A melting pot of cultures and cuisines, Dubai&rsquos incomparable food landscape is as vibrant as the city&rsquos legendary je nais se quois. From heritage cafés and uber-luxe fine dining restaurants to bustling eateries in modern souks, there&rsquos something for everyone. All you need is an appetite and you&rsquore all set to experience one of the most delicious food trails out there.
Stand-Out Interiors And Delish Bites
The Forever Rose Café, the UAE&rsquos first 2D café, is one of the most Instagrammable eateries in the region. Situated in the trending Boxpark neighbourhood on Al Wasl Road, it stands out for its inviting interiors and gorgeous monochrome artwork on the walls. Enter this enchanted space, almost everything deserves a double-take. From the walls and ceilings to the cutlery and furniture, every carefully- curated corner is crafted in their signature black and white 2D designs.
Inspired by famous fables, the café is renowned for its pretty food and drink presentations that urge you to click before you dig in. Some of our absolute favorites include the rose latte, acai bowl, and hearty avocado toast. Sample a delectable selection of desserts with signature rose elements, to really get a feel of this enchanted cafe experience.
&ldquoOur concept was born out of our customers&rsquo demand to have the Forever Rose luxury experience as part of their everyday lives,&rdquo said Ebraheem Al Samadi, founder of Forever Rose Café. &ldquoThe room, cups, and plates are all illustrated in black and white, leaving only our customers, food, and beverages in colour. This recreates a romantic notion of being part of a fairytale.&rdquo
"Our concept was born out of our customers&rsquo demand to have the Forever Rose luxury experience as part of their everyday lives," says Ebraheem Al Samadi, founder of Forever Rose Café.
&ldquoAcross our three locations, you&rsquoll also find iconic portraits of the UAE royal family and famous icons like Princess Diana, Queen Elizabeth II, and the Mona Lisa.&rdquo
The quest for arty and hip eateries takes us to the Al Fahidi neighbourhood, a heritage area famous for its traditional buildings, art galleries, and charming kiosks. Each alley, twisting pathway, and breezy tower transports you back in time.
A little walk around the area will lead you to a popular landmark&mdashthe Arabian Tea House. The signature floral vines and flowy curtains usher in the cool blue and white interiors. An iconic restaurant known for its authentic Emirati food and hospitality since 1997, it is nothing less than an oasis on a hot sunny day. The impeccable service, delicious tea blends, and refreshing smoothies accompanied by traditional Emirati dishes such as sambosa (Arabian patty), harees and bajella (fava beans), make it a perfect stop for a quick bite on your food trail. And don&rsquot miss out on the Arabic jalsa (traditional floor seating arrangement) at the entrance for a tea-party photo op.
A meal at Sikka Café-City Walk at Al Safa St, Al Wasl, is highly recommended it is known for home-style dishes with authentic Arabic, Persian, Indian and Emirati flavours.
Try the za&rsquoatar manakish (Arabian style pizza), tabouleh, fattoush, juicy koftas and grilled lamb kibbeh (croquettes made of ground meat). Accompany this with a hearty serving of Sikka&rsquos famous trio hummus and signature salad made with chopped beetroot, chami cheese (an Emirati cheese somewhat similar to cottage cheese), dry fruits, dates, rocca and chard leaves.
Save space for a generous bite of gooey saffron milk cake and heavenly legaimat (mini dough balls dipped in honey date syrup) for an indulgent finish.
Like its food, the ambience at Sikka Café is worth writing home about.
You can&rsquot miss the strings of colourful upside-down teacups illuminated with little bulbs that hang from the lofty ceiling. From the central live tea and coffee bar to the comfortable seating arrangement, the vibe at Sikka is ideal for enjoying a freshly brewed cup of karak zafran chai, qahwa, or aromatic Arabic coffee that&rsquos served throughout the day.
Meet The Masters
Creating memories in every bite is a feat only a chef worth his salt can claim to do, and Dubai is the best place to find these hidden gems. At the single Michelin star restaurant 11 Woodfire in Jumeira, we get an exclusive rendezvous with Dubai-based Malay Singaporean Chef Akmal Anuar.
