Djibouti
Arabic Coffee
قهوة عربية
Light roasted Arabica coffee with cardamom and saffron, UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, symbol of Emirati hospitality, light golden color with distinct cardamom fragrance, served in tiny finjan cups.
western-asia
United Arab Emirates
Explore 57 foods connected to United Arab Emirates, from everyday staples to rare local specialties.
57 foods12 leading categories1 Essentials guides
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The local shortlist
United Arab Emirates Essentials
10 editor-selected foods for understanding the place through what people eat.
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Traditional foods from United Arab Emirates.
57 foods in this view. Filter by category, type, rarity, or search every recorded name.
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Turkey
Ayran
Ajran
Ayran is a cold drink of yogurt, water and salt, whisked until lightly foamy. In Bulgaria it is a summer fountain and meal drink, never a sweet yogurt.
Lebanon
Baklava
بقلاوة
Layers of paper-thin phyllo brushed with butter and filled with chopped walnuts or pistachios, baked crisp then drenched in lemon- or rose-scented sugar syrup. One square, cut diamond-small, is the shared Ottoman dessert of the whole eastern Mediterranean.
United Arab Emirates
Balaleet
بلاليط
Balaleet combines sweet vermicelli cooked with cardamom, rose water, and saffron with a thin egg omelet on top, creating a sweet-savory breakfast.
United Arab Emirates
Betit
البيت
Betit is slow-cooked meat served with rice, simmered for hours with aromatic spices until the meat falls apart and the rice absorbs the cooking flavors.
United Arab Emirates
Bezar Spice Mix
بهارات البزار
Traditional Emirati spice blend with cinnamon, cumin, coriander, fennel, cardamom, and other spices, essential for machboos and other dishes, aromatic blend with balanced flavors and fresh spices, essential.
United Arab Emirates
Chabab
شباب
Sweet fluffy Emirati pancakes flavored with cardamom and saffron, topped with date syrup, cream cheese, or honey, light and fluffy texture with distinct cardamom aroma and golden color, a breakfast staple.
United Arab Emirates
Daqoos
دقوس
Daqoos is a spicy Emirati tomato sauce served with rice dishes, with fresh tomato flavor and a smooth, pourable consistency.
United Arab Emirates
Dolmades
Ντολμάδες
Greek stuffed grape leaves with rice, herbs, and olive oil, rolled into small parcels. A meze and Clean Monday staple, tangy and herby, served cold with lemon, a national dish.
Lebanon
Fattoush
فتوش
Salad with crispy bread pieces, vegetables, and sumac dressing, fresh vegetables with crispy bread and tangy sumac dressing, well-balanced, a popular and refreshing Arabic salad in UAE, daily and beloved.
United Arab Emirates
Fendal
فندل
Fendal is a UAE coconut drink with natural sweetness and a clear coconut flavor, usually served well chilled.
United Arab Emirates
Ferni
فرني
Emirati rice pudding, traditional dessert, smooth creamy texture with proper rice consistency and balanced sweetness, cardamom aroma, a beloved and comforting traditional Emirati sweet, daily and festive.
United Arab Emirates
Harees
هريس
Wheat and meat porridge slow-cooked for hours then beaten until smooth, a Ramadan specialty and wedding dish, UNESCO-recognized, smooth porridge-like consistency with meat fully incorporated.
United Arab Emirates
Hummus
حمص
Chickpeas boiled soft and beaten with tahini, lemon and garlic into a smooth paste, swirled with olive oil — the shared Levantine staple claimed by every coast of the eastern Mediterranean, eaten with pita at any hour.
United Arab Emirates
Jasheed
جشيد
Spiced fish and rice, traditionally with baby shark, now often emperor fish, minced fish with spices, well-spiced fish with proper rice texture, a traditional Emirati seafood specialty, coastal heritage.
United Arab Emirates
Jellab
جلاب
Jellab is a sweet drink made from grape molasses, dates, and rose water, served with pine nuts and raisins during Ramadan; it has a deep burgundy color.
United Arab Emirates
Karak Chai
كارك تشاي
Strong spiced tea with milk, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, and saffron, brought by Indian diaspora, now UAE's beloved street-side daily drink, strong tea flavor with creamy texture and distinct cardamom aroma.
