Gourmets are sure to get their money’s worth in Dubai – but they are also spoiled for choice: from Italian pasta to Japanese sushi to American steaks, almost every cuisine in the world is represented in the cosmopolitan metropolis.
There are particularly numerous restaurants that offer the typical dishes of the nationalities prevailing among the guest workers; therefore the city has. For example, an abundance of Indian restaurants where you can enjoy much more authentic food than “at the Indian” in this country. But the international variety of restaurants in Dubai also takes account of the growing influx of holiday and business travelers.
Gourmets are sure to get their money’s worth in Dubai
You can dine exclusively and nobly in the restaurants of the famous luxury hotels that also cater to non-hotel guests, for example in Al-Dawaar, Dubai’s only revolving restaurant on the 25th floor of the Hyatt Regency.
In addition to exquisite culinary delights and live cooking events, a spectacular view of the city’s skyline awaits you here. Also recommended: a visit to the Armani Amal. It is located on the 3rd floor of the Burj Khalifa and whose terrace offers a fantastic view of the Dubai Fountains.
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Seafood Market is not a market hall, but a top-class restaurant that specializes in excellent seafood and freshly caught fish. Its highlights include the oysters, lobsters, crabs, and prawns kept in large seawater tanks.
There are plenty of options for cheap but good food. For example, the large numbers of Lebanese and Indian cafes or the so-called food courts of the shopping malls. These offer a diverse selection of both international and Arabic-style restaurants as well as branches of well-known snack chains.
Baklava is a popular dessert in the Orient
The local cuisine of Dubai, like that of the entire United Arab Emirates, is shaped by several influences.
Among other things, dishes from Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Oman, and North African, and the Levant play an important role. The most important factor is the traditional Arabic-Oriental cuisine. We can characterize it by a variety of grilled fish or meat dishes, the use of numerous spices – saffron, pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves – and a large selection of vegetarian recipes. Pork is not on the menu, because Muslims can’t eat it.
As side dishes, rice and bread play the main role instead of potatoes and pasta. Sweets and desserts are also very popular; however, sweets like baklava or halwa are often very sweet for the European palate.
The starters and main courses, on the other hand, enjoy international popularity – just think of hummus, a spicy paste made from chickpeas and sesame, seasoned with lots of garlic, tabbouleh, a refreshing salad made from bulgur, parsley, tomatoes, onions, and mint, or the many delicious grilled dishes with lamb, veal and chicken.
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Shish kebab is very popular, especially in the Shish Taouk. It consists of marinated chicken with garlic and other spices.
Shawarma is closely related: grilled chicken strips, served with various sauces in flatbread, supplemented with salad and French fries if desired.
UAE Dubai Food KabsaKabsa, a traditional dish made from rice and chicken
Fast food is not popular at family or other celebrations – elaborate dishes are on the menu here. Qoozi is very popular in the Gulf region. A whole lamb is traditionally prepared by stuffing it with nuts and almonds, dried fruits and raisins as well as various spices, slowly cooking it, and serving it with rice. Restaurants that serve Arabic haute cuisine use a traditional clay oven to prepare this feast.
According to modern cooking conditions, simply stuffed lamb is often cooked in the oven. Another popular dish is kabsa. In the combination of rice, chicken or lamb, almonds or nuts, raisins, and various spices such as pepper, cinnamon, and saffron, it represents the classic cuisine of the Gulf States. Kabsa is traditionally eaten by hand – from a common container for all diners.
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Since Muslims can’t eat pork, they are also can’t drink alcohol. Alcoholic beverages play no role in the local food culture. Instead, people drink coffee and tea in large quantities, with hot drinks with spices.
The Emiratis are popular to be passionate coffee drinkers; They also like to go to western-style cafés. Good to know: In the resorts geared towards international guests, beer, wine, and cocktails are of course available; There are also specialty shops that sell alcohol, but only non-Muslims are allowed to visit.
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