Best Food In Dubai You Should Try

Nearly everything is possible in Dubai, a city of luxury, abundance, and exclusivity. It has the tallest building in the world, Burj Khalifa, one of the biggest malls in the world with luxury brands and entertainment options, top resorts, and more. You can even rent luxury car that isn't available in any other part of the world but Dubai.

It's also a city where you may taste nearly any cuisine from most world countries. The best food in Dubai belongs to different cuisines, including French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Indian, Persian, and so on. You can taste a traditional rice dish, Majboos, or a sweeter option, popular during Ramadan, Luqaimat. Overall, your options are nearly endless, so this post explores what to eat in Dubai if you want to try different things but don't know where to begin.

Margoogat

Margoogat is a traditional Dubai food popular among locals and tourists. It's a stew made of tender chicken meat or lamb with an addition of tomato for a savory taste. Additions like garam, masala, spices, and vegetables make it extremely aromatic and guarantee a rich taste.

This memorable Dubai food option guarantees a person feels comfortable and like at home because everybody loves a stew with tender meat. It's warm and satisfying, and it's truly not even that high in calories, so people who are into fitness can still enjoy it. It's not for vegans, but we'll get to those options in this blog post.

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• How it's served: With traditional Emirati bread like regag and khameer.
• Where to try it: Aseelah (476 Baniyas Road), inside the Radisson Blu Hotel; Calicut Paragon Restaurant, G Floor, Al Ghani Building, Amman St. Dubai; SLAB Restaurant, Mercato Mall, Ground Floor, Jumeirah St.
• Price range: Around 230 AED (62 USD).

Luqaimat

Luqaimat is a beloved Emirati dessert with roots in Dubai's traditional cuisine, often enjoyed especially during Ramadan. This treat consists of small, golden dumplings made from dough mixed with flour, sugar, and saffron. After frying, each dumpling has a crisp outside and a soft, fluffy interior. The usual topping is a rich date syrup, which adds sweetness and depth, making it a simple yet irresistible dessert.

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• How it's served: Drizzled with date syrup or honey.
• Where to try it: Arabian Tea House (Al Fahidi St., Al Fahidi Historical Neighborhood); Al Fanar Restaurant & Cafe (multiple locations in Dubai); Logma (Boxpark, Al Wasl Road).
• Price range: Approximately 25-40 AED (7-11 USD) per serving.

Majboos

Majboos, a fragrant rice dish, is important in Emirate cuisine and generally considered traditional Dubai food. It features basmati rice cooked with spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves, typically combined with tender pieces of chicken, lamb, or fish. The spices infuse the rice with flavor, while slow-cooked meat or fish adds a savory touch.

This meal is known for its warm, comforting flavors and aromatic spices, making it an ideal main course that captures the essence of Dubai's traditional cooking. Once you try it, you won't have enough of it, so, luckily, you can rent a car like a Lamborghini in Dubai and visit the restaurants we're about to mention below. For now, enjoy the image of this delicious dish:

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• How it's served: With a side of fresh salad and yogurt.
• Where to try it: Al Fanar Restaurant & Cafe (multiple locations in Dubai); Aseelah Restaurant (Radisson Blu, Baniyas Road); Siraj Restaurant (Souk Al Bahar, Downtown Dubai).
• Price range: About 70-120 AED (19-33 USD) per plate.

Khuzi

Khuzi (also often called Ghuzi) is another Dubai food option and the classic in the United Arab Emirates. It's popular among locals and visitors of the city. It features roasted lamb or mutton as the centerpiece, served over a bed of fragrant rice mixed with spices — it already sounds yummy!

The dish often includes roasted nuts and raisins for added flavor and texture, and it's truly a great experience to eat meat while tasting the nut-like flavor. The slow-roasted meat becomes tender and pairs perfectly with the seasoned rice, which guarantees a taste of Emirati culinary traditions.