Anuar, the founder of the restaurants 3Fils and Goldfish Dubai, started his career as a firefighter in Singapore. He now tames fire at his custom-made oakwood oven that can heat up to 600 to 700 degrees celsius to conjure some scrumptious dishes cooked without oil or extra fat.
Talking about his unique high-heat cooking method and beverage innovations, Anuar tells us, &ldquoThis is a place for serious foodies, and we source the best of cuts and ingredients from all over the world to make top-quality dishes. We have an open kitchen everything is grilled or cooked using high heat. We make everything in-house, including our speciality non-alcoholic beverages and zero alcohol red and white wines.&rdquo
"This is a place for serious foodies," says Anuar, the founder of the restaurants 3Fils and Goldfish Dubai
From the smoky flavours of woodfire, we hop on over to the Parisian-inspired BQ French Kitchen and Bar at the Habtoor Palace Dubai, to get a master class in grilled food by Executive Sous Chef Deniz Katranci.
The Dubai-based Turkish chef, who has spent 22 years in the professional kitchen, is a known name in the city&rsquos culinary circles. He heads the legacy outlet BQ and oversees the other top eateries in the Habtoor city complex.
&ldquoHabtoor Palace is famous for its unique location and settings&mdashit offers everything from modern to classic, and the food and beverage here are top quality,&rdquo said Katranci. &ldquoWe also source local ingredients like seafood and vegetables and practise sustainability through our initiatives. As it&rsquos a family and leisure hotel, we love to customize food experiences for our guests and make them feel comfortable.&rdquo
Burst Of Flavours
To feel the city&rsquos pulse and enjoy a variety of Arabic and homegrown concepts, make a pit stop at the lively Time Out Market overlooking the iconic Burj Khalifa and Dubai Fountains. Spread across 43,000 sqft, the one-of-its-kind culinary and cultural space harbours 18 of the city&rsquos best chefs, restaurateurs, and unique cultural experiences in the beautiful Souk Al Bahar in the Downtown Dubai area. The gastronomic smorgasbord is famous for an incredible mix of cuisines curated by
Time Out Dubai editors. The market is open throughout the week for lunch and dinner.
You&rsquoll find everything from traditional Emirati cuisine, the city&rsquos best pizza, and unique Asian concepts.
Take your taste buds on a little trip from Europe, and then Portugal, all the way to the Balkans, at outlets like 21grams, Al Fanar, BB Social Dining, Boon Coffee, Fulvio&rsquos, Lana Lusa, Liban by Allo Beirut, Long Teng, Masti, Mattar, Pickl, Pitfire, Reif Japanese Kushiyaki, Scoopi Café, SLAB Cocina, The Lighthouse&mdash Pastry and Dessert, Project Chaiwala and Vietnamese Foodies.
Here we meet Dubai-based Indian Chef Prashant Chipkar of the award-winning restaurant Masti.
Famous for his &ldquoIndia-inspired global cuisine,&rdquo the Goan chef is known for his innovative burrata butter chicken, waffle dosa, saag paneer lasagna, ceviche and avocado panipuri. His curated culinary experience at Masti, is anchored in infusing unusual flavours and textures to express &ldquoNew India&rdquo in Dubai&rsquos food scene.
&ldquoOurs is the only Indian restaurant in Time Out Market Dubai,&rdquo said Chef Chipkar. &ldquoThrough our gourmet innovations, we like to give a taste of India to the global audience and expats who live in Dubai.&rdquo
No culinary trail is complete without a taste of fancy beverages and refreshing cocktails, so make a reservation at the Hotel Cartagena for an extra punch of Latino flavours at one of the highest watering holes in Dubai.
A sky-high party place on the 72nd floor of the JW Marriott Hotel&mdashhere you can enjoy 360-degree aerial views of the bustling city, lively Samba performances and upbeat tunes courtesy the in-house DJ.
The menu is an ode to South American food and beverages without borders the spicy specialities from Peru, Argentina, Mexico, Columbia, and Venezuela are as much of a palette-party as the ambiance itself. As you sip on the &ldquococktails de la casa&rdquo (in-house drinks) at this plush bar, remember to shake a leg at Mrs. Buendia&rsquos eclectic bohemian paradise.