People in Dubai tend to eat out a lot, but that doesn’t mean they have to let go of their culture and tradition. These restaurants would make any Emirati mother proud – maybe a bit jealous, too.
Local Bites Café
Get the breakfast of champions at Local Bites Café. The Jumeirah Beach Road restaurant will fill you with delicious chebabs, balaleet, and more than enough Arabic coffee. Chababs are Emirati pancakes seasoned with cardamom, and balaleet is vermicelli with an omelet that hits the spot between sweet and salty. It’s definitely a must-try for visitors who want to experience the culture and for locals who miss breakfast at home.
Milas
Right in Dubai Mall’s The Village, Milas is a sure bet for a good meal. Try their machboos laham, a traditional rice and meat dish usually eaten in a large mound by hand. You should definitely end your meal with some fried ice-cream. Maybe it’s not totally traditional, but it’s good enough that you won’t care.
Al Fanar
An intimate space inside Dubai Festival City Mall, this restaurant is perfect for a family dinner or to show off Dubai’s heritage to visitors. They have the ever-popular khoboz khameer and mohalla, but the standout dish is margougat laham, a meat stew in spicy tomato sauce. For dessert, their luqaimat, which are best compared to doughnuts drenched in date syrup, are particularly good.
Mama Tani
This restaurant has delicious breakfasts for a good price. Enjoy chebab, karak, and khameer with cream cheese and honey for a traditional breakfast. They also have baked sausage khameer, another delicious take on the bread. Try the camel milk hot chocolate for a yummy, if different, experience.
Al Barza
The moment you step into this restaurant you’ll feel surrounded by Emirati culture. The food only accentuates that, with hares laham serving up creamy goodness. You can also get camel meat and rice, a buttery delicious trip to the emirate’s past.
