Best Restaurants in Dubai to Suit Every Craving

Dubai combines futuristic architecture, historic neighbourhoods and one of the world’s most international dining scenes. Modest Pakistani canteens, Emirati restaurants and Levantine cafés share the city with plant-based kitchens, waterfront dining rooms and highly ambitious tasting-menu restaurants.

This guide covers the best restaurants in Dubai for different budgets and occasions. Among the best places to eat in Dubai, you will find inexpensive curries and kebabs, traditional Emirati dishes, vegan cafés, romantic restaurants with dramatic views and Michelin-starred fine dining.

Exploring neighbourhoods such as Deira, Bur Dubai, Jumeirah, Downtown Dubai and Palm Jumeirah is easier without heavy luggage. Qeepl provides convenient luggage storage around the city, allowing you to leave your bags or suitcases in a secure location before heading to lunch or dinner. Prices start from 21.90AED per bag per day.

What Should You Know About Food in Dubai?

Dubai’s food culture reflects the many communities that live in the city. Traditional Emirati dishes appear alongside Pakistani, Indian, Iranian, Filipino, Levantine, East African and Southeast Asian cooking.

Emirati favourites include machboos, a spiced rice dish served with meat or fish, and harees, made by slowly cooking wheat with meat until it develops a smooth texture. Other familiar flavours include dates, saffron, cardamom, dried lime and rosewater. Luqaimat, small fried dumplings covered with date syrup, are a popular dessert.

The best food in Dubai is often found away from the most luxurious hotels. Satwa, Karama, Deira and Bur Dubai contain long-running restaurants serving curries, biryani, kebabs, shawarma and regional breads at comparatively low prices.

Lunch is commonly served between noon and 3 p.m., while dinner becomes busiest after 7 or 8 p.m. Many casual restaurants stay open late. Fine-dining establishments may require reservations, advance deposits and smart-casual clothing.

Restaurant prices can differ greatly between neighbourhood cafés and luxury resorts. The estimates below are broad ranges in UAE dirhams and should be checked against current menus before visiting. Bills at hotel restaurants may already include taxes, municipality fees or service charges.

Best Affordable Restaurants in Dubai

Affordable dining in Dubai ranges from Pakistani curries and Persian kebabs to traditional Emirati breakfasts.

1. Ravi Restaurant

Ravi Restaurant is one of Satwa’s best-known Pakistani restaurants. Its straightforward dining room and broad menu attract residents, office workers and visitors looking for filling food without the prices associated with Dubai’s hotel restaurants.

Popular choices include mutton karahi, chicken tikka, kebabs, dal, biryani and freshly baked naan. A complete meal generally costs around AED 30–70 per person. The original Satwa location is close to the shops and small restaurants around Al Satwa Road.

2. Karachi Darbar

Karachi Darbar has operated in Dubai since the 1970s and now has branches across the city. Its extensive menu covers Pakistani, North Indian and Chinese-influenced comfort food.

Diners commonly order biryani, nihari, butter chicken, grilled meat, lentil dishes and breads from the tandoor. Most meals cost around AED 25–70 per person. Branches in Karama, Deira, Bur Dubai and Al Qusais make it a practical option in several neighbourhoods.

3. Al Ustad Special Kabab

Al Ustad Special Kabab is a long-running Persian kebab restaurant in Bur Dubai. The small dining room is covered with photographs, banknotes and memorabilia collected over several decades.

The menu focuses on charcoal-grilled chicken and mutton kebabs served with saffron rice, flatbread, yoghurt and grilled tomatoes. A meal generally costs around AED 35–85 per person. The restaurant is close to Al Fahidi Metro Station, Meena Bazaar and the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.

4. Arabian Tea House

Arabian Tea House occupies a peaceful courtyard in the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood. Its white furniture, turquoise details and shaded outdoor tables create a calm break from the surrounding lanes and museums.

The menu includes Emirati breakfast trays, regag bread, balaleet, shakshuka, kebabs, mezze, machboos and traditional sweets such as luqaimat. A full meal generally costs around AED 80–160 per person. The Dubai Creek, Al Seef and Dubai Museum area are nearby.

5. Al Fanar Restaurant & Cafe

Al Fanar Restaurant & Cafe recreates the atmosphere of Dubai before the city’s rapid modern development. Its branches use traditional architecture, vintage objects and displays connected to fishing, pearl diving and everyday Emirati life.

The menu features machboos, salona stews, grilled fish, prawns, lamb, Emirati breads and desserts. Expect to spend around AED 80–180 per person. Dubai locations include Festival City, Al Seef and Al Barsha Pond Park.

Top Vegetarian Restaurants in Dubai

Dubai’s vegetarian scene includes inexpensive Indian food, vegan cafés and one of the world’s few Michelin-starred vegetarian tasting restaurants.

1. SEVA Table

SEVA Table is a completely plant-based café inside a wellness centre in Jumeirah. Its shaded garden, rustic furniture and quiet atmosphere make it feel removed from the city’s busier shopping and hotel districts.

The menu is also free from gluten, refined cane sugar and genetically modified ingredients. Dishes may include vegetable bowls, tacos, curries, salads, breakfast plates and dairy-free desserts. A meal generally costs around AED 75–150 per person.

