A Foodie’s Guide to Dubai

Dubai. This man-made city never stops to amaze me. From a bone-dry desert to becoming a bustling metropolis, the development in Dubai over the last 25 years is astounding. It seems like nothing is impossible in Dubai.

The city’s strategic geographic location, practically halfway between Europe and Australia, makes it the perfect destination to break up a long haul flight.

The cultural melting pot makes it the food mecca of the Middle East. Whether stopping over for just a few hours or a couple of days, there’s plenty of good food to tantalise your tastebuds.

Eat like a local

With a population of more than 2 million, only 10% are Arab UAE nationals living in Dubai city, with the rest consisting of foreign workers, chiefly Indian and Pakistani. Al Fanar is the first and only restaurant in Dubai serving authentic local Emirati cuisine in a modern dining setting. One-pot stews and large sharing plates are a key feature of Emirati food, with many dishes combining Middle Eastern cuisines with the influence of Asians.

Finding a good Indian meal in Dubai is almost too easy – there are Indian restaurants sprawled around the whole city, especially in the Indian quarter near Dubai Museum and also in Al Karama area. For the vegetarians, you simply can’t go past Manvaar Restaurant, which specialises in North-Indian Rajasthani cuisine and is famous for vegetarian dishes such as Dal-Bati-Churma and Desi Gatta Curry. Make sure to order an extra roti to mop up the rich curry sauce.

Another Indian vegetarian restaurant worth checking out is Puranmal Vegetarian Restaurant, located just around the corner from the Arabian Courtyard Hotel & Spa in Old Dubai. Locals flock here for their popular street food snack panipuri, a hollowed-out crispy ball of pastry filled with tamarind chutney, coriander, green chilli and crispy noodle. More Indian street food can be found in this area. Make sure to grab yourself a bag of fritters, samosas and pakoras to munch away on as you browse through the textile market.

Spice up your life

If you love cooking, then catch a rickety wooden Abra water taxi for only 1 Dirham to the Spice Souk on the other side of Dubai Creek. Here you’ll find all kinds of herbs and spices on display outside the shops in narrow alleyways, but prepare to put your haggling skill to the test. Work hard and score yourself some highly sorted Iranian saffron at a reasonable price. However, please check with your country’s customs before making any purchases to ensure you’re allowed to bring it back home. Since you’re in the area, you might also want to check out the Gold Souk next door to the Spice Souk. You can never have too much bling.