantalizing flavours of Dubai’s cuisine and indulge in a culinary journey at one of the many 4-star hotels in Dubai that offer delectable dining options.
15 Famous Dubai Food Options To Consider
1. Shawarma
Shawarma is among the local delicacies in the UAE. This famous street food comprises a vast, cone-shaped flatbread stuffed with finely chopped meat gently cooked on a vertical rotisserie, veggies, spices, and hummus or tahini.
Considering where you get it, it may include additional ingredients and various kinds of meat, including beef, chicken, and lamb. If you’re visiting Dubai and considering experiencing the local street food culture, you must visit the renowned Shawarma outlets to savour the local tastes.
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2. Manousheh
Manousheh, a kind of Arab pizza originating in Lebanon, is an excellent option for those with a tangy palate, particularly if you are searching for Dubai food. It is the ideal choice for a delectable breakfast. Exotic toppings, such as earthy zaatar herbs, salty Akkawi cheese, and olive oil, are spread over a stretched dough or flatbread. It is widely considered to be the most incredible street food in Dubai. Manousheh is often served hot and eaten alone or with hummus or tahini.
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3. Luqaimat
Luqaimat is a meal comprising tiny, golden balls with a date-based sauce sprinkled with sesame seeds. Its name translates to “small bits,” which resembles fried doughnut bits. Moreover, they are a small meal prepared during iftar, the Emirati custom for ending the Ramadan fast.
Ramadan marks the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and is a time of mental and physical purification. After the fast is broken, individuals have a lighter meal before prayer than a larger one. So, these crispy, melt-in-your-mouth dumplings may be one of the numerous meals offered at this event!
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4. Rigag
Rigag is wafer-thin, unleavened traditional Emirati flatbread, eaten on its own, generally for breakfast or with stews such as Third. Prepared with only three simple ingredients — flour, water, and salt — it gains popularity during the sacred month of Ramadan.
When cooked on the pan, individuals may top it with cheese, honey, eggs, and other things as a standalone meal. As a side dish, you can have it with meat stews or as a standalone dish with a side of yoghurt.
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5. Fattoush
Fattoush, the next Dubai food, is a treat for all fitness and health enthusiasts, as it provides the right taste without causing weight gain. It is a refreshing and flavorful salad. Further, it is a Levantine bread salad prepared using pita bread that has been toasted or fried. Listed among the famous delicacies of Dubai, this item will enhance your flavour and health. Also, it is a vegetarian food in Dubai.
Individuals enjoy Fattouch with toasted or fried pita bread, broken into small pieces and mixed into the salad. Usually, it is a side dish, but it can also be a main course when served with a main course, especially with grilled meat or chicken.
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6. Baba Ganoush
A Middle Eastern dip prepared from roasted eggplant, garlic, tahini (sesame paste), and lemon juice, Baba Ganoush is a popular Levantine dish often served as an appetizer with pita bread, veggies, or as a sandwich or wrap topper. Furthermore, it is famous for its creamy, savoury and slightly smokey taste and is suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
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7. Margoogat
This tomato-based, meaty stew is often prepared with chicken or lamb, but it can also be a vegetarian dish using potatoes or baby marrow. The ingredient that steals the show is a masala-like spice combination that contains turmeric, cardamom, cumin, and cinnamon, amongst many others.
Margot, the popular Dubai food, is served in restaurants ranging from casual cafés to five-star hotels. Moreover, the well-known variant is prepared with chicken, which inhabitants and visitors to the city regularly sample.
So, to try the best chicken Margoogat, you can head to the Aseelah restaurant in Dubai’s Radisson Blu Hotel.
8. Chebab
Chebab is an Emirati-style pancake eaten with sweetened date syrup and sour cheese. Furthermore, it is among the most popular breakfasts in Dubai since it is simple to prepare and pairs well with Arabic coffee.
You can discover a vast selection of pancakes flavoured with strawberries, chocolate, and many others throughout the city. Even during the Ramadan meal, these kebabs have a place. For the best kebabs, head to Logma.
