Dubai’s ever changing culinary scene is home to international cuisines and Emirati delights alike. Home to award winning restaurants featured in the Michelin Guide as well as MENA 50 Best, the city also has a host of local eateries that can’t be missed.
For those looking to eat their way around the city, we have rounded up a selection of options from homegrown farm to table concepts to immersive cultural and foodie walking tours below.
LOWE
A homegrown ideology, Lowe is at the forefront of the farm-to-table and sustainable dining trend and is a pioneer in promoting the use of locally sourced, seasonal produce. In 2022, LOWE was rewarded for its efforts in the sustainable dining space with a Green Michelin star, thanks in part to the restaurants ‘waste not’ menus, featuring as much of each ingredient as possible. The restaurant’s creative concept is reflected in its contemporary and experimental dining experience, where food is cooked naturally by fire. The open kitchen, which features a charcoal grill, rotisserie and wood-fired oven, celebrates the beauty of rustic and approachable food, using traditional techniques to create unique and delicious flavours.
Dish to try: Whole roasted local sole, curry leaf and caper butter vinaigrette.
How: For more information and to book, visit lowe-dubai.com.
Al Khayma Heritage Restaurant
A newer addition to Dubai’s list of authentic Emirati restaurants, Al Khayma Heritage Restaurant focuses on handpicked farm fresh ingredients to create a whole range of local favourites from chebab (Emirati pancakes) to balaleet (sweetened vermicelli with egg). Situated within the narrow streets of Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, the restaurant is a must visit for those looking to immerse themselves in culture during a trip. Offering a taste of tradition, the restaurant serves generous meals against the courtyard backdrop as traditional music plays.
Dish to try: Hyderabadi biryani.
How: For more information and to book, visit alkhayma.com.
3FILS
With harbourside community dining, 3FILS offers premium Asian dishes with a Japanese twist. Guests are encouraged to share and socialise while enjoying the innovative cuisine that has landed the restaurant a top ten spot on MENA’s 50 Best Restaurants awards for three years in a row. 3FILS thrives on sourcing quality ingredients, including those from Tokyo’s Tsukiji Market, as well as incorporating fusion and influence from UAE cuisine.
Dish to try: Wagyu carpaccio and truffle.
How: For more information and to book, visit 3fils.com.
BRIX
A contemporary dessert restaurant from the creative minds behind 3FILS, BRIX serves unique desserts, hand crafted chocolates, and tasting experiences like no other. From the Snickers Bomb inspired by the popular chocolate bar to a four-course tasting menu inspired by the seasons, the team at BRIX create intricate desserts to tempt the tastebuds. BRIX offers everything from a quick sweet treat to a multi-sensory sweet treat journey that engages all five senses.
Dish to try: ‘Ananas’: a delicate bowl of pastry cream, caramelised pineapple, coconut mousse, peach sorbet and almond flakes.
How: For more information and to book, visit brixdessert.com.
Neighbourhood Food Hall
Neighbourhood Food Hall has an emphasis on casual community dining. Curated to include only niche, owner-driven homegrown brands, the food hall is the first of its kind. Neighbourhood Food Hall showcases cuisines from around the world from Sri Lankan at Authentic Ceylon to Japanese at Maru Udon to Peruvian at Macchu Picchu for a true taste of Emirati favourites. A locally loved spot in Motor City, the Food Hall is a great spot for those looking for casual dining.
How: For more information and to book, visit neighbourhoodfoodhall.com.
Frying Pan Adventures
Sisters Arva and Farida take visitors off the beaten path away from the tourist hotspots and into Old Dubai during foodie tours to uncover where the locals eat in the city. Frying Pan Adventures offers various private and group guided food tours from a Middle Eastern food pilgrimage to a tour of Dubai’s souks and the Creek. Knowledgeable guides will teach groups all about Dubai’s culinary offerings found in its back streets, winding alleys, and bustling markets.
How: For more information and to book, visit fryingpanadventures.com.
Seven Paintings
This avante-garde food experience cleverly merges theatrics, technology, and multimedia art across a seven course dinner. Led by internationally renowned food artist and chef, Omar Satwari, the seven-course dinner is accompanied by creative beverages and features a story told by Leonardo da Vinci and Mona Lisa that takes guests on a discovery of the works of the great masters of art, such as Michelangelo, Banksy, Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollock, Andy Warhol, Salvador Dalí, and Vincent van Gogh, all presented on the table with show-stopping visuals and artistic culinary delights.
How: For more information and to book, visit sevenpaintings.com.
Dubai Food Festival
Dubai’s Food Festival is taking place from April 19 until May 12 to showcase the extraordinary food scene that the city has to offer. The festival incorporates a whole host of events including the unmissable Dubai Restaurant Week from April 26, as well as the inaugural Chef’s Menu – a feature where Dubai’s culinary maestros will compile exclusive menus of their most celebrated dishes. The Dubai Food Festival is the perfect chance to explore new restaurants and indulge in delicious foods across the city. A selection of scheduled foodie experiences including master classes and four-hand dinners will also educate on the flavours and traditions of Dubai.
How: For more information, visit visitdubai.com/en/whats-on/dubai-food-festival.
All imagery supplied by: Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET)