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• How it's served: Typically, with rice, roasted nuts, and raisins.
• Where to try it: Al Fanar Restaurant in Dubai Festival City and Al Bait Alqadeem in Al Ras, Dubai.
• Price range: Around 100-250 AED (27-68 USD), depending on the location and portion size.

Oozie

Oozie is another beloved traditional dish in Dubai with seasoned rice and chicken or lamb. It’s one of the best Dubai meals, which is prepared by stuffing the meat with rice and cooking it to achieve a blend of soft meat and rice.

Oozie can be served on a communal platter, so it's ideal for family-style dining or festive occasions. The subtle combination of spices creates a balanced flavor profile that is distinct yet familiar to those who enjoy Middle Eastern cuisine.

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• How it's served: Typically on a large platter, sometimes with yogurt or salad on the side.
• Where to try it: Special Oud restaurants (like Fish Hut Restaurant Oud Metha Branch) and local eateries specializing in Emirati cuisine.
• Price range: Between 80-200 AED (22-54 USD) depending on serving size and restaurant

Tabbouleh

Tabbouleh is a light and fresh salad from the Levant region. It's a special dish popular in many Middle Eastern restaurants. The salad has finely chopped parsley, tomatoes, mint, onion, and soaked bulgur; all this is later sprinkled with a bit of simple dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, and a hint of salt. The combination of crisp vegetables and zesty flavors makes it perfect for those seeking a refreshing yet flavorful dish.

Additionally, as you can tell, the ingredient list doesn't have animal meat or animal nature products, so you guessed it right: it's a vegan and delicious dish that you should taste. Don't worry about the olive oil; the dressing is not too much, so it's also a healthy meal for active people. Thus, hop into your rented Porsche and taste the dish!

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• How it's served: Usually served chilled in a bowl or on a platter, sometimes with lettuce leaves for scooping.
• Where to try it: Al Hallab Restaurant, The Dubai Mall; Reem Al Bawadi, Jumeirah Beach Road; Zaroob, Sheikh Zayed Road.
• Price range: Around 25 AED (6.75 USD) to 45 AED (12.15 USD), depending on the restaurant.

Knafeh

Knafeh is a sweet dessert you should try if you want to learn what the rich flavors of the Middle East taste like. It's made with layers of shredded phyllo dough or semolina. This dough then envelops a soft, stretchy cheese filling.

The dish is baked until golden, then soaked with aromatic sugar syrup infused with rose or orange blossom water. Toppings often include crushed pistachios, which add crunch and a charming color that forces you to taste the sweet.

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• How it's served: Warm and sprinkled with syrup, topped with crushed nuts, as mentioned, pistachio nut is often the top choice.
• Where to try it: Feras Sweets, Al Muraqqabat Road; Al Samadi Sweets, Al Rigga; Hafiz Mustafa 1864, Dubai Mall.
• Price range: Prices usually range from 20 AED (5.40 USD) to 55 AED (14.85 USD), varying with the size and restaurant.

Samboosa

Samboosa is a popular Dubai food, which is more interesting than people think. First, it has its roots in the Middle East, but there are also historical facts about the presence of the snack in South Asian cuisine.

It has a crispy, golden outer layer that looks divine, and you want to crunch it with your teeth. However, it's filled with ingredients that were soaked in spices like potatoes, lentils, or minced meat, so it feels delicious and, at the same time spicy. The dish is ubiquitous during Ramadan but is a year-round favorite for its combination of spices and aromatic flavors. The outer shell provides a satisfying crunch, while the warm filling bursts with spices.

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• How it's served: Often with a side of chutney or yogurt for dipping.
• Where to try it: Al Ustad Special Kebab, Al Mankhool Rd; Al Reef Lebanese Bakery, various locations in Dubai.
• Price range: 3-10 AED (0.81-2.7 USD).

Kallej

Kallej is a Middle Eastern pastry. While it's less well-known than Samboosa, it still has a devoted fan base because of its unique taste. This Dubai food typically consists of thin dough layers filled with cheese, nuts, or sweet ingredients.

