There are many kinds of food to choose from in Dubai, from Pakistani and Peruvian to Ethiopian and Iranian. Finding real Emirati food, on the other hand, has been hard in the past because these traditional meals were only served in homes or at special events. This is starting to change, though, as more and more Emirati places open up across the city.
Emirati food is mostly rich desert meat meals and fish from the Arabian Peninsula, which are usually served with flatbread and rice. Bezar is an important part of almost every meal. It is a mix of spices like coriander, cumin, ginger, and cinnamon. Ancient trade partners like India and Iran also had an effect on the food. There are a lot of new places with classic menus, but some are adding a modern twist by serving foods like camel sliders and chicken tikka-filled breads. Here are some of the best places in Dubai to eat food from the United Arab Emirates.
Aseelah: A New Take on an Old Tradition
Aseelah is a restaurant at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek that serves modern versions of traditional Arabic food. It serves things like date-stuffed chicken roulade and camel burgers. But the restaurant also stays true to custom. The cook, Uwe Micheel, who is German-born, has spent years learning traditional Emirati dishes like prawns stewed in bezar and aseeda bobar (pumpkin pudding). Aseelah is the only Emirati restaurant in Dubai that offers alcohol. They have a creative cocktail menu and a wine list with reasonable prices.
Al Fanar: Real flavors from the Emiratis
The food and scenery at Al Fanar take you back to a time before oil was found in the area, making you feel nostalgic. Even though it's in the Festival City Mall, the restaurant is made to look like an old courtyard house, which gives it a unique feel. Chicken machboos (a bezar-spiced rice dish) and fried squid (naghar mashwi) are two of the most popular foods. In Town Center Jumeirah, there is a second location.
Al Tawasol: Food Made at Home
People from the area have been going to the family-run Al Tawasol in Deira since 1999 to eat traditional Emirati meals made at home. People can eat hot saloona (curry) and succulent lamb machboos while sitting on blankets in the main eating area or in private majlis (reception rooms) made of tents. The restaurant also serves a tasty mandi, which is slow-cooked meat served over fragrant rice. This dish comes from Yemen but is now famous all over the Arabian Peninsula.
Majlis: Treats with Camel Milk
Majlis is a restaurant in Dubai Mall that serves desserts and drinks made from camel milk, which was a mainstay of Bedouin food until the middle of the 20th century. Compared to cow's milk, camel milk has less fat and more vitamins and minerals. The cafe has a unique menu, such as the "camelccino," which is made with Ethiopian beans, and a pistachio-glazed éclair, which both have camel milk in them.
Trendy and traditional meet at Seven Sands.
Seven Sands is at The Beach at JBR and has modern Middle Eastern decor and a deck with a view of the sea. There are both traditional Emirati meals and regional favorites on the menu, like hummus and kibbeh, which are meat-filled croquettes made of cracked wheat. Some famous meals are sambousas, which are like Indian samosas but made with bezar spices, and prawn fouga, which is made with bezar, saffron, and dried limes.
Logma: Khameer is creative
Logma is a modern restaurant in the cool BoxPark neighborhood that is known for its relaxed, modern take on Emirati food. Khameer flatbread, which can be filled with chicken tikka or topped with cream cheese and date syrup, is the restaurant's specialty. The fries at Logma are also very popular. They are seasoned with Middle Eastern spices.
A Cultural Experience at the Sheikh Mohammed Center for Cultural Understanding
The Sheikh Mohammed Center for Cultural Understanding in the ancient Al Fahidi area is a great place to learn more about both Emirati food and culture. People can eat traditional foods like chicken machboos and luqaimat (sweet cakes dipped in date syrup) while sitting on the floor in a traditional way. Young Emirati workers run the center and are happy to talk about their culture and practices with anyone who comes in.
Milas: Casual Dining in the Emirates
Milas in Dubai Mall is a popular place for Emiratis to eat because it has stylish decor and an easy-to-understand menu. The menu is shown on an iPad, and while people look it over, they can eat boiled beans (dangaw) sprinkled with cumin and newly baked khameer flatbread. The mbahar deyay, chicken in a hot cream sauce with saffron-infused rice, is a dish that everyone should try. It goes best with endless cups of Arabic coffee made with cardamom and served with sticky dates.
By combining old and new, these places give people in Dubai a taste of the UAE's rich culinary history and make Emirati food easier for everyone to get.
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