9. Machboos
So, the next Dubai food on the list is Machboos. Machboos or majors is a typical rice dish prepared with lamb, chicken, or shrimp with spices including cardamom and cinnamon. Comparable to Indian and Persian biryani dishes, rice cooking is in the meat’s cooking water, imparting additional flavour.
Machboos is also a dish offered during iftar dinners and other family gatherings. Recipes are often passed down through generations, establishing matchbooks as an integral part of Dubai’s culinary heritage. Further, you can also consider this as the Dubai traditional food.
10. Shakshuka
Shakshuka is a popular breakfast meal across North Africa, the Middle East, and the UAE. It is said to have originated in Tunisia. Shakshuka, a delicious Dubai food, relates to a simple yet delectable tomato-based egg dish. So, to prepare it, start sauteing garlic, shallots, tomatoes, bell peppers, and chillies in olive oil. Then, add honey, uncooked tomato puree, and tomato paste.
After cooking the tomato base, crack the eggs into this mixture. The egg yolks are kept intact and perfectly cooked while blending the egg whites into the tomato sauce. Before serving, most people top it with basil leaves and za’atar.
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11. Al Harees
The next Dubai food is Al Harees. Al Harees is one of the most renowned meals in Dubai. This meal has a porridge-like consistency and is prepared using cracked wheat and pork. During the holy month of Ramadan, Al Harees is particularly popular. Further, it is a satiating and nutrient-dense food that is light on the stomach and beneficial during fasting.
Al Harees is often presented at weddings and other special events since its making takes many hours; the wheat is boiled for several hours before adding the meat. Then it would be best to beat the mixture and season it after a few hours. Despite the lengthy and tedious cooking procedure, locating Emirati eateries that offer authentic Al Harees, particularly during Ramadan, should not be difficult.
12. Tharid
So the next Dubai food is Tharid. During the holy month of Ramadan, there is a favourite meal during iftar and completing the fast. Also referred to as three, it is a thick stew cooked with lamb, chicken, goat, potatoes, and seasonal vegetables. Typically, individuals enjoy the stew with native Emirati flatbread.
The third is a flavorful, melt-in-your-mouth meat meal prepared by boiling meat and other condiments in spices for at least one and a half hours. Further, the accompanying flatbread absorbs the stew’s liquids and provides a convenient scoop for the meat and veggies.
This is among the finest Emirati delicacies in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
13. Kunafa
If you are visiting Dubai or Abu Dhabi, you must try Kunafa. Numerous Arab and Balkan nations enjoy this incredibly delicious Dubai food.
Kunafa comprises kataifi pastry drenched in a sugar-based sweet syrup and covered with cheese. Further, depending on where you buy it, you can find it enriched with almonds, raisins, pistachios, rose water, lemon juice, and cinnamon. This delicacy is rich and delectable and is a must-try Dubai food.
14. Gahwa
In Dubai, there is no better way to conclude a delicious dinner than it does with dessert and Arabic coffee. Coffee, called gPahwain, the Emirati dialect, has been integral to Arab culture for millennia. Arabic coffee preparation and drinking are steeped in tradition. It is a common custom in the UAE and represents unity and charity.
Since Arabic coffee is bitter and pungent, it is often served with dates and other sweets.
15. Kousa Mahshi
Kousa Mahshi is a prevalent dish among Dubai’s tourists. The Dubai food is all about zucchini or courgettes (or both) stuffed with rice, spiced meat, and topped with yoghurt.
Conclusion
There is no lack of delicious and savoury cuisine in Dubai. Further, any trip to Dubai is sure to be unforgettable. From fancy delicacies to basic street food, Dubai food will mesmerise you. When you next visit Dubai, be sure to sample its cuisine and its attractions. If you want to savour various culinary delights while on your romantic holiday, Dubai trip packages for couples provide various dining options to explore and savour.
To experience the best food in Dubai, check out Dubai tour packages from Roaming Routes.