The pastry's appeal is due to its balance of crisp exterior and rich filling, which can be savory or sweet depending on the preparation. It's often an afternoon snack or light dessert for many locals.

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• How it's served: Usually warm, sprinkled with a touch of sugar or syrup if someone wants it to taste sweet.
• Where to try it: Baker & Spice, Town Centre Jumeirah; Falafel Farm, Al Barsha.
• Price range: 8-20 AED (2.16-5.4 USD).

Fattoush

The Dubai food culture also includes a salad, Fattoush. It has Levantine origins, and the dish looks vibrant because of fresh vegetables and a delicious dressing. So, the dish combines tomatoes, cucumbers, and radishes with toasted pieces of Arabic bread for added crunch (+ pomegranate seeds for serving).

The dressing often includes lemon juice, olive oil, and sumac. Thus, it doesn't just look beautiful and taste delicious; it also smells divine. It's a very light salad, although the toasted pieces of bread should keep you full. As you've guessed, Fattoush is ideal for vegans.

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• How it's served: Sprinkled with dressing and garnished with pomegranate seeds for a beautiful appearance.
• Where to try it: Seven Sands, The Beach, JBR; Arabian Tea House, Al Fahidi St.
• Price range: around 20-40 AED (5.4-10.8 USD).

Madrouba

Madrouba is a delicious and traditional dish from the Arabian Gulf. It's common in several countries, including the UAE, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia. The name comes from the Arabic word «Dareb,» which literally means the process of pounding or crushing rice, which is the meal preparation method.

Madrouba combines slow-cooked rice, meat (usually chicken or fish), and spices; these ingredients go into a bowl to create a thick and hearty stew. Madrouba is incredibly aromatic and has an intense flavor thanks to turmeric, garlic, and cardamom. The result is creamy, satisfying, and perfect for special occasions like Ramadan. But of course, in Dubai, you can hop into a Ferrari you've rented at a local agency and taste it at a prestige restaurant.

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• How it's served: It's typically combined with fresh bread like khameer or regag.
• Where to try it: Al Fanar Restaurant & Cafe, various locations in Dubai; Seven Sands, The Beach, JBR.
• Price range: 45-90 AED (12-25 USD).

Lahem Bl Ajin

Lahem Bl Ajin is a beloved dish in Dubai and other Middle Eastern areas. This meal is known as «meat on dough», and it has ground lamb or beef seasoned with onions and a generous combination of spices. Before baking, the cook spread the spiced meat mixture over a thinly rolled dough.

The baking process is quick, just under 10 minutes, with an optional broil to add a touch of crispness to the top. The result is a warm, flavorful flatbread with tender meat that can be eaten as a snack or a main course. Lahem Bl Ajin has a crispy top, yet the meat inside isn't overcooked (and not raw), so it's a perfect combination.

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• How it's served: Usually, it's served fresh out of the oven with a sprinkle of lemon juice.
• Where to try it: Bakeries like Al Reef Lebanese Bakery, Al Mallah on 2nd December Street, or Manoushe Street, located around Dubai.
• Price range: Around 20-45 AED (5.4-12.2 USD); typically, it depends on the location and portion.

Thareed

Thareed is a traditional Emirati dish rooted in Bedouin culture. It combines slow-cooked lamb, chicken, or vegetables in a spiced broth. All this combo is then served over thin, crispy bread pieces.

The bread absorbs the stew's flavors, so each bite feels like coming home after being away for years! Thareed is a traditional Ramadan meal, but it's also popular during other significant gatherings as it's the so-called communal dish. Therefore, do not hesitate, hop into your rented car with driver, and go taste Thareed!

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• How it's served: Usually served in large bowls with the meat and bread fully soaked in the broth.
• Where to try it: Arabian Tea House in Al Fahidi Historical District or Logma at Dubai Mall.
• Price range: Between 45-85 AED (12.2-23 USD) based on the restaurant and ingredients.