20 Best Arabic Restaurants in Dubai for Authentic Arab Food

Dubai’s Arabic dining scene stretches far beyond the hotel buffets and mall food courts that dominate tourist guides. For residents who actually live here, the question is rarely about finding “Arabic food” in the abstract. It is about which specific kitchen does the mezze, the grill, the machboos, or the breakfast spread in a way that justifies the drive across town — and whether it works for a weeknight family dinner, a late-night craving, or a long Friday lunch with friends.

This guide covers twenty restaurants across Dubai’s Arabic spectrum: Lebanese, Emirati, Yemeni, Palestinian, Syrian, and Iraqi kitchens that residents return to. The list focuses on places that are operational, have a defined offering beyond generic descriptions, and serve a purpose for different occasions and budgets.

Quick Comparison

Restaurant	Cuisine	Primary Area	Approximate Price (per person)	Best For
Al Hallab	Lebanese	Dubai Mall / multiple	AED 80–130	Family mezze, pastries
Arabian Tea House	Emirati	Al Fahidi	AED 50–100	Emirati breakfast, heritage setting
Madfoon Al Sadda	Yemeni / Gulf	Jumeirah / multiple	AED 50–90	Mandi, madfoon, group feasts
Zaroob	Levantine street food	Sheikh Zayed Road / multiple	AED 40–80	Late-night, 24-hour
Awani	Levantine	Dubai Mall / multiple	AED 80–150	Fountain views, sharing
Operation: Falafel	Middle Eastern street food	JBR / multiple	AED 30–60	Quick bites, budget
Al Safadi	Lebanese	Sheikh Zayed Road	AED 80–140	Traditional Lebanese, late hours
Karam Beirut	Lebanese	Dubai Mall	AED 80–140	Beirut-style dining
Bait Al Mandi	Yemeni	Deira / Karama area	Budget–Moderate	Mandi, traditional majlis
Al Nafoorah	Lebanese	Jumeirah Emirates Towers	Premium	Fine dining, occasions

20 Best Arabic Restaurants in Dubai

1. Al Hallab

Al Hallab began as a family bakeshop in Tripoli in 1881 and has operated in Dubai for decades. The Dubai Mall branch is one of its most accessible locations, with an outdoor terrace facing the Burj Khalifa and Dubai Fountain. The kitchen produces a full Lebanese mezze menu — hummus, moutabal, fattoush, kibbeh — alongside fresh pastries and grilled meats. The mezze spread is the primary draw, and the pastries are made in-house rather than brought in from a central kitchen.

• Location: Second Floor, Dubai Mall (Cinema Parking P7), plus other branches
• Cuisine: Lebanese
• Core Offering: Cold and hot mezze, fresh pastries, grilled meats
• Price Range: AED 80–130 per person
• Contact: +971 4 330 8828
• Best For: Family mezze dinners, sharing meals with fountain views

2. Arabian Tea House

Located in the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, Arabian Tea House serves Emirati cuisine in a courtyard setting surrounded by wind-tower architecture. The menu focuses on Emirati breakfast items that are difficult to find in most Dubai restaurants such as balaleet (sweet vermicelli with cardamom and cinnamon), harees (wheat and meat porridge), chebab pancakes, and the house Emirati breakfast platter that combines balaleet, date syrup, cheeses, beans, and traditional breads. The setting and the food together make this one of the few places where a resident can experience Emirati home cooking in a restaurant context.

• Location: Al Fahidi Street, opposite Musalla Post Office, Bur Dubai
• Cuisine: Emirati
• Core Offering: Emirati breakfast platters, harees, balaleet, traditional breads
• Price Range: AED 50–100 per person
• Opening Hours: Daily, breakfast through evening
• Best For: Emirati breakfast, heritage atmosphere, out-of-town guests

3. Madfoon Al Sadda

Madfoon Al Sadda specialises in Yemeni and Gulf-style slow-cooked meat and rice. The menu centres on mandi, madfoon, and madhbi — dishes where lamb or chicken is cooked in an underground or closed oven until the meat separates from the bone, then served over long-grain rice with spices. The Jumeirah branch offers a casual setting suitable for families and groups. Portions are generous, and the restaurant is structured for sharing rather than individual plates. The kunafah is also a consistent point of praise among diners.

