Where to find authentic Emirati food in Dubai

Emirati cuisine is a melting pot of cultural influences that have helped shape the history of Dubai. This unique blend of flavours and ingredients are mostly drawn from Bedouin, Persian and Indian dishes. Nomadic Bedouin desert-dwellers that traversed the Liwa desert’s Empty Quarter brought their desert techniques of preserving food. The spice route traders and pearl divers from the Persian Gulf brought rose water, saffron and cardamon enhanced dishes. The discovery of oil attracted an influx of labourers from India who brought with them, their biryanis and cumin, turmeric and coriander spices. Today, Emirati food is both diverse and deeply rooted in history.

Read on to discover more about Emirati food in Dubai and where to find the best restaurants and markets for authentic Emirati tastes.

Traditional Emirate dishes typically include ingredients like rice, fish and lamb, imbued with spices and sweetened with dates. Rice is a staple in Emirati cuisine. A key ingredient in most Emirati dishes is Bezar, a spice mix comprising cardamom, cumin, cinnamon, black and red pepper, fenugreek and turmeric. To make the fragrant spice mix, whole spices, sourced from the Spice Souk in Dubai Creek, are washed, sun dried and roasted. Then ground together in a pestle and mortar and sealed in airtight containers to retain the flavours.

A classic dish is Lamb Ghouzi – an aromatic lamb dish served on bed of rice. The lamb is coated in a marinade of bezar and yoghurt and left overnight. The lamb is then slow cooked in a pot over an open fire for two to three hours, until the meat is juicy and tender. 

From delicious saffron and cardamom flavoured Chenab pancakes to spicy Tahta Laham, here are some of the best Emirati dishes to try during your next visit to Dubai:

Harees is possibly the most well-known dish in Emirati cuisine. It is an integral part of Emirate heritage and is served at special family gatherings like weddings and Holy month celebrations.  It is made from crushed wheat and minced lamb, beef or chicken. The meat and the wheat is cooked together in salt water for several hours in a mash pan and stirred with a wooden spoon called a “Masad Masr”.  When ready to serve, the dish is sprinkled with chopped onions and a spoonful of ghee. Harees is a popular dish when breaking fast during Ramadan as it is easy to make, rich and comforting and light on the stomach.

Majboos is a traditional rice dish in Emirati cuisine - an adaptation of Biryani and risotto. The rice is cooked in the spiced broth of the lamb, fish or chicken. Majboos ingredients can include chicken, lamb, fish, or shrimp and potatoes and canned chopped tomatoes. A yoghurt and local spice marinade is made up of cumin, turmeric, and coriander powder. A traditional chicken majboos recipe comprises marinating the chicken pieces in yoghurt and spices overnight and then lightly braising them until golden brown. Cardamom pods, a cinnamon stick, peppercorns, onions, ginger, garlic, green chillis and lumi are sauteed in oil in a casserole pot for two-minutes and added to the braised chicken pieces with the canned tomatoes and two cups of water and brought to a boil. The mixture should then be allowed to simmer over a low heat for about forty-five-minutes.

Once done, the chicken can be transferred to a roasting pan, brushed with some oil and broiled until golden. Remove the cinnamon stick and lumi from the broth and add the potatoes and fresh coriander and boil until the potatoes are tender. Then add the rice. Seal the casserole pot and cook over low heat for 30-minutes until the rice mix is done. Place the rice on a platter with the chicken pieces on top. Garnish with sautéed onions, cashews, raisins, and fresh coriander.

Another popular rice dish is Tahta Laham. Shredded lamb is cooked in bezar spices with ginger and turmeric in a saffron-rose water gravy. The lamb dish is served between two layers of steamed rice and topped with cashew nuts, dried raisins and caramelised onions.

A delicious Emirati dessert is Luqaymat. The bite-sized pastries are fluffy on the inside and crunchy on the outside. They are flavoured with sesame seeds and made with flour, milk, sugar and yeast. Knead the ingredients together and set aside for some time to allow the yeast to develop. Once ready, deep fry in oil and dip in honey or date syrup. 

Emirati food and culture are interlinked and reflect the history, rituals and traditions of old Dubai. Ancient customs are still observed in Dubai by locals, like serving Arabic coffee (Gahwa) and dates when entertaining visitors and eating dishes with your right hand.

