Good to know
Good to Know
- Budget meals are found in Deira, Al Karama, and Satwa neighborhoods—the same areas with authentic Middle Eastern, South Asian, and Iranian cuisine at street-food prices (AED 10–50 per person).
- Friday brunch is a distinctive Dubai tradition—a multi-hour, often unlimited affair that serves as both meal and social event, with prices ranging from AED 225–950 depending on venue.
- Booking 1–2 weeks in advance is recommended for popular mid-range and fine-dining restaurants, especially Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings.
- During Ramadan (check current dates), most restaurants close during daylight hours and reopen for iftar (sunset meal). Some hotels operate screened dining areas for non-fasting visitors.
- Food delivery via Talabat, Zomato, or Deliveroo is widely used and reliable; many restaurants offer exclusive app-only deals.
- Virtually all food in Dubai is halal by law, making it one of the easiest cities in the world for halal dining—no special verification needed at most establishments.
- Vegan and vegetarian options are abundant and clearly marked on menus; multiple fully vegan restaurants exist alongside mainstream venues with dedicated plant-based sections.
- Prices vary dramatically by neighborhood and restaurant type—the same burger or curry might cost AED 30 in Deira or AED 150+ in DIFC.
Supermarkets
Carrefour
- Area Note
- Downtown Dubai, Dubai Marina, JLT - multiple central locations
Spinneys
- Area Note
- Downtown Dubai, DIFC, Dubai Marina
Waitrose
- Area Note
- DIFC, Downtown Dubai
Lulu Hypermarket
- Area Note
- Downtown Dubai and Marina areas
Budget
Ravi Restaurant
- Price Range
- AED 35
- Neighborhood
- Satwa
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Pakistani kebabs and curries
Al Mallah
- Price Range
- AED 10
- Neighborhood
- 2nd December Street (Deira area)
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Shawarma
Feel Viet
- Price Range
- AED 45
- Neighborhood
- JLT (Jumeirah Lake Towers)
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Vietnamese pho and bun cha
Kulcha King
- Price Range
- AED 30
- Neighborhood
- Al Karama
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Amritsari kulchas and Indian breads
High End
Trèsind Studio
- Price Range
- AED 550
- Neighborhood
- Downtown Dubai
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Indian fine dining, three Michelin stars
STAY by Yannick Alléno
- Price Range
- AED 650
- Neighborhood
- Atlantis The Palm
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Contemporary French fine dining, two Michelin stars
FZN by Björn Frantzén
- Price Range
- AED 600
- Neighborhood
- Dubai Hills Estate
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Innovative Nordic-Asian fusion, three Michelin stars
Nobu Dubai
- Price Range
- AED 500
- Neighborhood
- Atlantis The Palm
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Japanese contemporary, Michelin starred
Mid Range
Orfali Bros Bistro
- Price Range
- AED 150
- Neighborhood
- Wasl 51
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Creative Middle Eastern with wagyu burger, knafeh-foie
Reif Japanese Kushiyaki
- Price Range
- AED 120
- Neighborhood
- Al Quoz
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Japanese yakitori skewers and sando
Bait Maryam
- Price Range
- AED 90
- Neighborhood
- Downtown Dubai
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Family Levantine recipes, Palestinian-Lebanese
Kinoya
- Price Range
- AED 90
- Neighborhood
- DIFC
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Japanese contemporary cuisine
Food Delivery Apps
Talabat
- Notes
- Most popular food delivery platform in Dubai, extensive restaurant coverage
Zomato
- Notes
- Major platform with restaurant reviews, filters for dietary preferences, deals and discounts
Deliveroo
- Notes
- Premium delivery service with diverse restaurant selection
Michelin Restaurants
Trèsind Studio
- Stars
- 3
- Cuisine
- Indian fine dining
- Neighborhood
- Downtown Dubai
FZN by Björn Frantzén
- Stars
- 3
- Cuisine
- Nordic-Asian fusion
- Neighborhood
- Dubai Hills Estate
STAY by Yannick Alléno
- Stars
- 2
- Cuisine
- Contemporary French
- Neighborhood
- Atlantis The Palm
Nobu Dubai
- Stars
- 1
- Cuisine
- Japanese contemporary
- Neighborhood
- Atlantis The Palm
Al Muntaha
- Stars
- 1
- Cuisine
- Contemporary European with French influences
- Neighborhood
- Burj Al Arab
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
- Stars
- 1
- Cuisine
- Contemporary British
- Neighborhood
- Atlantis The Palm
Hakkasan Dubai
- Stars
- 1
- Cuisine
- Modern Cantonese
- Neighborhood
- Atlantis The Palm
International Cuisine
Japanese
- Description
- Widely available from casual ramen shops to Michelin-starred omakase experiences
