Where to eat in Dubai

When you think of all there is to see and do in Dubai there is no doubt: the city has everything you can imagine and will never leave you indifferent. Its unstoppable economic and technological progress is in tune with the most traditional essence of the Arab Emirates and, within its gastronomy, it is also reflected.

Just as it is able to offer you a typical Arab tea shop or a Lebanese restaurant, it can also surprise you with the best American meat or with dishes taken directly from Italy or Greece. If your mouth is watering, don't waste any more time! Here is a list of the best places to eat in Dubai.

If you have come to Dubai to learn more about the culture and traditions of the United Arab Emirates and want to dive into the local cuisine, the Arabian Tea House is one of the places where you should go to eat. This place, in addition to having a spectacular architecture that makes it the center of all the cameras, also has a menu with a lot of variety and very good quality.

Its star dishes are the Tahta Laham, a typical dish based on meat, rice and spices, and its breakfasts, full of Arab flavors. This place boasts an impeccable treatment and has earned the position of one of the most recommended places to try the typical food of Dubai.

Interesting facts

• Where: Al Fahidi Street, Bur Dubai, Bastakiya.
• Average price per person: between 10€ to 30€.
• Specialty: Traditional and local food.
• Ideal for: couples, families and groups of friends.

If you are not so interested in trying the typical food and you have come to Dubai to enjoy the luxury and its spectacular fusion with Western cuisine, in Tribes Carnivore you can find the best meat in the city with cuts and specialties taken from the USA. In addition, the restaurant is located in the middle of Dubai Mall, so you can enjoy the spectacular views of the Burj Khalifa skyscraper.

The menu is full of steakhouse-style recipes, with burgers and ribs, although you can also find vegetarian and, of course, halal-friendly versions. Dishes are usually very generous and, although it is usually quite full, it is worth booking and enjoying a dinner with a view.

Interesting facts

• Where: Shikh Mohamed bin Rashid Blvd, Dubai Mall.
• Average price per person: between 20€ to 40€.
• Specialty: Meat and burgers.
• Ideal for: dates as a couple or families.

Dubai is not only Arabic food and its delicious spicy dishes. It is also a world capital where you can find the best restaurants of the gastronomy you like the most. If your weakness is Greek cuisine, in the Mall of the Emirates you can find the Eat Greek Kouzina restaurant.

With an extensive menu full of the most famous Greek dishes, this restaurant has won the recognition of many tourists and locals. Its specialty is souvlaki skewers or moussaka, although any dish on the menu will seem to be taken from Athens itself.

Interesting facts

• Where: Mall of the Emirates, Barsha, 1.
• Average price per person: between 20€ to 30€.
• Specialty: Greek dishes.
• Ideal for: tourists with a taste for Greek food.

In Dubai there is also a space dedicated to Italy for all pasta and pizza lovers. Inside Dubai Mall, there is a space with several supermarkets selling Italian products and nearby they have taken the opportunity to open Eataly, one of the best Italian restaurants in the city.

It is a place with top quality products and haute cuisine dishes, so success is assured. The specialty is seafood dishes, carpaccio and pasta funghi. In addition, you can take advantage of buying the ingredients you like the most right there.

Interesting facts

• Where: Lower Ground Level, The Dubai Mall.
• Average price per person: between 30€ to 50€.
• Specialty: Italian dishes and ingredients.
• Ideal for: couples and lovers of Italian cuisine and haute cuisine.

Just a few minutes drive from the city center, in the middle of the Rub' al Khali desert, you will find not only one of the most prestigious resort hotels in the world, but also a spectacular restaurant with a spectacular setting. If you have the chance to take a trip to the desert of Dubai, I recommend you to live this experience and go there for dinner.

In addition to its unique setting in the middle of the dunes, it offers a very good quality menu with typical products and dishes, and fusions with Western cuisine. It is undoubtedly an ideal place to have a romantic date or to live the full experience of being in the Emirates.

Interesting facts

• Where: Al Qudra Rd, Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa.
• Average price per person: between 20€ to 50€.
• Specialty: Fusion cuisine and Arabic dishes.
• Ideal for: couples or small groups.

If what you are looking for in your stay in Dubai is luxury and pampering, in this city you can find just what you want with places like the restaurant of Al Mahara and Al Munhata, two seven-star hotels only suitable for the most select pockets. The restaurant features a huge aquarium and a unique ambiance.

The prices are a bit high, costing around €70 per person. However, if you take it as an experience and let yourself be carried away by the huge menu, you will enjoy a romantic dinner among fish and with an exceptional treatment.

Interesting facts

• Where: Burj Al Arab Hotel.
• Average price per person: between 40 € to 80 €.
• Specialty: International cuisine.
• Ideal for: couples, romantic dinners.

