Vegetarian Food in Dubai: Dishes to Try + Where to Find Them
If you’re worried about finding vegetarian food in Dubai, don’t be! As a longtime vegetarian, I was a bit worried about how meat-centric food in the UAE would be. But after moving here, I very quickly learned that there are tons of very popular vegetarian dishes in Dubai – and you can find them pretty much everywhere!
Don’t worry, you don’t have to go to a pure vegetarian restaurant to find veg food in Dubai. Most restaurants will have something that’s vegetarian or even vegan if you’d like.
Part of the reason that Dubai is such a veg-friendly city is because it’s so multicultural. Some of the most common cuisines here are Emirati, of course, as well as Lebanese, Turkish, Palestinian, Syrian, and Indian – all of which have tons of vegetarian options.
If you’re not sure where to start, here’s a breakdown of some of the most popular vegetarian dishes that are widely available in Dubai, as well as some of my go-to restaurants where you can try them. I’ve also broken down some of the most common international cuisines in Dubai and given a list of popular vegetarian dishes for each one as well as restaurant recommendations.
you might also like:
- The 15 Best Vegetarian Restaurants in Dubai
- 6 Vegan Restaurants in Dubai for Plant-Based Eats
- Vegan in Dubai: Where to Eat, Shop & More
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase or booking through one of these links, I may earn a small commission (which I’m so thankful for!) at no extra cost to you.
1. Falafel
You’re going to find falafel all over the place in Dubai, from the prepared foods section of grocery stores to the street food stalls in Old Dubai to the countless Levantine restaurants across the city.
For those who don’t know, falafel is made from chickpeas, herbs, and spices, all blended together, rolled up into a ball or donut shape, and fried until gorgeously golden. Whether you go for a falafel wrap, a healthy salad, or choose to dunk them into tahini sauce or hummus, this is a go-to vegetarian food in Dubai.
Where to find falafel in Dubai: Operation Falafel has some excellent and affordable falafel sandwiches, as well as addictive stuffed falafel with onions, pine nuts, and shatta (chili sauce).
2. Hummus
Speaking of falafel – it’s almost impossible for me to eat falafel without a side of hummus. Luckily, hummus is a staple in the “cold mezze” section of every Levantine restaurant in town, making hummus a healthy, protein-packed dish for vegetarians in Dubai.
Somehow this simple mixture of chickpeas, lemon juice, tahini, and spices makes a delicious appetizer. But the best part is that you’ll find all sorts of creative versions in Dubai: from roasted bell pepper to beetroot, garlic, pesto, jalapeño, makdous (baby eggplants stuffed with walnuts, red peppers, and garlic), and beyond.
Where to find hummus in Dubai: When in Al Barsha, pay a visit to Foul w Hummus for their classic hummus, hummus with roasted pine nuts, garlicky hummus Beiruti, or their famous hummus with foul (fava beans).
3. Manakish
Manakish is another Levantine dish that’s ubiquitous in Dubai and best served fresh from a Levantine bakery. These delicious flatbreads come topped with a variety of cheeses, herbs, and more – but do note that some are topped with meat.
My personal favorite is always going to be the classic za’atar and cheese. If you haven’t had za’atar before, you’ve got to try this combo! But you’ll find creative versions baking in bakeries, restaurants, and supermarket delis across Dubai.
Where to try manakish in Dubai: Al Mallah in Satwa consistently churns out excellent manakish topped with things like cheese, za’atar, and muhammara, as well as classic Lebanese dishes.
4. Balaleet
Balaleet is a traditional Emirati dish that might look plain but is just bursting with a unique combination of sweet and savory flavors. This breakfast staple is made up of sweetened vermicelli seasoned with cardamom, saffron, and rose water, all topped with a fluffy omelet.
Where to try balaleet in Dubai: I suggest having breakfast at the Arabian Tea House in Bur Dubai and ordering the Special Emirati Breakfast Tray. This breakfast platter comes with balaleet, accompanied by six traditional sides, including dango (chickpeas), watermelon jam, date syrup, local cheese, bajella (fava beans), and a selection of flatbreads.
5. Shakshouka
Shakshuka is another very popular vegetarian food in Dubai. It’s a common dish in North African and Middle Eastern countries, and you’ll find this breakfast staple in a wide range of restaurants around the city.
Depending on which country the dish hails from, you’ll find it prepared in a variety of ways. But in general, you can expect poached or scrambled eggs prepared with a tangy and savory mix of tomatoes, bell peppers, garlic, onion, and spices, served with a side of bread.
Where to try shakshouka in Dubai: Harvest & Co. in Al Quoz does an excellent shakshuka with perfectly poached eggs in a bed of spicy tomatoes and charred bell peppers, topped with goat cheese, salsa verde, coriander, and a dukkah spice blend.
6. Fattoush
When it comes to healthy veg food in Dubai, I absolutely love digging into a big bowl of fattoush.
This simple Levantine salad consists of mixed greens topped with fresh veggies like cucumber, tomato, radish, and onion, as well as the dish’s signature crispy pita squares. It all comes together with a drizzle of refreshing lemon and sumac-infused pomegranate vinaigrette.
Where to try fattoush in Dubai: I honestly haven’t had a fattoush here that I haven’t loved. Order it whenever and wherever you can!
7. All Things Halloumi
Halloumi cheese is another common Levantine vegetarian food in Dubai that’s perfect for a protein fix. You’ll find slices of this baked or grilled cheese served on its own as an appetizer, as a topping on salads, stuffed in wraps or sandwiches with veggies, as a topping on manakish and fatayer – you get the gist.