Indian
- Description
- Extensive options from street food to fine dining, including both North and South Indian cuisines
Lebanese and Levantine
- Description
- Abundant mezze, grilled meats, and traditional flatbread options across all price points
Italian
- Description
- Fine dining and casual options throughout the city
Southeast Asian
- Description
- Vietnamese, Thai, and Malaysian cuisines well-represented
Persian and Iranian
- Description
- Quality kebab restaurants and traditional stews available
Local Must Try Dishes
Machboos
- Description
- Fragrant spiced rice cooked with meat (chicken, lamb, or fish), the national dish of the UAE
Al Harees
- Description
- Slow-cooked wheat and meat dish reaching silky texture, traditionally eaten during Ramadan
Luqaimat
- Description
- Sweet, sticky, crispy dough balls drizzled with date syrup or honey, popular street food and Emirati dessert
Samak Mashwi
- Description
- Traditional Emirati grilled fish (usually seabream) marinated with coriander, cumin, chilli, turmeric, paprika, dried lime powder, and date paste
Maqluba
- Description
- Upside-down rice dish with meat, tubers, and vegetables (eggplant, cauliflower), garnished with pine nuts and fresh parsley
Balaleet
- Description
- Sweet vermicelli noodles topped with savory omelet, traditional Emirati breakfast
Khuzi (Ghuzi)
- Description
- Slow-cooked lamb marinated in saffron, cinnamon, and nutmeg, served on spiced ghee-infused rice with toasted nuts and raisins
Vegan And Vegetarian Dining
- Description
- Dubai has an extensive and growing vegan and vegetarian dining scene with dedicated venues, Michelin-recognized options, and mainstream restaurants increasingly offering plant-based sections.
Venues
Avatara
- Price Range
- AED 595
- Neighborhood
- Dubai Hills Estate
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Vegetarian fine dining, Indian-inspired, Michelin one star
- Notes
- World's first and only vegetarian Indian Michelin-starred restaurant; 16-course tasting menu; vegan and gluten-free accommodations on request
SEVA Table
- Price Range
- AED 120
- Neighborhood
- Jumeirah 1
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Entirely plant-based, gluten-free, cane sugar-free
- Notes
- Pioneered plant-based dining in Middle East; garden setting with library and wellness sessions
Wild & The Moon
- Price Range
- AED 80
- Neighborhood
- Multiple locations including Downtown Dubai
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Plant-based café with power bowls, waffles, tacos, ice cream
- Notes
- Established 2016; known for fresh daily dishes free from additives and refined sugars
Brambles
- Price Range
- AED 90
- Neighborhood
- Barsha Heights and multiple locations
- Cuisine Or Dish
- Vegan and vegetarian café with multi-cultural dishes
- Notes
- Creative options like shakshuka breakfast tacos, avocado pizza, vegetarian lasagne
Halal Dining
- Status
- Fully legal and regulated
- Regulatory Framework
- All meat imported into and sold within the country must be halal-certified, with certification regulated by ESMA. Look for the halal certificate displayed prominently at entrance or counter, issued by recognized UAE authority like Dubai Municipality and include an expiry date.
- Notes
- Muslim visitors do not need to search for halal labels or verify individual restaurants. Most restaurants display halal logos on menus or at premises. A small number of licensed hotel restaurants serve pork in physically separated, clearly labelled sections.
- Description
- UAE federal law requires all meat imported into and sold within the country to be halal-certified. The Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology (ESMA) regulates halal certification at the national level. Virtually every restaurant in Dubai, from street food stalls to five-star hotel restaurants, serves halal food by default.
Gluten Free Dining
- Status
- documented
- Notes
- Gluten-free is widely accommodated at mid-range and above. Many restaurants offer gluten-free bread and pasta alternatives. Inform the restaurant when booking for the best experience.
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this food & dining research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
- 1.wheretoeatdubai.com
- 2.wheretoeatdubai.com
- 3.dxboffplan.com
- 4.godubai.com
- 5.willflyforfood.net
- 6.alemiratestours.com
- 7.tripscapetourism.com
- 8.memphistours.com
- 9.alfanarrestaurant.com
- 10.thesqua.re
- 11.guide.michelin.com
- 12.gulfnews.com
- 13.en.wikipedia.org
- 14.whatson.ae
- 15.travel-lush.com
- 16.rumemagazine.com
- 17.avatara.ae
- 18.halalspy.com
- 19.triphabibi.com
- 20.themiddleeastinsider.com
More About Dubai
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.