2. MyGovinda’s

MyGovinda’s serves completely vegetarian Indian food, including sattvic and Jain-friendly dishes. The first branch opened in Karama in 2001, and the restaurant now has several Dubai locations.

The extensive menu includes dosa, idli, chaat, paneer dishes, dal, biryani, tandoori vegetables and Indian sweets. Vegan choices are also available. A meal generally costs around AED 35–90 per person, making it one of the more affordable dedicated vegetarian options in the city.

3. Wild & The Moon

Wild & The Moon specialises in organic, plant-based food without artificial additives. Its casual cafés serve breakfast, lunch, snacks and takeaway meals.

Options include smoothie bowls, salads, soups, grain bowls, wraps, cold-pressed juices and dairy-free desserts. Expect to spend around AED 60–140 per person. Dubai locations include Alserkal Avenue, Downtown Dubai and DIFC.

4. Bounty Beets

Bounty Beets is a colourful café at Le Méridien Mina Seyahi. The restaurant is completely gluten-free and offers an extensive selection of vegan and vegetarian dishes, although meat and fish also appear on the menu.

Plant-based options include chickpea omelettes, smoothie bowls, salads, risotto, flatbreads and a Beyond Meat burger. A full meal generally costs around AED 70–160 per person. The café is close to Dubai Marina, the Marina Walk and Mina Seyahi Beach.

5. Avatāra

Avatāra is a Michelin-starred vegetarian fine-dining restaurant in Dubai Hills. Its tasting menu reinterprets Indian ingredients and regional traditions through detailed presentation and modern cooking techniques.

A separate vegan version of the experience is available. Current menus begin at approximately AED 368 per person, with longer experiences and optional additions increasing the price. Advance reservations and full prepayment are normally required.

Romantic Restaurants in Dubai

Dubai offers underwater dining rooms, overwater terraces and restaurants with views from some of the tallest buildings in the city.

1. Ossiano

Ossiano is an underwater restaurant inside Atlantis, The Palm. Floor-to-ceiling windows look into the Ambassador Lagoon, where sharks, rays and schools of fish pass beside the dining room.

The Michelin-starred restaurant serves a seafood-focused tasting menu in several courses, with many dishes completed at the table. The current experience begins at around AED 1,250 per person before beverages. Reservations are essential, and guests must be at least 13 years old.

2. Pierchic

Pierchic stands at the end of a pier extending into the Arabian Gulf from Jumeirah Al Qasr. The journey across the wooden walkway and the views towards Burj Al Arab create one of Dubai’s most recognisable date-night settings.

The restaurant serves contemporary Italian food with a focus on pasta, seafood and seasonal ingredients. Depending on whether you choose à la carte dishes or a tasting menu, dinner generally costs around AED 600–1,000 per person before beverages.

3. 101 Dining Lounge and Marina

101 Dining Lounge and Marina occupies a private marina at One&Only The Palm. Its open-air tables look across the water towards Dubai Marina, while an enclosed private dining space is available for a quieter evening.

The menu focuses on Mediterranean seafood, grilled fish, pasta and dishes designed for sharing. Expect to spend around AED 350–700 per person before beverages. The restaurant can also be reached by boat from the mainland.

4. STAY by Yannick Alléno

STAY by Yannick Alléno is a two-Michelin-starred French restaurant at One&Only The Palm. Its high ceilings, ornate details and formal service provide a quieter atmosphere than many of Dubai’s large, entertainment-focused dining rooms.

The restaurant offers seasonal tasting menus built around contemporary French techniques. A complete experience generally costs around AED 900–1,500 per person before beverages, depending on the selected menu. Advance reservations are required.

5. At.mosphere

At.mosphere is located on the 122nd floor of Burj Khalifa. Its dining room looks across Downtown Dubai, the surrounding desert and the coastline, with the view changing dramatically between daylight and evening.

The restaurant serves contemporary European fine dining through à la carte dishes and set menus. The current seven-course menu is listed at around AED 1,355 per person before beverages. Window tables are limited and should be requested when reserving.

Are There Michelin Star Restaurants in Dubai?

The official Michelin Guide currently lists 19 Michelin-starred restaurants in Dubai: two restaurants with three stars, three with two stars and 14 with one star.

The most recent formally published Dubai selection is the 2025 edition, which remains Michelin’s current official list for the city.

Three of the most notable Michelin-starred restaurants are:

• FZN by Björn Frantzén — three Michelin stars. FZN is an intimate 27-seat restaurant inside Atlantis, The Palm. Chef Björn Frantzén’s concept combines modern European cooking with Japanese ingredients and techniques. The restaurant received three stars in its first appearance in the Dubai guide.

• Trèsind Studio — three Michelin stars. Trèsind Studio is led by chef Himanshu Saini and serves a modern Indian tasting menu based on ingredients sourced from the UAE and culinary traditions from across India. In 2025, it became the first Indian restaurant in the world to receive three Michelin stars.

• STAY by Yannick Alléno — two Michelin stars. STAY presents modern French cuisine at One&Only The Palm. The restaurant combines seasonal tasting menus, formal service and a dining room designed for long special-occasion meals.