Food In Dubai: Savour The Luxurious Flavours Of Dubai
Planning a trip to Dubai but don’t know what you will eat? Well, you are not alone, for many people who take Dubai Trip Packages are often confused about what to eat and what not to eat. Food in Dubai is another reason to visit the luxury-dripping town.
We all know Dubai is famous for its stunning skyscrapers, marvellousmarvelous architecture, dazzling skyline, and abundant extravagance and opulence. The history of Dubai, from being a tiny fishing village to being the most modern Metropolis in the world, is fascinating. Dubai has achieved the impossible and pushed things beyond limitless possibilities.
Now talking about Dubai cuisines, you are in for a fusion of several cuisines, making you drool all over the place just by smelling the aroma. The luscious flavoursflavors of Dubai cuisine are something that must be addressed.
You will find a combination of Lebanese, Iranian, and Arabic food, which is so delicious that you will only be craving more. Giving you foodgasms, Dubai cuisine has plenty of options, from vegetarian to non-vegetarian.
You can find the most traditional dishes made from organic, pure, home-grown ingredients to savour your taste buds. Have a look at the conventional and delicious Dubai cuisine, which makes food in Dubai among the best food in the world.
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Non-Vegetarian Dubai Cuisine
Every meat lover in Dubai is in for a treat, for the United Arab Emirates is a Muslim country, and you can find some of the most delicious non-vegetarian Dubai cuisine here.
1. Manousheh Pizza in Dubai
If you are looking for the specialities of Dubai, you can eat the local pizza of Dubai to get a piquant taste of Dubai cuisine. It is a stretched dough which, if filled with home-grown ingredients and exotic toppings, including earthy Zaatar herbs, olive oil, and Akkawi Cheese, makes it absolutely drool-worthy.
It is popularly known for being the best street food in Dubai, and we are not surprised at all. Ensure that you also taste the minced lambs and sweet jams, and is popular with tourists who visit Dubai, looking for a gastronomical adventure as well as locals.
Must Try Food In Dubai: Minced lamb, sweet jam, sour labneh topped by with cream.
Price Range: INR 750 onwards
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2. Iranian Sangak- A Popular Food in Dubai
Paving the way to the best Dubai Cuisine, Iranian Sangak is a treat for bread lovers, for this leavened flatbread is served in either a rectangular shape or plain and is made up of wholewheat.
It is one of the famous food in Dubai, which you should definitely try. This bread can also be made gluten-free and is the favourite food item of health freaks.
Must Try: Basin and Bulgarian Feta with the Iranian Sangak
Price Range: INR 360 onwards
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3. Chelo Kabab- Heavenly Kebabs
If you want to treat your taste buds with the best food in Dubai, then head to Chelo Kabab. Adding one more mouthwatering dish to Dubai cuisine, the Basmatice rice served with Kebabs is like having a piece of heaven in your mouth.
It is believed to be out of the world and tastes heavenly. It is the best non-vegetarian food in Dubai that adds to your culinary experience.
Must Try: Try these Kebabs with Sour Zereshk Berries and a fragrant drill.
Price Range: INR 500 onwards
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4. Al Harees- The Taste of Tradition
If you want to experience the authentic taste of Dubai, then you should take advantage of the popular dish Al Harees.
Al Harees is a fusion of wheat, meat, a pinch of salt, and a few hours of baking. This dish will leave you drooling, for it is absolutely delicious and is an important dish of Dubai Cuisine during the time of Ramadan, Eid, and weddings in Dubai.
Any local from Dubai will advise you where you can find this mouth-watering food in Dubai, for they are very warm and hospitable.
Must Try: The best way to have Al Harees is with samen, which is the butter here, and powdered cinnamon. People with sweet tooth prefer Al Harees with a pinch of sugar, making it worth every penny you spend.
Price Range: INR 800 onwards
5. Al Machboos- Surprising Delicacy of Dubai Cuisine
Now the most exciting food in Dubai is the Al Machboos. How does meat, rice, and onions with a seasoning of dried lemon, salt, and spices, sound? Exciting, isn’t it?
Well, if you started drooling only by reading about this food, then you are in for a treat. Due to its zesty flavours, it is considered one of the best foods in Dubai and a unique dish of Dubai Cuisine that drives the tourists crazy as they take their first bite.
Don’t miss out on their Salad and Raita, it tastes heavenly, however it looks very plain and simple, so it may confuse you whether the taste is good or not.
Must Try: You should try Al Machboos with salad and yoghurt raita to enjoy the authenticity of the food. The food is served on a large platter, allowing everyone to eat from one plate.
Price Range: INR 500 onwards
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6. Mandi – Tradition On A Platter
If you are looking for traditional food in Dubai and don’t know what to go for, then you can try this popular dish from Dubai cuisine, Mandi.
The dish takes a long time to be prepared as the meat or chicken, whatever you are having Mandi with, takes a lot of time to prepare as the meat and chicken are cooked for long hours and then served with rice.
You can find Mandi in the Old City of Dubai, where you can also find other delicacies as well. This is one of the most popular traditional food in Dubai.
