A Foodie’s Guide to Exploring the UAE’s Culinary Scene

A lot can be learnt about a place by what is on its plate. The UAE, in particular, is not only a land of visible skylines and endless deserts-it is the land of food with stories. Each bite is the mix of of history, trade, and those people who call this country their home.

The food scene is not something you have to hurry through, in case you are visiting-or even planning to move here. The UAE is home to everything, with home-style Emirati comfort meals on one end to Michelin-tasting menus on the other.

The UAE’s Food Scene: Where the World Comes to Eat

Not many nations can compete the variety as you will have here. Stroll through one of the Dubai or Abu Dhabi neighborhoods and you will encounter the Lebanese bakeries, South Indian cafes, Turkish grills and Japanese sushi restaurants all within a few minutes.

That combination exists due to the people living here. Having inhabitants of virtually every corner of the world, the UAE dining culture has turned into the mixture of international traditions and local innovation. What is wowed is how every city brings its personal twist to the plate-Dubai is being very bold and experimental, Abu Dhabi is being more refined and cultural oriented as opposed to Sharjah which is more focused on tradition and comfort.

Start with Emirati Food

It is always a good idea to first explore the local before exploring the international options. The food of the Emirati is warm, rich, and spice, rice and meat stew-based. The tastes are never too strong but they are always good.

Eat machboos, fragrant rice with tender chicken or lamb; a meal called harees that is wheat and meat cooked to a creamy consistency; or a snack called luqaimat that are tiny fried dumplings topped with date syrup. You’ll find strong tea stands everywhere-powerful, milky tea sweetened with cardamom that residents cannot do without.

To have the classic experience, visit one of the local Emirati restaurants in the area of Dubai that specializes in classic flavor. Or prepare to enter the Dubai Spice Souk- the perfume all by itself makes you realize you are in a nation that means food is a cultural thing.

The New Side: Boundary-Breaking Restaurants.

Even though the Emirati cuisine is rooted in tradition, the wider dining sector is guided by innovation. The cooks in this area are not afraid to be creative. It is not unusual to find Emirati products in the Japanese, Italian, or Indian menu-and it somehow works.

You have fine-dining restaurants which can easily compete with the best in Europe, and you have casual restaurants serving gourmet with laid-back locations. The recent trend has been a massive shift towards what is often called the “luxury casual”- restaurants where the food is exquisite, yet the atmosphere remains casual and relaxing.

Vegetarian menus have also had a true following. What you will witness is cafes that specialize in local and sustainable sourcing of ingredients as opposed to imported foods. And for something completely different, street food is becoming fresh again, with night markets and pop-up food stalls.

Where to Eat: A Few Neighborhoods to Explore

Old Dubai & deira: The core of street food in the city. Shawarma, falafel, mandi, and all that is cooked with love and low-key cooking will be found here.
Jumeirah and Dubai Marina: Brunch Heaven. Much variety with beach cafes and eateries and fine dining with magnificent views.
Downtown Dubai: Think rooftop restaurants, fusion plates, and places that are ideal to have dinner after sightseeing.
Abu Dhabi Corniche: The best place to be when one wants to eat seafood and have a long and lazy meal along the water.
Sharjah and Ajman: More local, slower-paced and usually more affordable. It is ideal to know the true eating habits of Emiratis.

Worth Knowing Things

Peak Hours: Dining places tend to pick up after 8 p.m.- particularly during weekends when individuals spend more time over their meals. Brunches, however, are an institution here on weekends. Expect them to start late morning and continuing into the afternoon and they usually become more of a social affair than a snack.
Dress Code: This is not a very formal place, but it is safe to wear smart casual nearly everywhere. Consider cool, comfortable, and climate-wise. Simply bypass beach outfits unless you are eating directly by the beach or in a pool-side- restaurant prefers some effort.
Tipping: Service charges are optional, though, in which case, leaving 10-15%is a good idea. It is optional, but the majority of locals and expats perform it, and especially, when the service was good.
Etiquette: During the daytime at Ramadan, it is polite to avoid eating, drinking, or chewing gum in a public place. Most of the restaurants change their time and you will always see beautiful iftar tables after the fast is broken at the sunset.
Cards or Cash? - Cards are accepted in practically all restaurants, cafes, and delivery apps at present, but since it is always convenient to have a bit of money, it makes it easier in the old-fashioned restaurants, small shops, or food stores.

Why Food Matters Here

One way to feel like home in UAE is through food. It is something locals are proud of, expats bond with, and travelers know the country due to it. It feels very normal to sit and eat machboos or have a cup of strong tea at the end of the day when you have gone sightseeing.

And to anybody coming to the UAE-establishing in, starting a job, or a new life-food usually is your gateway to the culture. You take the dishes first, and then the stories which accompany them.

In conclusion

The UAE’s food scene is like the country itself: open, ambitious and constantly evolving. You can have something new every day and still not come close to trying it all. This is not only the variety what is so special, but the stories that the variety is based on. An easy shawarma in a street stand will inform you how it has become the melting pot of cultures in a particular place, and a well-spiced machboos will remind you that tradition is not forgotten.

Here food is not only about eating- but also the way people meet, relax and have a party. Whether you are sitting on the beach with a strong tea or a restaurant in the rooftop watching the skyline glowing, with each bite, you get a bit of an idea of what makes the UAE so alive.

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