Where to try halloumi in Dubai: My favorite halloumi sandwich in Dubai is from Gino’s Deli. Their Halloumi & Roast Vegetables Sandwich comes with sundried tomato pesto, oven-roasted vegetables, gooey halloumi, and homemade basil pesto, all tucked away in two freshly baked slices of bread. It’s delicious!
8. Stuffed Vine Leaves
From Palestine and Greece to Lebanon and Turkey, you’ll find stuffed vine leaves from countries across the region. While variations of stuffed grape leaves often come with minced meat, most variations in Dubai are meat-free and stuffed with a tangy rice mixture.
Where to find stuffed vine leaves in Dubai: You’ll find these delicious morsels of goodness everywhere, from prepared foods sections in grocery stores to the cold mezze menus at restaurants across the city. They’re almost always prepared perfectly.
9. Fatayer
Fatayer was one of the first vegetarian foods I tried in Dubai, and I’ve been hooked ever since. A fatayer is a type of flatbread/pastry that’s molded into a boat-like shape and can come filled with cheeses, veggies, herbs, and other toppings, as well as meats, so make sure to double-check.
Where to try fatayer in Dubai: My favorite place for fatayer has always been The Palestinian Bakery. They serve up such wonderful flavors from the classic za’atar fatayer to fatayer topped with akkawi cheese, muhammara and labneh balls, shanklish cheese (pictured above), apricot jam and cheese, and even kunafa cheese topped with pistachios and dried rose petals!
10. Moutabal
Moutabal is another must-eat veg food in Dubai. Often mistaken with baba ghanoush, moutabal is a creamy roasted eggplant dip with olive oil, garlic, and tahini and often sprinkled with pomegranate seeds.
Where to try Moutabal in Dubai: Bait Maryam in JLT is a great restaurant for homecooked Levantine dishes, including some addictive moutabal.
11. Kunafa
If you ask me, kunafa is the very best vegetarian food in Dubai. And when I say “vegetarian food,” it’s actually a decadent and cheesy dessert, the perfect blend of sweet and savory.
You’ll find different variations of kunafa in places like Palestine, Syria, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, and Turkey. And you can find all of these renditions in Dubai.
In general, kunafa is made with either shredded or ground kataifi pastry, filled with ooey gooey cheese, all drenched in a sweet syrup and topped with ground pistachios. It’s so unique and so good, it might just be my favorite thing I’ve had the chance to try since moving to Dubai!
Where to try kunafa in Dubai: You can usually find good kunafa at the many Palestinian restaurants in Dubai. But if you don’t know where to go, Firas Sweets serves up fresh kunafa made with Nabulsi cheese.
Other must-try vegetarian dishes in Dubai (broken down by cuisine type)
But really, you’re going to find loads of vegetarian dishes in Dubai. Here are just some of the common cuisines that you’ll come across here and some of the top vegetarian dishes at their restaurants.
- Vegetarian Indian dishes: When it comes to veg food in Dubai, Indian food is always going to be an excellent option. Not only does almost every Indian restaurant have a dedicated vegetarian section but there are loads of pure veg Indian restaurants around town.
Where to try them: My go-to pure veg Indian restaurant is Saarangaa Bhojan Shala. The menu is extensive, and everything is always delicious. When in doubt, order a thali. - Vegetarian Persian dishes: Kashk bademjan (eggplant dip), mirza ghasemy (eggplant and tomato dip), and ash reshteh (noodle and bean soup).
Where to try them: Iran Zamin. - Vegetarian Indonesian dishes: Ketoprak (rice cake, bean sprouts, vermicelli, and fried tofu with peanut sauce), karedok (mixed veggies with peanut sauce), and tahu isi (stuffed tofu).
Where to try them: Sunda Cafe.
- Vegetarian Ethiopian dishes: Beyaynetu (a combination of vegan curries and veggies served on injera (a spongy flatbread).
Where to try it: Al Habasha Restaurant in Deira. - Vegetarian Emirati dishes: A traditional Emirati breakfast tray is often served vegetarian and comes with mains like balaleet or shakshouka served with small sides like jams, local cheeses, chickpeas, fava beans, and flatbreads. It’s a great way to sample a bunch of the UAE’s best vegetarian dishes!
Where to try it: Order the Special Emirati Breakfast Tray at the Arabian Tea House or the Build Your Breakfast Tray from Al Fanar. - Vegetarian Vietnamese dishes: Pho chay (vegan noodle soup), cari chay (vegan curry with tofu and veggies), and cho gio chay (vegan spring rolls).
Where to try them: Vietnamese Snack Food Cafe and Vietnamese Foodies have dedicated vegetarian sections. - Vegetarian Thai dishes: Pad Thai, noodle and rice dishes, curries, and more.
Where to try them: My favorite veg-friendly Thai place in Dubai is Rosa’s Thai. Most items on the menu come with a vegan option with tofu and veggies. The Rosa’s Pineapple Red Curry is amazing! - Vegetarian American dishes: Plant-based burgers, “chicken” nuggets, and other comfort food classics.
Where to try them: Neat Burger, Vegan Burger, and Pickl.
Of course, this is not an exhaustive list of all of the vegetarian food that is available in Dubai, but hopefully, this gives you an idea of just how vegetarian-friendly Dubai is. I hope you enjoy eating your way around this city – vegetarian style!