Must Try: You should try Mandi with chicken and other chicken dishes as well.
Price Range: INR 350 onwards
7. Oozie – Ramadan Special Food
Dubai, being a part of a Muslim country, celebrates the month of Ramadan and Eid, and every traditional dish and other delicacies can be found during this time of the year.
Among all, there lies one of the popular dishes of Ramadan, which is called Oozie, a popular food in Dubai that you will also see at Dubai weddings.
The dish is either served with chicken or filled into pockets. If you want to have a soul-soothing experience, try it with nuts, or yoghurt. If you want to have this food, visiting Dubai during the month of Ramadan is the best time to plan.
Must Try: Try this dish with chicken.
Price Range: The price varies in different places.
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Vegetarian Dubai Cuisine
If you are a vegetarian and all you can eat is vegetarian food, then don’t feel left out, for there are plenty of options for vegetarians as well. It is a vegetarian-friendly city, unlike other foreign countries, where you have to think even before entering the restaurant whether you will get any vegetarian food or not.
However, this is not the case with Dubai, for there are plenty of vegetarian foods as well to try in Dubai.
8. Tabbouleh – To Stay In Shape
If you are very diet conscious and have been working out for a long time, but now you are on your trip to Dubai and you cannot work out here, you still have the option of eating healthy. The safest bet is to just go for Tabbouleh and enjoy the delicious taste while also staying healthy.
The dish is a little difficult to pronounce but the taste is absolute yum! It is a salad made with green onions, tomatoes, and cucumber. On top of that, it is also seasoned with lemon juice and fresh mint.
For foodies, who are looking for some healthy food to eat or other healthy options, then they can have this dish for all the vegetarian fitness freaks out there. The dish is flavoured with blueberry and corn, and you can also try the stuffed grape, which makes it better.
Must Try: Try the dish with corn and blueberry for a unique taste, besides you can also try out the stuffed grape version.
Price Range: INR 500 onwards
9. Kousa Mahshi – The Taste of Spices
If you want to have the most authentic taste of spices of Dubai, then Kousa Mahshi is definitely the dish for you. It is eaten as a main course and is basically a courgettes, or zucchini stuffed with rice. The lip-smacking dish falls in the best Dubai foods, and once you taste it, you will know the reason why.
It has also received rave reviews, and has been considered as the best in the world.
Must Try: Try this mouth-watering dish with Lebanese wine, and have the most wonderful taste in Dubai.
Price Range: INR 250 onwards
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10. Shirin Pulao- The Authentic Dubai Cuisine
If you are looking for Dubai’s specialty in vegetarian food, then you can go for Shirin Pulao, which is the a thick, crispy crust, with carrots, nuts, served with rice. It is Dubai’s speciality in vegetarian, and you should definitely try.
You will have an exceptional dining experience, and it is one of the best Dubai foods, and also an important dish.
Must Try: You should try this dish with berries and pistachio cream, for a mouth full of heaven.
Price Range: INR 500 onwards
11. Baba Ganoush – The Best Starter
Who doesn’t like the smoky flavours? No one, right? Well in that case, you can try the very delicious starter Baba Ganoush, which is a delicious dip made from eggplant, which has been smoked up, and onions, and tomatoes, and a bit of olive oil.
It is a great appetizer, and has crawled to the list of best Dubai foods. If you are unable to find this food, then you can ask the locals, who very warm and friendly and are always ready to help. They will guide where you can find this dish, along with the directions.
Must Try: Try this dish with veggies and sliced bread for the best taste.
Price INR: The prices may vary from one person to another.
12. Fatteh – The All In One Meal
If you are looking for an early evening meal, then you can have this lip-smacking dish called Fatteh. Fatteh is in 3 layers, the first layer consist of the soaked bread, which forms the foundation, in the middle we have chickpeas, aubergines, and, the last layer consists of tahini-sauce toppings, and yogurt.
You can treat your taste buds with this very tasty food and try it with pine nuts, and paprika. The best restaurants in Dubai serve Fatteh, so you can find it in several places.
Must Try: This dish is best enjoyed with paprika, parsley, and roasted pine nuts, so don’t forget to add it to your order.
Price Range: INR 100 onwards
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13. Kallej- House of Cheese
The world is divided into two people, people who like cheese, and people who don’t like cheese. If you are one of those people who cannot have enough cheese, even if they are in the house of cheese, then Kallej is going to be a heavenly dish for you.
It is actually bread filled with Haloumi cheese, which will fill your mouth with cheese, and will quench you of your hunger which you usually get during the evening. Kallej has been among the top rated dishes in Dubai for a few years now, and people seem to enjoy the dish a lot.
Must Try: You can try this dish with powdered sugar, it’s best served hot.
Price Range: The prices may vary from one place to another.
14. Falafel – The Love For Taste
Falafel are the most loved food by the locals, which is basically a deep fried patty, or a ball. The Falafel is made out of ground chick peas or fava beans. It is one of the most popular dish of Dubai cuisine, and everywhere its cooked differently.
