Antisocial Tourist

Dubai has become an incredibly diverse place since the formation of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 1971, so it has a truly unbelievable food scene. Travelers can find cuisines from all over the world just steps away from each other.

But with such a huge selection of foods to choose from, it can be easy to overlook the traditional Emirati foods that tourists should not miss. So don’t be that tourist! Eating local dishes can add an extra level of flavor and authenticity to your trip. It certainly did for us!

The origins of Emirati cuisine come from the nomadic Bedouin tribes that once wandered the Arabian desert. So many dishes are steeped in rich history and can be traced back for generations. Trying Emirati foods is one of the best ways to immerse yourself in the surrounding culture. Here are 12 traditional Emirati foods to try in Dubai, or anywhere in the UAE for that matter!

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The Bedouin Life: Cooking in the Desert

Bedouin is the English term for ‘those of the desert’ or ‘desert dwellers’. Before the formation of the UAE, there was a large community of roaming Bedouin tribes in the Arabian desert. These tribes had to be resourceful to ensure their survival, because of the harsh desert environment and their nomadic lifestyles.

To cook food, they carried portable cooking equipment, most notably a simple metal or clay stove with three legs that sat over an open flame. Their fires were often built deep in the ground to combat the desert winds. And one-pot meals were common because they used little resources and were easy to transport.

When preparing food, they tried to make things that lasted long periods of time. Regag bread was a popular snack used to fuel their long journeys across the desert. Regag is a flat and crisp bread made of wheat, water, and salt, and it would last for up to a month if stored properly.

What is Traditional Emirati Food?

Emirati cuisine is highly influenced by the Bedouin people. The Bedouins used simple and available ingredients, including dates, camel meat, goat meat, rice, fermented yogurt, wheat, coffee beans, herbs, heavy spices, salt, honey, dried fruits, and nuts.

Food is a deeply meaningful aspect of Emirati hospitality and culture. Food traditions in the UAE have been passed down through generations and are a reflection of the country’s rich heritage. The Emiratis share these traditions with each other as a way of preserving and celebrating their cultural identity.

This is why trying traditional Emirati food is a must-do experience when visiting Dubai. It’s the perfect way to immerse yourself in the culture. You can expect hearty and filling dishes that are aromatic and heavily spiced, with stewed meats and vegetables, spiced rice, and thick flavorful stocks.

Best Local Food Tours in Dubai

Vintage Land Rovers Platinum Heritage Desert Camp

You can certainly explore some authentic local restaurants on your own, but if you’re short on time, we recommend joining a food tour so you can try many different Emirati foods at once. There are two tours that we highly recommend joining, and both offer a very different yet equally cultural experience, with different foods to try.

The first tour we recommend is the Platinum Heritage Safari Tour. It focuses on the Bedouin lifestyle. This tour will take you on a vintage Land Rover through the Dubai desert, where you’ll see oryx and gazelles, enjoy the sunset over the desert as you learn about falconry, enjoy an authentic dinner at a Bedouin-inspired camp, and watch a cultural performance while enjoying shisha under the stars. This tour was a highlight of our trip and we can’t recommend it enough!

The second tour we want to recommend is a Cultural Tour of Old Dubai with an authentic Emirati meal served in the historical neighborhood of Al-Fahidi. This tour focuses more on modern-day Emirati life. You’ll take a seat in a local courtyard where you’ll enjoy a feast of local specialties while an Emirati expert covers everything you want to know about the local culture. You’ll learn about Emirati daily life, dress, food, and so much more, from an actual Emirati person. You’ll leave with a much deeper understanding of the UAE.

12 Traditional Emirati Foods to Try in Dubai

You do not want to miss out on the authentic flavors of the UAE, and this list of Emirati foods to try in Dubai is the perfect place to start. Just keep in mind that Emirati cuisine is very diverse, and there are many more dishes to explore beyond this list.

_💣 _{Antisocial Tourist Tip — Many traditional Emirati dishes go by several names with similar spellings, pronunciations, and even recipes throughout the Middle East. Arabic heritage extends far beyond the UAE and the country is also home to a diverse population from various countries and cultural backgrounds that have influenced Emirati dishes over time.}

1. Regag Bread

Regag is one of the most traditional Emirati foods to try in Dubai! It’s a bread that is made of only flour, water, and salt, and it was a regular staple of the Bedouin’s diet. Regag is thin and crispy, similar to a crepe. Traditionally it is served plain as a snack or alongside a meal, but many street vendors now sell Regag coated with egg, cheese, crushed chips, and sauce.