• Location: Jumeirah Road, Umm Suqeim 1 (near Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank), plus other branches
• Cuisine: Yemeni / Gulf
• Core Offering: Mandi, madfoon, madhbi, haneeth, mansaf
• Price Range: Moderate; set meals around AED 50–90
• Opening Hours: Daily, 12 PM–12 AM
• Best For: Group feasts, rice and meat dishes, families

4. Zaroob

Zaroob operates 24 hours and serves Levantine street food in a space designed to resemble a Levantine alley. The menu covers manakish (flatbreads with zaatar, cheese, or meat), labneh and hummus dips, shawarma, falafel, and breakfast plates available at any hour. The Sheikh Zayed Road location makes it a practical stop for late-night cravings or early-morning meals when most other Arabic restaurants are closed. It is a casual, order-at-the-counter setup rather than table service.

• Location: Sheikh Zayed Road, Trade Centre Area, plus Marina and Motor City branches
• Cuisine: Levantine street food
• Core Offering: Manakish, shawarma, falafel, labneh, breakfast plates
• Price Range: AED 40–80 per person
• Opening Hours: 24 hours daily
• Best For: Late-night meals, quick Lebanese street food, breakfast at any time

5. Awani

Awani draws its menu from across the Levant — Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Palestine — and presents it with a modern aesthetic. The Dubai Mall branch has a second-floor terrace overlooking the Dubai Fountain, which makes it a practical choice for a meal combined with the fountain show. The menu includes cold and hot mezze, shawarma, and breakfast spreads. The kitchen uses fresh, daily-prepared ingredients, and the portions are designed for sharing. Shisha is available at some locations.

• Location: Dubai Mall (Second Floor), JBR, Marina Mall, Dubai Hills Mall, Marsa Al Bateen Abu Dhabi
• Cuisine: Levantine (Syrian, Lebanese, Jordanian, Palestinian)
• Core Offering: Mezze, shawarma, breakfast, grills, shisha
• Price Range: AED 80–150 per person
• Opening Hours: Daily, 9 AM–12 AM
• Best For: Fountain views, sharing meals, brunch

6. Operation: Falafel

Operation: Falafel is a casual Middle Eastern street food operation with a focus on falafel, shawarma wraps, and egg sandwiches. The JBR location on The Walk makes it accessible for beachside dining, and the chain has multiple locations across Dubai. The menu is straightforward: falafel done properly (crispy outside, fluffy inside), shawarma wraps with the standard pickles and sauces, and combo deals that keep the cost per person low. Desserts include Ferrero-style treats. It is not a sit-down mezze restaurant, and it does not try to be.

• Location: The Walk, JBR, plus multiple locations across Dubai
• Cuisine: Middle Eastern street food
• Core Offering: Falafel, shawarma wraps, egg sandwiches, combo meals
• Price Range: AED 30–60 per person
• Opening Hours: Daily, 8 AM–2 AM
• Best For: Quick, budget-friendly meals, beachside bites

7. Al Safadi

Al Safadi is a Lebanese restaurant with multiple branches in Dubai, including the Sheikh Zayed Road location. It operates from morning until late (08:30 to 02:00), which makes it useful for both early breakfast and late dinner. The menu covers standard Lebanese mezze and grills — hummus, moutabal, fattoush, mixed grill, shawarma. The atmosphere is formal enough for a family meal but not fine dining. It is a reliable option for residents who want Lebanese food without the mall setting or the premium pricing of hotel restaurants.