Falafel can be paired with any kind of bread to the best dining experience, and you can ask the waiter about what’s in the Falafel, for every restaurant cooks it differently. Ensure that it does not have anything you are allergic to. It is a must try food in Dubai, that you should not miss out on.
Must Try: Try Falafel with Hummus, Banana gemus, or pita bread.
Price Range: INR 200 onwards
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15. Fattoush – Delight For Fitness Freaks
For all the fitness freaks, we have this very delicious dish called Fattoush, which is a treat to your taste buds and gives you the flavour without giving you the extra calories that you have worked so hard to burn.
Fattoush is a Laventine bread, which is prepared by toasting the pieces of the popular pita bread, making the dish absolutely a must try in Dubai. Fattoush will not only add to your taste but also to your health.
This is one of the most popular food in Dubai, especially for the Asians.
Must Try: Try the Fattoush with mixed greens having a dressing of Tangy Lemon.
Price Range: INR 1000 onwards.
16. Madrouba – Khichdi Of Dubai
While we Indians have Khichdi, people of Dubai have Madrouba, which has a very different style of cooking, and can be both vegetarian and non-vegetarian. Chicken and meat are added if you choose non-vegetarian dishes, meanwhile other ingredients used in preparing the dish include onion, tomatoes, garlic, etc.
Price Range: Prices differ from one place to another depending on where you are eating.
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Street Food In Dubai
You can have the most fancy food in Dubai, but the best taste comes from the street food, which for an unknown reason tastes better than the food that we have in restaurants.
Check out the list of the street food of Dubai:
17. Shish Tawook
Every food on one side, and the love for kebab on the other side. The Shish Tawook has made its way to almost every restaurant’s menu, and is the most popular dish in Dubai.
It tastes better when it is served sandwiched in bread. These kebabs are not only found in Dubai, but also in Pakistan and India. When paired with pickle and fries, it adds on to the taste.
The taste is absolutely drool worthy, making it one of the traditional dishes of Dubai.
Must Try: This Shish Tawook Kebabs should be paired with Lebanese garlic dip, fries, and pickles to have the best taste.
Price Range: INR 500
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18. Lahem Bl Ajin
If you are looking for pizza in Dubai, then Lahem Bl Ajin is the way to go. It is known as the Arab Pizza, which is an amazing Lebanese flatbread served with spicy meat toppings.
People who like spicy food will have the best street food experience with Lahem Bl Ajin.
Must Try: Try the dish with Cayenne pepper, tabasco sauce and freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Price Range: INR 500 onwards.
Dessert In Dubai
When you are in Dubai, how can you miss out on both Desert, and the dessert, after the lip-smacking food. So here’s sharing some of the most delicious desserts in Dubai, to have after your meal.
19. Luqaimat- One Isn’t Enough
During the holy month of Ramadan, the most popular sweet among all the others is Luqaimat. It is a deep fried dumpling, which is prepared by adding Cardamom, flour, saffron, sugar, butter, and milk.
If you ask any locals, about the best dessert, they are going to suggest this sweet, so don’t dare to miss out on it.
Price Range: Prices may vary from one place to another.
20. Knafeh- The Best Cheese Pastry
If you are like me, and love cheese more than anything, then you should try the Knafeh, cheese factory which is prepared from gooey cheese and this sticky pastry will stick to your mouth, and you would want to keep it in your mouth forever.
Chopped pistachios, and rose scented syrup, make up for the best traditional sweet of Dubai. It is not only a popular sweet in Dubai, but also in Middle Eastern countries.
Must Try: Knafeh
Price: INR 150 onwards
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Frequently Asked Questions About Food in Dubai
1. What is Dubai’s National Food?
Dubai is popular for its drool worthy cuisines, and offers some of the best dishes that you may not find anywhere else. There is no national food of Dubai, but the national food of the United Arab Emirates is Khuzi, which is pronounced as Ghuzi, along with Al Machboos. This fulfilling dish is lip-smacking and is prepared with roasted lamb or mutton, served with, and topped with nuts and vegetables.
2. Is Dubai food Cheap?
Dubai is an expensive city for it is one of the most modern cosmopolitan city, witnessing hundreds of tourists every year. The cost of living here is quite expensive, which means that almost everything here is expensive including the food. To answer your question, food in Dubai is expensive as compared to India, but not so much that you cannot afford it. Even though it is a bit expensive, the taste will definitely be worth it. You will find a number of varieties here, which you may not find anywhere else in the world.
3. What type of food is eaten in Dubai?
Like any other place, all types of food is eaten in Dubai, from vegetarian, to non-vegetarian food, to desserts of all kinds. The variety of food you will find here, you may not get anywhere else in the world. The food may be a little expensive than what you eat here in India, but the number of choices you will have will definitely be more than what you have in India.
4. Which is a traditional food of Dubai?
There are innumerable food options in Dubai, and an infinite number of food outlets to choose from so it is quite common for tourists to get confused with what to eat and what not to eat. If you are looking forward to eating the traditional food of Dubai then you can try Harees, which is found in some of the fine dining restaurants in Dubai, and is a popular traditional dish in Dubai. It takes a lot of time to ptrepare Harees, due to which it is prepared only on special occasions.