Top 5 Local Dishes to Try on a Food Tour in Dubai
Discover the authentic flavors that define the UAE’s culinary heart.
🌟 Introduction
Every city tells its story through food — and Dubai’s tale is a delicious blend of spice, sea breeze, and centuries of trade.
While modern dining here ranges from sushi towers to Michelin-star tasting menus, the true flavor of the Emirates lives in its traditional dishes.
Join Fun Tours Dubai on a culinary journey where every bite connects you to history, hospitality, and heritage.
Here are five local dishes you must taste on your next food tour in Dubai.
🥘 1. Machboos — The National Flavor of the Emirates
A fragrant rice dish slow-cooked with saffron, dried lemon (loomi), and your choice of tender chicken, lamb, or fish.
Machboos is the UAE’s answer to comfort food — aromatic, filling, and full of depth.
It’s traditionally shared from one large platter, a symbol of togetherness in Emirati homes.
When you taste it on a food tour, you’re not just trying a dish — you’re tasting a centuries-old tradition that once fueled Bedouin caravans across the desert.
💡 Fun Tours Tip: Pair it with a sip of Arabic coffee or laban (salted yogurt drink) for the full local touch.
🐪 2. Camel Meat Dishes — Heritage on a Plate
Once reserved for special occasions, camel meat has made its way into modern menus — often as slow-cooked stews, spiced kebabs, or even gourmet camel sliders.
The flavor is rich yet tender, a bridge between beef and lamb.
Eating camel connects visitors to the UAE’s desert roots — it’s the animal that carried people, goods, and now, culture.
🔥 Recommended spot: Some boutique restaurants in Old Dubai serve Camel Machboos — a must-try fusion of old tradition and modern taste.
🫓 3. Manakish and Khubz — The Everyday Breads
Bread in Dubai is more than food — it’s hospitality.
Manakish is a soft Levantine flatbread topped with cheese or za’atar, baked fresh on hot stones.
Khubz, the Emirati-style bread, often accompanies hummus, grilled meats, or lentil soup.
Warm, comforting, and irresistible, these breads are found everywhere from spice-scented alleys to high-end cafés.
On your Fun Tours Dubai Food Tour, expect to tear into one straight from the oven while the aroma of thyme fills the air.
🍢 4. Grilled Kebabs and Mixed Grill Plates
No food tour in Dubai is complete without the smoke and sizzle of kebabs.
From tender lamb cubes marinated overnight to chicken tikka glazed with saffron butter, the city’s grills showcase both Emirati and regional influences — Persian, Lebanese, Indian.
Served with garlic sauce, pickles, and freshly baked bread, the mixed grill represents the spirit of Dubai’s diversity on one plate.
🔥 Traveler favorite: Try a street-side grill in Deira or Satwa — where the chefs know your skewer before you order.
🍬 5. Luqaimat — The Sweet Ending
Soft on the inside, golden-crispy on the outside, Luqaimat are bite-sized dumplings drizzled with date syrup and sprinkled with sesame seeds.
They’re the dessert of Ramadan nights, weddings, and every family gathering.
Served with Arabic coffee, they symbolize joy and hospitality — the perfect finale to your food tour.
☕ Fun Tours Touch: Our guests often say Luqaimat taste even better when shared at sunset beside Dubai Creek.
🍽️ Beyond the Bite — The Story Each Dish Tells
These dishes aren’t just recipes; they’re chapters of Dubai’s identity.
They reflect trade with India and Persia, the generosity of Emirati homes, and the city’s evolution from desert village to global icon.
When you join a Food Tour in Dubai with Fun Tours Dubai, every plate becomes a cultural experience — guided by locals who’ve grown up tasting the city’s transformation.
🔗 Related Experiences
- Food Tours in Dubai – full culinary journey
- Dubai City Tour – explore culture before you dine
- Evening Desert Safari Dubai – end your day with BBQ and shows
🌟 About Fun Tours Dubai
Since 2003, Fun Tours Dubai has guided over 160,000 travelers through the UAE’s landscapes and flavors — from dunes to dining tables.
With 30,000+ five-star reviews and 24,859 verified reviews on GetYourGuide, we continue to bring authentic local experiences to the world.