United Arab Emirates
Khabees
خبيص
Khabees is a toasted flour dessert mixed with honey or sugar, cardamom, saffron, and rose water; nuts or coconut may be added before it is served warm.
United Arab Emirates
Khabeesa
خبيصة
Khabeesa is the semolina version of Khabees, toasted with butter and flavored with saffron, cardamom, rose water, and sometimes nuts.
United Arab Emirates
Khameer Bread
خبز الخمير
Khameer is a fermented Emirati bread with a soft, puffy crumb, slight sweetness, golden crust, and sesame or black-cumin seeds.
United Arab Emirates
Khanfaroosh
خنفروش
Traditional saffron and cardamom cakes, soft and spongy like doughnuts, fried or baked, served during special occasions, soft spongy texture with distinct cardamom and saffron aroma and light sweetness.
United Arab Emirates
Khuzi
خوزي
Whole roasted lamb served on a bed of saffron rice with toasted almonds, pine nuts, and dried fruit, a centerpiece at weddings and Eid celebrations, impressive presentation on large platter.
Aleppo, Lebanon
Kibbeh
كبة
Meat and bulgur croquettes, fried or baked, crispy exterior with well-seasoned meat and proper bulgur texture, a popular Arabic dish in UAE, traditional and beloved, festive and daily, versatile and hearty.
Nablus, Palestine
Knafeh
كنافة
Sweet cheese pastry with vermicelli-like kataifi dough, soaked in sugar syrup, often topped with pistachios, crispy shredded dough with melted cheese center and proper syrup soaking, a beloved Arab dessert.
United Arab Emirates
Loomi
لومي
Loomi is a dried black lime used to add sourness to Emirati cooking; whole fruits are dark, hollow when shaken, and carry a fermented citrus aroma.
United Arab Emirates
Luqaimat
لقيمات
Luqaimat are sweet fried dough dumplings with a crisp exterior and airy center, drizzled with date syrup and sesame seeds for Ramadan iftar.
United Arab Emirates
Ma'amoul
معمول
Date-filled semolina cookies pressed into wooden molds with decorative patterns, dusted with icing sugar, an Eid favorite, crumbly yet firm texture with distinct mold patterns and generous date filling.
United Arab Emirates
Machboos
مجبوس
Machboos (majboos) is Gulf spiced rice cooked in meat or fish stock with loomi dried lime, onions, and a warm bezar-style spice mix; the protein and local garnish change by household and coast.
United Arab Emirates
Madfoon
مدفون
Slow-cooked meat marinated in spices, wrapped, and buried in underground pit with charcoal for smoky flavor, served over saffron rice, extremely tender meat that melts in mouth, a Bedouin specialty.
United Arab Emirates
Madrooba
مدروبة
Thick porridge-like dish made with salted fish (or chicken) and rice, enriched with flour and aromatic spices like turmeric, cumin, and green chili, smooth creamy consistency, a coastal heritage dish.
Bushehr, United Arab Emirates
Mahyawa
مهياوة
Fermented fish sauce made from anchovies and spices (fennel, cumin, coriander, mustard), Iranian origin but used in UAE coastal cuisine, deep umami flavor with balanced saltiness and aromatic spices, condiment.
Oman
Maleh
مالح
Omani salted, sun-dried fish, a preserved staple eaten with rice.
United Arab Emirates
Malouj Bread
خبز الملوّج
Malouj is a layered Emirati bread made with red flour and ghee, with flaky layers, a crisp exterior, and a soft interior.
United Arab Emirates
Margooga
مرقوقة
Margooga is a meat and vegetable stew with hand-torn dough pieces simmered in rich spiced broth until the dough softens and the meat is tender.
United Arab Emirates
Masoub
معصوب
Yemeni dessert popular in UAE, mashed bananas and bread enriched with butter, cream, honey, dates, and spices, creamy mashed banana texture with good bread integration, balanced sweetness, served fresh.
United Arab Emirates
Mishkak
مشكاك
Grilled meat skewers marinated in aromatic spices including garlic, ginger, turmeric, cumin, and tamarind, well-marinated flavorful meat with good char from grill, a popular street food.