ExploFood · Asia
What to eat in United Arab Emirates
Five dishes to try in the United Arab Emirates, the most typical first. Two are vegetarian.
Five dishes to try in the United Arab Emirates
Machboos مجبوس
Spiced rice cooked with chicken, lamb or fish and dried lime.
How to have it: The Emirati national dish; heritage restaurants serve it on a shared platter.
Harees هريس
Slow-cooked wheat and meat beaten to a smooth porridge.
How to have it: Served during Ramadan, Eid and weddings; top it with a little melted ghee.
Balaleet بلاليط
Sweet saffron vermicelli topped with a thin omelette.
How to have it: A traditional breakfast; Emirati cafés serve it, especially on weekend mornings.
Luqaimat لقيمات
Fried dough balls drizzled with date syrup and sesame.
How to have it: Common during Ramadan and at festivals; eat them hot with Arabic coffee.
Shawarma شاورما
Spit-roasted meat shaved into flatbread with garlic sauce and pickles.
How to have it: The late-night snack of choice; small cafeterias sell chicken shawarma for a few dirhams.
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Questions
What food is the United Arab Emirates famous for?
Machboos (spiced rice cooked with chicken, lamb or fish and dried lime) comes first on our list, followed by Harees, Balaleet, Luqaimat and Shawarma.
What is the national dish of the United Arab Emirates?
Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for the United Arab Emirates is Machboos: spiced rice cooked with chicken, lamb or fish and dried lime. The Emirati national dish; heritage restaurants serve it on a shared platter.
Which dishes in the United Arab Emirates are vegetarian?
Two of the five on this page are vegetarian as usually made: Balaleet and Luqaimat. Recipes vary, so ask about stock, lard or fish sauce.
What street food should I try in the United Arab Emirates?
Shawarma (spit-roasted meat shaved into flatbread with garlic sauce and pickles).
How reliable is this list?
The dishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, where you can also tick off the ones you have tried. Recipes vary by region and by family, so take it as a starting point.
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Tick off every dish you try in United Arab Emirates
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Get ExploDishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, with links to Wikipedia. Recipes and names vary by region.