The quick answer
Two things. There is an Emirati cuisine, it is worth seeking out, and it is surprisingly hard to find because it is largely home food. And the everyday eating here is among the best value in the world: the food of the South Asian, Filipino, Levantine and Iranian communities who make up most of the population, at a fraction of hotel prices.
Emirati dishes
- Machboos. Spiced rice with meat or fish, scented with dried lime, the backbone of Gulf cooking.
- Harees. Wheat and meat cooked to a smooth savoury porridge; a Ramadan staple and much loved.
- Thareed. Meat and vegetable stew over thin bread that soaks into it.
- Balaleet. Sweet vermicelli with cardamom topped with omelette, eaten for breakfast, and the sweet-savoury combination is the point.
- Luqaimat. Crisp fried dough balls in date syrup. Order them.
- Camel appears as meat, as milk and, more approachably, as camel milk chocolate, which is a good souvenir.
A handful of restaurants and cultural centers serve Emirati food properly and some run meals that come with an explanation of the culture, which is the easiest way to eat it well.
Where the everyday food is
In the older districts of Dubai, Deira and Bur Dubai and the neighborhoods around them, and in the equivalent parts of Abu Dhabi. Pakistani and Indian cafeterias, Sri Lankan kottu, Filipino canteens, Iranian bakeries with bread straight from the oven, Lebanese grills and shawarma stands. This is where most of the population eats and it is a great deal better than most of what is served with a view.
Karak
Strong tea boiled with evaporated milk, sugar and cardamom, sold from windows across both cities for almost nothing. A national habit that arrived with South Asian workers. Stop for one.
The high end
Dubai in particular has become a serious restaurant city, with international chefs, tasting menus and rooftop dining. It is excellent, it is expensive, and it is not where the character is. Brunch is a local institution, usually a long Friday or Saturday affair at a hotel, and is a genuine cultural experience of a very particular kind.
Dates and coffee
Dates and cardamom-scented Arabic coffee are offered as hospitality everywhere. Take with the right hand; wiggle the small cup gently when you have had enough or it will be refilled. Date shops are worth visiting for the range alone, and dates make the best gift to take home.
Practicalities
- Pork is available in some supermarkets in a separate section and in some licensed restaurants, and is otherwise absent.
- Alcohol only in licensed venues.
- During Ramadan, no eating or drinking in public in daylight; many places close until sunset and iftar is a highlight of the year.
- Vegetarians eat extremely well thanks to the Indian food; vegan is easy in the same places.
- Tap water is safe; hydration matters here more than palate.
- Check whether service is already on the bill before tipping again.
Planning with LABUSA Travel
We will get you eating Emirati food somewhere it is cooked properly, and into the neighborhood restaurants most visitors never see.
Sources
- Visit Dubai, Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism: official visitor information for the emirate of Dubai. Accessed 11 August 2026.
- Experience Abu Dhabi, Department of Culture and Tourism: official visitor information for the emirate of Abu Dhabi. Accessed 11 August 2026.
- US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Travelers’ Health, United Arab Emirates: vaccination and heat guidance. Accessed 11 August 2026.