Best of Dubai
Where locals eat in Dubai
Start with Al Fanar in Al Seef for emirati breakfast with nashef, Al Mallah in Satwa for chicken shawarma and fresh juice and Al Ustad Special Kabab in Bur Dubai for the kebab khas with saffron rice. Here are all 11, with what to get at each.
- Al FanarAl Seef
Get: Emirati breakfast with nashef
A restaurant built to look like old Dubai, cooking Emirati home dishes.
- Al MallahSatwa · Lebanese grill
Get: Chicken shawarma and fresh juice
Shawarma on 2nd December Street. Satwa institution with pavement tables, famous for shawarma, fresh juices and grilled chicken late into the night.
- Al Ustad Special KababBur Dubai · kebabs
Get: the kebab khas with saffron rice. Iranian family place for over 40 years
Old-school Bur Dubai eatery beloved for decades, known for smoky seekh kebabs and simple no-frills Pakistani-style grilled meats.
- Calicut ParagonKarama · Malabar Indian
Get: the Malabar biryani or a weekend Kerala breakfast. Karama crowds at peak times
Busy Karama spot for Malabar biryani, kerala porotta and spicy fish fry, loved by the South Indian crowd.
- LogmaJumeirah · Emirati comfort food
Get: the logma dumplings and a chabab pancake. Emirati comfort food
Modern Emirati café doing comforting classics like balaleet, chicken machboos and karak in a bright, casual setting.
- Bait Al MandiAl Barsha · Yemeni mandi
Get: the lamb mandi, slow cooked over spiced rice. Eaten family style
No-fuss Al Barsha canteen piling plates high with Yemeni-style mandi lamb and chicken over fragrant rice.
- Bu QtairUmm Suqeim · seafood shack
Get: Fried fish with masala and rice
Fried fish from a shack by the harbor. Beachside shack near Umm Suqeim lighthouse serving fried and curried fresh fish at communal tables, no frills.
- Joshi RestaurantMeena Bazaar · Gujarati thali
Get: the vegetarian thali and the snacks. Serving Bur Dubai since 1968
Simple Meena Bazaar canteen dishing out thalis and Gujarati snacks to a loyal lunchtime crowd of regulars.
- Al Reef Lebanese BakeryAl Karama
Get: the zaatar and cheese manakish. Baking since 1986, often a line
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Save the whole listAsk Chef for morePlan my Dubai food tripWhere locals eat in Dubai: questions people ask
What are the local restaurants in Dubai?
Chef Amazing’s picks start with Al Fanar (Al Seef), Al Mallah (Satwa) and Al Ustad Special Kabab (Bur Dubai). All 11 places are on this page with what to get, where they are and a map.
What should I order?
At Al Fanar, get emirati breakfast with nashef. At Al Mallah, get chicken shawarma and fresh juice. At Al Ustad Special Kabab, get the kebab khas with saffron rice. Iranian family place for over 40 years. At Calicut Paragon, get the Malabar biryani or a weekend Kerala breakfast. Karama crowds at peak times.
Which neighborhood is best for local restaurants in Dubai?
Most of these are in Satwa and Karama. The map on this page shows every one, numbered like the list.
How does Chef Amazing pick these?
From Chef Amazing’s city guide and lists for Dubai: the places critics, chefs and locals keep recommending, checked and kept current, with what to order at each. Nobody pays to be on them.
More in Dubai
Local restaurants in other cities
Places change: check hours before you go. Pins come from addresses and OpenStreetMap and can be a little off. Updated October 25, 2026.