• Location: 743 Sheikh Zayed Road, Umm Al Sheif, plus other branches
• Cuisine: Lebanese
• Core Offering: Mezze, grills, shawarma, Lebanese breakfast
• Price Range: Approximately AED 40–50 per person for two
• Opening Hours: Daily, 08:30–02:00
• Contact: +971 600 500601
• Best For: Late dinners, family meals, standard Lebanese fare

8. Karam Beirut

Karam Beirut occupies the Lower Ground floor of Dubai Mall and serves Lebanese food in a setting that aims to replicate the feel of Beirut dining. The menu includes cold and hot mezze, grilled meats, and salads. Some seats face the Dubai Fountain. The restaurant accepts walk-ins but reservations are advisable on weekend evenings. It sits in the mid-range of Dubai Mall’s Arabic options — more formal than a food court counter, less expensive than the Fashion Avenue concepts.

• Location: Lower Ground Floor, Dubai Mall (Grand Parking P1)
• Cuisine: Lebanese
• Core Offering: Mezze, grills, salads
• Price Range: AED 80–140 per person
• Contact: +971 4 339 9789
• Best For: Beirut-style dining, mall-based meals with fountain views

9. Bait Al Mandi

Bait Al Mandi is a Yemeni restaurant with a presence in the Deira and Karama areas, where Dubai’s Yemeni food scene is concentrated. The focus is on mandi and similar slow-cooked rice and meat dishes. The setting is traditional, with options for floor seating in some branches. The restaurant is structured for groups and families rather than solo diners or couples. The food is the priority here, not the décor or the service speed.

• Location: Deira / Karama area (multiple branches)
• Cuisine: Yemeni
• Core Offering: Mandi, madfoon, slow-cooked lamb and chicken with rice
• Price Range: Budget to moderate
• Best For: Yemeni mandi, traditional group dining, Deira food exploration

10. Al Nafoorah

Al Nafoorah operates inside Jumeirah Emirates Towers and represents the premium end of Lebanese dining in Dubai. The mezze selection includes hummus, tabbouleh, baba ghanoush, kibbeh, and fattoush, presented with attention to plating rather than rustic presentation. The grill section covers lamb chops, shish taouk, mixed grill platters, and grilled fish. Desserts include baklava and kunafa. The setting features gold and brown tones with traditional Arabic patterns, and some seating areas offer views of the Dubai skyline. This is a restaurant for occasions rather than weekly meals.

• Location: Jumeirah Emirates Towers, Sheikh Zayed Road
• Cuisine: Lebanese (fine dining)
• Core Offering: Mezze, grilled meats, Lebanese desserts
• Price Range: Premium
• Best For: Special occasions, formal dining, hotel-based Lebanese cuisine

11. Bestoon Samad Iraqi Food Restaurant

Bestoon Samad is an Iraqi restaurant in Al Rigga that has built a substantial review base — over 3,500 reviews on Google with a 4.4 rating. The menu covers Iraqi and broader Middle Eastern dishes. Reviewers mention food quality and service most often, with generous portions and efficient service coming up. The restaurant offers dine-in, takeaway, and delivery, with outdoor seating available. It operates from 11:30 AM to 12:30 AM daily. For residents looking for Iraqi food specifically, this is one of the more established options in the city.

• Location: Al Ghurair Centre, Al Rigga Road, Al Muraqqabat, Deira
• Cuisine: Iraqi / Middle Eastern
• Core Offering: Iraqi dishes, grills, Middle Eastern staples
• Price Range: Moderate
• Opening Hours: Daily, 11:30 AM–12:30 AM
• Contact: +971 4 261 1710
• Best For: Iraqi cuisine, group dining, Deira-based meals

12. Al Amani Restaurant & Shaebi Kitchen

Al Amani serves Arabic, Emirati, and seafood dishes with a focus on delivery and takeaway. The menu includes chicken biryani (Arabic style), mutton madfoon, and beef harees. It has a 4.3 rating on Talabat. The offering is practical rather than atmospheric — this is a kitchen for residents who want Emirati and Arabic dishes delivered to their home or office, not a destination restaurant for a night out.