Located on one of Dubai's famous artificial islands, The Palm Atlantis, is one of the best Lebanese restaurants in the city. This type of cuisine tends to be very popular among locals, but it has also gained the recognition of tourists because, in Ayamna, you can not only enjoy some successful dishes, but also be in a paradisiacal environment overlooking the sea and palm trees.

One of the best recommendations if it is the first time you go, is to ask for the Lebanese Culinary Experience, so you can try a little of each of the specialties. Its dishes based on vegetables, breads, rice, meat and spices are able to conquer any discerning palate.

Interesting facts

• Where: Crescent Road, The Palm Atlantis, The Palm.
• Average price per person: between 40€ to 60€.
• Specialty: Lebanese cuisine and culinary experience.
• Ideal for: Groups of friends or families.

Dubai is a city of contrasts and within its cuisine and gastronomic offerings you can also see it. If you go on vacation, even if you are not staying at the Sheraton Grand Hotel, you can not miss the experience of eating at its restaurant, the Feast Restaurant. This place is the perfect fusion between the typical food of the United Arab Emirates and the oriental influence.

If you like fusion food and typical dishes from China or Japan, in this restaurant you will find the perfect mix. It also has an open kitchen so you can see how your dishes are prepared. It is also famous for its desserts, so organize yourself well and leave a space for these Arabian delicacies.

Interesting facts

• Where: 3 Sheikh Zayed Road - Sheraton Grand Hotel.
• Average price per person: between 25€ to 35€.
• Specialty: Oriental and fusion cuisine.
• Ideal for: couples, families or groups of friends.

Eating good food is not always synonymous of being expensive and Operation Falafel knows it well. The aim of this restaurant is to offer a wide variety of typical Arab food, as consumed by local people and at an affordable price. It is for this philosophy that it has entered the list of one of the most valued restaurants in Dubai.

Its specialty, as its name suggests, is falafels, but they also have a wide variety of shawarmas and a banana and chocolate dessert in the shape of a pizza that will make your mouth water.

Interesting facts

• Where: Jumeirah Beach Residence.
• Average price per person: between 5€ to 10€.
• Specialty: Low cost Arabic cuisine.
• Ideal for: large groups of family and friends.

If you are spending the day at the Dubai Marina promenade and want to eat something quick but tasty, do not hesitate to stop by Catch 22, a simple place but full of dishes that will not leave you indifferent. Despite its clear American aesthetics, its star dishes are sushi and fish.

For a very affordable price you can sit down and try their delicious sautéed seafood and combine it with the typical American shakes. In addition, its location, in the heart of Dubai Marina, will offer you beautiful views of the sea.

Interesting facts

• Where: La Mer, Jumeirah Beach, Jumeirah 1, Dubai
• Average price per person: between 10€ to 20€.
• Specialty: Asian fusion cuisine.
• Ideal for: families and groups of friends.

Dubai may be one of the most expensive and luxurious cities in the world, but it is also one of the most versatile, so you don't have to go with a tight wallet when it comes to eating out. Throughout the city you can find all kinds of places to eat tasty and traditional food to suit all budgets.

If you want to eat in dream places, with views and haute cuisine menus, the city can offer you the best restaurants in the world. However, there are also hundreds of local restaurants and eateries with very good quality and low prices. Therefore, the price range can go from 5€ to figures of more than 100€.

The gastronomy of Dubai and the United Arab Emirates in general, has a great influence of Arabic cuisine, so many of the dishes will have the presence of legumes, sour sauces, spices such as curcuma or cumin and seasoned meats.

Some of the most typical recipes are hummus, mezze, tabbouleh or mackbus. All of them feature a mixture of stewed meats with fresh and citric touches and many spices that give them a special touch. Pork, meanwhile, is forbidden throughout the country by Muslim law and the pork offered to tourists is not usually of very good quality, so I do not recommend it.

You may have the idea that eating inside a shopping mall is not one of the most idyllic plans when you are on vacation. However, in Dubai things change, as you find yourself in a city where consumerism and economy are above all else.

That is precisely why, within the Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates, you can find some of the best restaurants in the city and with an unbeatable treatment and service. In addition, you will have the opportunity to be in direct contact with the local Dubaiti and have a closer experience.

To be able to choose to have all the variety of food and specialties in Dubai is a privilege but, in addition, you should know that street food is allowed in the city, especially in the more traditional neighborhoods such as Deira.

Here, you can find street food stalls in the souk and try some snacks or very typical food with the locals and at a fairly cheap price for the average of the whole city. Dare to get your hands dirty and try a bite of the most authentic Dubai.

Most of the best restaurants in Dubai are inside a shopping complex such as the Mall Dubai, the Mall of the Emirates or the Marina Dubai. That is why these places usually have uninterrupted hours from 10 am to 11 pm, 12 if it is the weekend.

However, if the restaurant is in a separate location, the most common opening and closing times are from 12 noon and remain open until midnight, without closing between lunch and dinner. Dubai is a city that never rests and will always be ready to offer you a table where you can enjoy a delicious meal.