Food · Abu Dhabi · United Arab Emirates
What to eat in Abu Dhabi
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Abu Dhabi, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Wadiia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Machboos, Harees and Thareed. During Ramadan, hotels and restaurants serve lavish iftar buffets at sunset with dates, lentil soup, harees, machboos and luqaimat. Alcohol is served mainly in licensed hotel restaurants and bars; most independent restaurants and mall cafés are alcohol-free.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Machboos
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 5
- Tipping
- Many bills include a service charge.
- Food experiences
- 4
10 foods to try
Dish
1.Machboos (Majboos)
The national rice dish: chicken, lamb or fish cooked with rice, onions, baharat spices and dried black lime (loomi), giving a gently sour, aromatic flavour. It is served on large platters for sharing.
Where: Emirati restaurants across the city, mall food courts and hotel Ramadan iftar buffets.
Dish
2.Harees
Wheat and meat slow-cooked for hours and beaten into a smooth, porridge-like dish with ghee. It is a classic of Ramadan, Eid and weddings.
Where: Emirati restaurants and iftar buffets, especially during Ramadan.
Dish
3.Thareed
Layers of thin regag bread soaked in a spiced meat and vegetable stew, often eaten to break the fast in Ramadan.
Where: Emirati restaurants and home-style kitchens; most common on Ramadan menus.
Dessert · Vegetarian
4.Luqaimat
Crisp, fried dough balls flavoured with saffron or cardamom and drizzled with date syrup (dibs) and sesame seeds. They are best eaten hot.
Where: Emirati cafés, heritage festivals, iftar buffets and food stalls at events.
Breakfast · Vegetarian
5.Balaleet
Sweet vermicelli flavoured with saffron, cardamom and rose water, topped with a thin omelette — a surprising but traditional sweet-and-savoury breakfast.
Where: Emirati breakfast menus and hotel breakfast buffets with local dishes.
Breakfast · Vegetarian
6.Chebab
Emirati pancakes spiced with cardamom and saffron, served with date syrup and cream cheese.
Where: Emirati cafés and breakfast spots; often on menus alongside balaleet.
Drink · Vegetarian
7.Arabic coffee and dates (Gahwa)
Lightly roasted coffee brewed with cardamom and sometimes saffron, poured from a dallah into small handleless cups and served with dates as a gesture of welcome.
Where: Offered free in hotel lobbies, the Grand Mosque visitor areas and heritage sites; also in Emirati cafés.
Drink · Vegetarian
8.Karak chai
Strong tea boiled with evaporated milk, sugar and cardamom, brought by South Asian workers and now the everyday drink of the Gulf.
Where: Roadside cafeterias and drive-up tea shops across the city; it is served in small paper cups.
Street food
9.Shawarma
Chicken or beef shaved from a vertical spit and rolled in thin bread with garlic sauce, pickles and fries — the city's default late-night snack.
Where: Lebanese and Syrian cafeterias in Al Khalidiyah, Al Zahiyah and along Hamdan Street.
Dish
10.Grilled Gulf fish
Local hammour (grouper) and kingfish are grilled whole or fried with a dry spice rub and served with rice and salad.
Where: The cooking counters by the Mina Zayed fish market and seafood restaurants on the Corniche and the Breakwater.
Food experiences
Ramadan iftar
During Ramadan, hotels and restaurants serve lavish iftar buffets at sunset with dates, lentil soup, harees, machboos and luqaimat. Ramadan moves about 11 days earlier each year, so check the dates for your trip.
Fish market lunch at Mina Zayed
Choose your fish at the Mina Zayed market, have it cleaned, then hand it to a nearby kitchen to be grilled or fried with spices — a lunch locals have enjoyed for decades.
Weekend brunch
Big hotel brunches with live cooking stations are a weekend institution in the UAE, mostly on Saturdays now that the weekend is Saturday and Sunday. Book ahead for popular ones.
Karak and chebab at a cafeteria
Sit outside a neighbourhood cafeteria in the evening with karak chai and a parotta or chebab, the most local and least expensive meal in the city.
Quick bites and street food
- Balaleet — Emirati breakfast menus and hotel breakfast buffets with local dishes.
- Chebab — Emirati cafés and breakfast spots; often on menus alongside balaleet.
- Shawarma — Lebanese and Syrian cafeterias in Al Khalidiyah, Al Zahiyah and along Hamdan Street.
Vegetarian options
Of the 10 foods in this guide, 5 are usually vegetarian: Luqaimat, Balaleet, Chebab, Arabic coffee and dates and Karak chai. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Alcohol is served mainly in licensed hotel restaurants and bars; most independent restaurants and mall cafés are alcohol-free.
- In Ramadan, many restaurants screen off dining areas during daylight; be discreet about eating and drinking in public before sunset.
- Restaurant bills often include service and municipality charges; check before adding a tip.
- Food delivery apps are widely used and cover almost every restaurant, which helps on hot evenings.
- Tap water is safe but most restaurants serve bottled water, which is charged; ask for local brands to keep costs down.
Tipping
Many bills include a service charge. Where it isn't, about 10% for good restaurant service is appreciated, and rounding up taxi fares or giving a few dirhams to hotel porters is common.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Marhaba | Hello |
| As-salamu alaykum | Peace be upon you (greeting) |
| Shukran | Thank you |
| Min fadlak | Please (to a man) |
| Yalla | Let's go / come on |
| Inshallah | God willing |
| Ma'a salama | Goodbye |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Abu Dhabi famous for?
Machboos, Harees, Thareed and Luqaimat. The national rice dish: chicken, lamb or fish cooked with rice, onions, baharat spices and dried black lime (loomi), giving a gently sour, aromatic flavour.
+Is Abu Dhabi good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Luqaimat, Balaleet and Chebab.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Abu Dhabi?
Many bills include a service charge. Where it isn't, about 10% for good restaurant service is appreciated, and rounding up taxi fares or giving a few dirhams to hotel porters is common.