Where to eat in Dubai
This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).
The food scene in Dubai is much like its skyline: ever-changing. Chefs constantly add new flavours to menus that represent the multitude of nationalities that call the emirate home. And while it's known for its opulent fine dining and pull-out-all-the-stops brunches, there are places to suit even more modest budgets, from homely holes-in-the-wall to Michelin Bib Gourmand-recommended restaurants.
1. Wagyu katsu sando, REIF Japanese Kushiyaki
Chef Reif Othman's well-priced, artfully presented dishes have earned this relaxed neighbourhood spot a Michelin Bib Gourmand for three years running. And devout carnivores will love the hearty Wagyu katsu sando. Between perfectly toasted slices of milk bread, you'll find Australian Wagyu tenderloin coated with charcoal panko breadcrumbs, deep-fried as you like (or to a recommended medium-rare). Layered with another beef slice, it's smothered in tonkatsu sauce and honey-mustard mayo.
2. Chips Oman Regag, Al Labeeb Grocery
The main draw of this small grocery store, on a quiet lane in the Jumeirah neighbourhood, is its regag — a thin, crepe-like flatbread made with a batter of unleavened wheat flour. The magic is in the toppings: order it with eggs, cheese and a drizzle of chilli sauce or mahyawa, a fermented fish sauce. The optional addition of crushed and sprinkled Chips Oman crisps really makes the dish — or you can go for the sweet chocolate filling instead. Served on a paper plate, handed to you through a hatch in the window, it's best eaten right there on the pavement.
3. Kunafa Kheshna Nabulsi, Feras Aldiyafa Sweets
Kunafa is a beloved Arabic dessert of molten cheese concealed under shredded filo pastry and drenched in a sugary syrup. Find it fresh and hot in large trays and cut into hefty golden slabs at Feras Aldiyafa Sweets. The dessert varies regionally — Dubai has many different versions, while the Egyptian recipe calls for a base of clotted cream — and here it's the Palestinian style that steals the show. Made with white brined nabulsi cheese, each bite of kunafa kheshna nabulsi is a mix of sweet and savoury, crispy and gooey.
4. Caviar bun, Orfali Bros
Run by three Syrian brothers, whose food pays homage to their roots, Orfali Bros is an unpretentious, light-filled bistro with a two-storey open kitchen at its heart. It's won a number of accolades, including its first Michelin star earlier this year. The standout dish is a bite-sized caviar bun; delicate and fluffy as a beignet, it comes filled with sour cream and topped with kaluga caviar. Be sure to save space for dessert, though. The Aleppo pistachio cake is a homage to the brothers' hometown, with cake, mousse and praline all held together by a raspberry compote.
5. Cinnamon roll, Bkry
Head chef Kameel Rasyid's experimental approach to baking has gained a strong following, with queues forming for tables at Bkry, in the Alserkal Avenue arts centre, seven days a week. Everything is house-made, including jams and spreads; even the flour is milled on site. Warm, flaky croissants are made with Tanzanian chocolate or caramelised miso paste, but the rye-flour cinnamon rolls are a true highlight, served with a dollop of cream cheese, toasted pecans and a garnish of orange zest.
6. Karuvelvilas, Avatara
Fine-dining restaurant Avatara's modern, playful and artistic interpretations of vegetables made it the world's first vegetarian Indian restaurant to earn a Michelin star. The set menu takes diners on a culinary journey across India via local, seasonal produce — and the karuvelvilas (bitter gourd) is the dish to try. The humble vegetable is rarely seen on restaurant menus, and here it's been elevated by roasting with ghee and serving with mango gelato and crispy latticed rice and lentil dosa.
Food by National Geographic Traveller (UK).
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Published in Issue 26 (winter 2024) of(UK).To subscribe to(UK) magazine click here . (Available in select countries only).
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