Dubai Food — What to Eat and What It Costs
From $2 street shawarma to Michelin-starred towers — what to eat and what it costs.
Dubai's food scene runs from $2-4 shawarma wraps in Deira to $200+ tasting menus with a Burj Khalifa view — genuinely one of the most diverse food cities on Earth, reflecting a population that's roughly 85% expatriate. Halal is the default almost everywhere, which makes dietary planning easy. Don't miss: shawarma, mixed grill, karak chai, and a Friday brunch (an all-you-can-eat-and-drink weekend institution unique to the Gulf).
Because Dubai's population is overwhelmingly expatriate — Emiratis are a genuine minority in their own city — the food scene reflects basically the entire world: excellent Lebanese, Indian, Filipino, Iranian, and Pakistani food sit a few blocks from three-Michelin-star towers. Here's what to actually order and what it costs, in a city that can empty your wallet as fast or as slowly as you let it.
Dubai Food: What to Eat and What It Costs
From $2 shawarma to Michelin-starred towers, and everything worth trying between.
Emirati Food: What to Try Beyond Shawarma
Shawarma isn't Emirati — here's the food that actually is.