Restaurants
One of the best Emirati restaurants in the city, Al Fanar offers a glimpse into Old Dubai as you wander along the waterfront. Homemade Emirati bread (khameer) and pancakes (chebab) are a must-try, as are the fish cakes (koftat samak) and meat-filled pastries (samboosa). Don’t forget to leave room for the ever-popular sweets such as ferni (rice pudding) and sticky luqaimat (fried dough in date syrup). Tel No. +971 4 600 524 646
Milas may serve traditional Emirati specialties, but its vision for the cuisine takes on a modern twist – as does its stylish décor, with polished wooden tables that reflect bursts of violet neon lights. This is the place to try modern interpretations of classic regional dishes, as well as local twists on international favourites: grilled shrimp, hares (boiled, cracked or coarsely-ground wheat served with meat or chicken), spicy fish platters, kebabs (like yoghurt and saffron-marinated chicken); crispy haloumi cheese and falafel, Emirati hummus with meat (nakhi), plus pizzas and pastas topped with Arabic ingredients and desserts such as sticky lugaymat…
Relax in this recently refurbished café in Umm Suqeim area for affordable and authentic Emirati food such as the Emirati burger or traditional house baked breads. Close to the beach, the café is much sought after by those who prefer to have a snack before wandering to the seaside.
The buffet at Arboretum is considered to be one of the best in Dubai. The stylish restaurant is also included in the famous Al Qasr brunch, which won the Best Brunch award from The BBC Good Food Middle East. The Thursday night Seafood Extravaganza is definitely worth trying. Situated along the busy waterway at Madinat Jumeirah, dining al fresco on the Arboretum terrace gives you a great experience. Telephone +971 [0] 4 366 6730 Email MJrestaurants@jumeirah.com
Discover Versatility At Kaleidoscope In a city like Dubai, where a multitude of communities and cultures come together to share memories of their homeland, Kaleidoscope gives you the opportunity to visit the world through food. Located in the Atlantis, The Palm on Palm Jumeirah, the restaurant is popular for its action-packed buffet atmosphere, with live cooking stations and alternating themed nights that serve Arabic, Indian, Mediterranean and other various international culinary specialties. It’s the perfect venue for meeting friends.
Arabic for “mouthful”, Logma is an on-trend restaurant in Dubai’s hip BoxPark that is dedicated to the art of Emirati cuisine. Popular in the evenings with the locals, stop by between browsing the unique boutiques to sample traditional dishes of Chebab, Muhalla and Regag, or modern twists on Emirati flavours such as fries with Khaleeji herbs and spices.
Enjoy Egyptian Cuisine At Dar El Kamar Dar El Kamar is a restaurant and cafe that specialises in traditional home-cooked Egyptian cuisine. The restaurant was set up by a group of Egyptians in Dubai who understood that fellow countrymen may feel nostalgic for the cuisine enjoyed at family gatherings at home. Familiar dishes on the menu include Fatir, Grills, Fattah, Mahashy and Arabic sweets. They really aim to please with good food and equally good service. Find them on the Dubai Marina Boardwalk.
Savour Fresh Flavours At C.Taste C.Taste offers a modern setting for lunch or dinner, with a buffet featuring a wide range of international and Arabic dishes and live cooking stations where you can watch the chefs in action preparing your chosen dish. If you’re looking for somewhere to go on the weekend, C.Taste is open for Friday brunch too.
Follow Your Nose to Foodlands If you’re in Deira and fancy eating tasty Arabic, Indian and Chinese cuisine, check out Cardamom. This well-known restaurant opened its doors over 15 years ago and has become a bit of an institution in the city. The emphasis is very much on spice – and you’ll be spoilt for choice with specialities including Arabic Bhokarat, Tandoori Masala and Chinese Five Spice.