Tea drinking is a national pastime in Dubai. Hundreds of cups of chai karak (milk tea) made with evaporated milk is sold in the city daily. The lively atmosphere around a tea shop is a perfect illustration of life in Dubai - lone tea drinkers scrolling on their phones and groups of friends catching up over cups of tea outside Creekside kiosks. Mostly chai karak is sweetened with sugar but some like it with cardamon or a little saffron added to their hot brew. 

The Bur Dubai neighbourhood of Dubai located on the western side of Dubai Creek, near the historic Al Fahidi district, is where you will find two authentic Emirati restaurants. The Arabian Tea House serves authentic, traditional dishes and different types of tea and refreshments in a setting reminiscent of old Dubai. You can enjoy your meal under the shade of an old tree in the courtyard. Enjoy Saloona Deyay, a chicken dish cooked in the traditional way with tomato, potato, onions, lentils, bezar spices and coriander served with a cucumber-based Arabic salad and white rice.

The Al Khayma Heritage Restaurant has been awarded a Bib Gourmand by Michelin and typical emirate dishes include lamb majboos with saffron rice and fried marinated kingfish served with the house fish sauce and savoury rice. 

Enjoy authentic Emirati dishes at Al Bait Alqadeem Restaurant and Café in Deira. Here you can enjoy traditional shrimp majboos and fish biryani.

At Al Fanar  in the Creekside neighbourhood of Al Seef is where seafood lovers will find the freshest seafood infused with Emirati flavours. Enjoy the build-your-own seafood tray. With a choice of seafood; sea bream, saari, salmon, seabass and harmour and accompaniments like machboos rice, fish kofta and fried fish roe.

SMAT located in the Dubai Design District serves delicious and authentic Emirati breakfast dishes such as the regag – a thin, crispy bread with generous fillings of cheese and chehab pancakes with sides of cheese and dips.

Local House has embraced its culinary roots, is the first restaurant in Dubai to serve camel burgers. They also serve a range of seafood, starters and desserts. 

1. To discover real Emirate cuisine in Dubai we suggest exploring the city’s oldest communities on a culinary tour with Frying Pan Adventures. On each of their food tours, you will experience the authentic flavours and traditions that define Emirati cuisine and be introduced to its souks, markets and authentic restaurants.
   
   
2. Visit the spice souk and buy aromatic herbs and spices to help you recreate Emirati recipes at home. 
   
   
3. If you want to visit old Dubai at night, join the Naif by Night Food and Photography Tour, also organised by Frying Pan Adventures, in collaboration with Gulf Photo Plus. Naif is one of the oldest neighbourhoods in Dubai Creek.
   
   
4. Learn more about the old Dubai by taking a Heritage Express tour on a bus styled as a majlis (a traditional welcoming space for guests). 
   
   
5. Experience old Dubai like a native on a walking tour with Wander with Nada. 
   
   
6. Sample Khalas dates. You’ll find them at kiosks all over Dubai Creek.  They are often served with chaami, a cheese curd made from boiled buttermilk. 
   
   
7. Find out more about Arabic coffee at the  Coffee Museum in Al Fahidi. 
   
   
8. Enjoy freshly caught fish at Al Fanar Seafood Market while watching dhow boats sailing along the creek. 
   
   
9. Visit Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding to discover more about Emirate culture and food traditions. You’ll learn about the types of food Emirati’s eat, how they prepare food and why they eat food with their right hand, from an upright position near the floor. 
   
   
10. Learn how to cook traditional Emirati dishes at Al Khayma Heritage Restaurant, located in the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood. 

Enjoy local charm and modern comfort at Mercure Dubai Deira. It’s the perfect base while discovering Deira’s food markets and spice souk. After a day spent exploring relax by the rooftop infinity pool.

At Mercure Dubai Barsha Heights Hotel Suites & Apartments the suites come with a dedicated living area, cosy bedrooms with balconies and walk-in showers and bathtubs. The family-friendly, fully serviced apartments offer you your own space and are perfect for extended stays. If you are looking for accommodation on the northern side of Dubai, near the Dubai Convention Centre and Jumeirah Beach, Mercure Gold Hotel Al Mina Road Dubai offers stylish, comfortable rooms and a pool and spa and fitness facilities.