• Location: Delivery-focused (Talabat listing)
• Cuisine: Emirati / Arabic
• Core Offering: Chicken biryani, mutton madfoon, beef harees
• Price Range: Budget to moderate
• Service Options: Delivery, takeaway
• Best For: Home delivery of Emirati and Arabic dishes

13. Najd Palace Restaurant & Kitchen

Najd Palace is a Saudi-style restaurant in Deira that serves madfoon, mandi, and kunafa. Reviewers describe the madfoon meat as tender and the mandi rice as aromatic. The restaurant offers both table-and-chair seating and traditional floor seating. It is a small operation with a local following, particularly among residents in the Deira area. The set menus are described as good value, and the atmosphere is casual and family-oriented.

• Location: Deira, Dubai
• Cuisine: Saudi / Gulf
• Core Offering: Madfoon, mandi, kunafa
• Price Range: Moderate; set meal plus kunafa around AED 60 per person (based on review descriptions)
• Service Options: Dine-in, delivery
• Best For: Traditional Saudi-style rice and meat, Deira-based dining

14. Bait Al Nakhla

Bait Al Nakhla operates inside The Retreat Palm Dubai and serves Turkish and Middle Eastern cuisine. The standout dish is a slow-roasted camel mandi using camel meat from Emirati farms — a dish that is genuinely uncommon in Dubai restaurants. The restaurant also offers shish tawook and other grills. On weekends, there are live Arabic music and Tanoura dance performances. The outdoor terrace has views of the Dubai skyline. It is a hotel restaurant, so the pricing reflects that, but the camel mandi alone makes it worth noting for residents who want to try something beyond the standard Lebanese and Yemeni options.

• Location: The Retreat Palm Dubai, Palm Jumeirah
• Cuisine: Turkish / Middle Eastern
• Core Offering: Camel mandi, shish tawook, grilled meats
• Opening Hours: 12:00–17:00 and 19:00–23:00 (closed Sundays)
• Best For: Camel mandi, weekend dining with entertainment, hotel setting

15. Qwaider Al Nabulsi

Qwaider Al Nabulsi is a Palestinian diner known for kunafa — the cheese pastry that serves as both breakfast and dessert across the Levant. The kunafa here is the Emirati-adopted version: crispy shredded pastry over melted cheese, sometimes rolled and glazed. It is a breakfast spot for commuters and workers, not a sit-down restaurant for a long meal. Pair the kunafa with an iced lemon-mint drink, which is what regulars do.

• Location: Multiple locations across Dubai
• Cuisine: Palestinian
• Core Offering: Kunafa, breakfast pastries
• Price Range: Budget
• Best For: Quick breakfast, kunafa, morning commuter stop

16. Al Tawasol

Al Tawasol is a traditional Emirati restaurant near the Deira clock tower that offers family-style dining in tent rooms. The menu includes shorbat adas (lentil soup), chicken machboos, laban (drinking yoghurt), and larger sharing dishes. The setup is designed for groups — cushions, shared platters, and no Western cutlery unless requested. It is one of the few places in Dubai where residents can eat Emirati food in a setting that matches how it is actually eaten at home. Shisha is available after the meal.

• Location: Abu Baker Siddiq Street, Al Rigga, Deira (near the clock tower)
• Cuisine: Emirati
• Core Offering: Chicken machboos, shorbat adas, laban, family-style platters
• Price Range: Moderate
• Contact: +971 4 295 9797
• Best For: Group dining, traditional tent setting, Emirati family-style meals

17. Al Samadi Sweets

Al Samadi Sweets is a pastry shop on Al Muraqqabat Street in Deira that sells Emirati and Levantine sweets by weight. The shop stocks stacked trays of baklava, kunafa, maamoul, and other pastries. Emirati families order in bulk here for gatherings and holidays. It is not a restaurant — there is no seating — but it belongs in any guide to Arabic food in Dubai because the dessert component of a meal is often what residents remember, and this is where many of them buy it.

