Insider guide to Dubai’s tastiest foodie spots

Want to know where the locals eat? Just ask our favourite foodie experts at Frying Pan Adventures. Sisters Arva and Farida Ahmed have been walking hungry visitors through the little-known streets of Dubai on their food tours, cherry-picking the tastiest hidden gems since 2013.

We speak to Farida about her favourite spots to experience the true tastes of Dubai.

What is the philosophy behind Frying Pan Adventures' food tours?

We've always been a foodie family – so much of our lives revolve around food. The tours began when we realised the best way for guests to acclimatise is through their stomach.

How locals and expats eat is always interesting, and it's the easiest way to understand someone's culture and create bonds with people. The minute you sit down to a meal, it evokes a memory or is a memory waiting to happen.

Our food trails take guests to between three to eight dining spots, from street stalls to restaurants, so people can literally get a taste of Dubai.

How would you describe Dubai's food scene?

An eccentric mezze of dining experiences. If you look on a map, Dubai is in the centre of the world, so it's no surprise that so many cultures are represented here. Since the first dhow reached here from India, there has been an influx of expats. Each traveller brings memories of food, recipes, stories and ingredients.

The best part about Dubai is that you have high-end dining, but also Old Dubai's more humble eateries are where locals have traditionally gone for their meals. In the older neighbourhoods of Dubai, you can have a delicious, wallet-friendly meal for less than AED20.

Is there a must-try Dubai dish?

Machboos is a lovely fragrant Emirati dish – rice with beef or chicken that is slowly simmered. As Bedouins did not use as many spices, it focuses on slow-cooked, meaty flavours for a simple, hearty meal.

For Emiratis, machboos is about sharing amongst large groups, family-style, for celebrations like Eid and weddings. It is feel-good, comfort food. I like the version at Al Fanar restaurant in Dubai Festival City.

What other national cuisines can you find in Dubai?

Indian food, of course. Dubai has so many regions represented. Punjabi is the most popular, with South Indian food found in some of the older areas.

There are also plenty of restaurants that focus on Pakistani, Chinese, and Thai cuisine. Filipino kitchens are also popular and perfect for a flavourful chicken fix.

What's Dubai's most underrated meal?

I always think the restaurants I go to in Old Dubai are underrated because they're so off-the-radar, unless you've grown up here with them and know where to look.

I've been going to Manvaar in Karama since I was 15. The cook specialises in Rajasthani and North Indian food. The food is very home-style and I've never been disappointed.

What's your favourite foodie neighbourhood?

There's so much to discover across Old Dubai, including the neighbourhoods of Karama, Bur Dubai, Satwa and Deira.

What's your favourite romantic restaurant?

I have always loved Traiteur at Park Hyatt. I love their curated menu. Everything they do, they do well. They have a fantastic Crêpes Suzette.

The other must-visit for a romantic meal is Cave Dubai at The Conrad. It’s quite private, with lounge bed seating in a corner. It's the only place I've been to that will let me kick my heels off, snuggle up and eat fondue with my husband under the blankets. 

Where would you recommend for a special celebratory meal?

With family celebrations, we'll stick to Old Dubai, but when it's just the two of us, we'll go upmarket with a table for two.

For our anniversary it was LPM Restaurant in Dubai International Financial Centre – always a favourite for French food.

Dubai's best desserts are found at....

For a quick pick-me-up, I love the Japanese bakery Yakitate in Deira. The sweet buns are amazing. For Indian sweets, we go to Sreeraj Lassi in the Meena Bazaar. They are really good year-round for lassi (a yoghurt-based drink) and Indian-style ice-cream.

1762 in Jumeirah Lakes Towers do excellent home-style Western baked goods with sustainable, quality ingredients. I always order the carrot cake squares and millionaire's shortbread.

Discover the remarkable history of food in Dubai, dine at the city's hidden gems and book a table at the hottest new restaurants.