2. Madrooba

Madrooba is a slow-cooked dish made of rice and chicken, lamb, or fish. It’s simmered overnight until it reaches a porridge-like consistency, and served with lemon. Madrooba, sometimes spelled Madrouba, is a popular dish during Ramadan, and considered a comfort food to many locals.

3. Machboos

No list of traditional Emirati foods to try in Dubai is complete without Machboos. It’s a dish that’s popular all across the Arabian Peninsula and is made with spiced yellow basmati rice, meat such as chicken, lamb, or fish, onions, and dried lemon.

4. Margooga

Margooga is a thick and hearty stew of meat and vegetables with fragrant spices and broth, and a surprise ingredient of soaked Arabic bread, which is mixed into the dish just before it’s ready to serve. The stew involves simmering meat along with vegetables, such as zucchini, eggplant, okra, and tomatoes, in a tomato-based broth. This is a very aromatic dish.

5. Biryani

Biryani is made of long-grained rice with meat or vegetables and fragrant spices, including saffron. Biryani is very similar to Machboos with one main difference — the meat used in Biryani is marinated in a yogurt mixture before cooking, giving the overall dish a creamy touch.

6. Luqaimat

Luqaimat is basically the Emirati version of a doughnut hole and it’s really the only dessert-like item on this list of Emirati foods to try in Dubai. They’re crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. These fried balls of dough are drizzled with date syrup and sometimes topped with sesame seeds. Luqaimat is incredibly popular throughout the UAE, especially during Ramadan.

7. Saloona

Saloona is similar to a stew or a curry. Unlike Margooga, which is also a stew, its base is thinner like a sauce or a soup. Saloona is a rich broth-based dish made of meat, vegetables, garlic, and spices (including turmeric, cumin, and coriander). It’s a staple in many Arabic kitchens and is often served with rice, green salad, or bread.

8. Balaleet

Balaleet is a sweet and savory dish made up of vermicelli noodles cooked with saffron, cardamom, and sugar, and often served with an omelet-style egg on top. Rosewater and date syrup can also be used in this dish. Because it’s both sweet and savory, it’s often served as a breakfast dish in the Emirates.

9. Jasheed

Jasheed is a dish made of minced baby shark. It’s heavily spiced and topped with parsley and black lemon and usually served with white rice. Admittedly we’re not big fans of the idea of this dish and it’s one of the few foods on this list that we haven’t tried ourselves. It is considered a delicacy and it can be difficult to find, but if you’re determined to try it, check out the Al Jalboot Restaurant in Dubai.

10. Harees

Harees is a dish made up of boiled or crushed ground wheat mixed with lamb or chicken. It’s sometimes called Jareesh, too, depending on the size of the crushed wheat and if it’s fermented or not. Harees is simmered for a long period of time until it reaches a porridge-like consistency, similar to Madrooba. It can be served with lemon, chopped dates, or fried nuts on top. Harees is served on all occasions and at large gatherings.

11. Gahwa (Arabic Coffee)

Gahwa is the Arabic word for coffee. Coffee has been an important part of Arab culture for centuries. Arabic coffee is light in color with a bitter taste. It’s often served with dates or other desserts to compensate for its bitterness.

_💣 _{Antisocial Tourist Tip — Coffee is served in very tiny cups in the UAE. Offering small cups of coffee is a gesture of hospitality and allows a host to offer refills and engage in conversation with their guests. If a guest wants to indicate to the host that they do not want another refill, they will gently shake their cup.}

12. Dates

From the moment you step foot in Dubai, you can almost guarantee that you will see dates somewhere or another. You can find them anywhere, and in many different forms — from overflowing baskets of dates at the markets to gourmet boxes of chocolate-dipped dates that can be purchased as souvenirs. Dates are a big part of Middle Eastern culture, and they’ve even been mentioned in the Holy Book of Islam multiple times. You can’t leave the UAE without trying some dates!

Final Thoughts: Emirati Foods to Try in Dubai

Food traditions have deep meaning to many cultures, and the Emirati people are a perfect example of how these traditions preserve and celebrate their cultural identity. Everything on this list of foods to try in Dubai offers visitors a glimpse of the unique heritage that surrounds Emirati life.

We always try to immerse ourselves in the places we travel to as authentically as we can, and we encourage others to do the same. We had to opportunity to try nearly every dish on this list, and they were all amazing, honestly. We know you won’t regret trying these foods yourself, and you may even find a new favorite cuisine.

Thank you for reading our post! We hope it helps you plan the perfect trip! Check out our other guides here and follow us on Instagram (@AntisocialTourist) or on Facebook to see our latest adventures!