• Location: Al Muraqqabat Street, Deira
• Cuisine: Arabic sweets and pastries
• Core Offering: Baklava, kunafa, maamoul, assorted Arabic sweets by weight
• Price Range: Budget to moderate (by weight)
• Best For: Buying Arabic sweets for home, gatherings, gifts

18. Tabkhati By Sofraji

Tabkhati By Sofraji is a delivery-focused Lebanese kitchen with a 4.4 rating from nearly 900 reviews. The menu centres on home-cooked Lebanese food — mezze, daily dishes, and grilled items — delivered in packaging designed to maintain temperature. Reviews describe the food as “home cooked taste” and “good value for money.” It is not a restaurant you visit; it is a kitchen you order from when you want Lebanese food at home without the restaurant markup. One reviewer noted the daily dish rotation could be more varied, but the core offering is consistent.

• Location: Dubai (delivery-focused)
• Cuisine: Lebanese
• Core Offering: Home-style Lebanese dishes, mezze, grills
• Price Range: Moderate
• Service Options: Delivery
• Best For: Home delivery of Lebanese food, office lunches

19. Meylas Food Truck

Meylas is a food truck operation run by Emirati chefs serving traditional recipes. The menu includes ragaq sandwiches (paper-thin Arabic bread with fillings), batheetha (date paste and ghee dessert), and legimat (fried dough dumplings with date syrup). The truck moves locations, so residents need to check Instagram (@meylas) for where it will be. It represents a younger generation of Emirati food entrepreneurs taking traditional recipes to casual, mobile formats. This is not a sit-down restaurant experience, but it is one of the more interesting ways to eat Emirati food in the city.

• Location: Mobile; check Instagram @meylas for current location
• Cuisine: Emirati
• Core Offering: Ragaq sandwiches, batheetha, legimat
• Price Range: Budget
• Best For: Emirati street food, casual eating, trying traditional desserts

20. Maraheb

Maraheb is a Yemeni restaurant that appears in local food guides as one of the established names for mandi and similar dishes. The restaurant serves slow-cooked lamb and chicken over spiced rice, with the option of eating with hands (right hand only) and asking for salata hara and tahini on the side. It is part of the cluster of Yemeni restaurants in Deira and Karama that serve Dubai’s Yemeni food community and residents who have adopted mandi as a regular meal. The setting is casual, the portions are large, and the focus is on the food rather than the service.

• Location: Deira / Karama area
• Cuisine: Yemeni
• Core Offering: Mandi, slow-cooked lamb and chicken, spiced rice
• Price Range: Budget to moderate
• Best For: Yemeni mandi, casual group meals, Deira food exploration

How to Choose?

The right Arabic restaurant in Dubai depends on what you actually want from the meal. If the goal is a long family lunch with mezze and conversation, the Lebanese options — Al Hallab, Karam Beirut, Awani — are built for that. If the goal is Emirati food specifically, Arabian Tea House, Al Tawasol, and Meylas are the most direct routes to dishes like balaleet, harees, and machboos. For Yemeni mandi and madfoon, the Deira and Karama cluster — Madfoon Al Sadda, Bait Al Mandi, Maraheb — serves the version that residents actually eat, often with floor seating and shared platters.

Delivery changes the equation. Tabkhati By Sofraji and Al Amani are set up for home delivery rather than dine-in, which makes them practical for weeknights when leaving the house is not the point. Al Samadi Sweets is not a restaurant at all, but if the meal needs a dessert component and you are in Deira, it solves that problem directly.

Price ranges in this guide are approximate and based on the most current available information. Menus change, branches open and close, and delivery availability varies by area. For any restaurant where timing matters — a Friday lunch, a late-night meal, a group booking — checking the restaurant’s current operating hours and reservation policy before travelling is the practical step.