How to Savour the Best Emirati Cuisine in Abu Dhabi: A Complete Guide to a Memorable Culinary Experience

Abu Dhabi is a city of both the future and the past. Traces of Emirati heritage can be seen all over the world, but nothing represents the city’s rich culture like its cuisine. The local cuisine centres around spices, dates, coffee, and hearty dishes. Locals also have an affinity for sweet treats. If you’re planning to visit this stunning Emirati paradise, here’s how to savour the best of the local cuisine.

Traditional Food 

Just like many other cuisines around the world, Emirati cuisine is also a combination of influences. The focus is always on what’s available. The cuisine was influenced by culture and climate too. After the city discovered oil, Abu Dhabi slowly began becoming a global city. Then expats started to come and settle in the UAE for work and business. They all brought their own culinary secrets with them.Chicken, for example, wasn’t always part of Emirati cuisine. In the early days, camel, goat, and birds like the Houbara graced the local cuisine – they’re still very much part of it. Fish too plays a major role in Emirati cuisine.

Vengolis, Kabsa 3, CC BY-SA 3.0

Where to Eat 

Abu Dhabi really does spoil you with various dining options. There are restaurants as well as a few souks. From rooftop restaurants to waterfront venues, you have numerous dining options in Abu Dhabi. Some hotels feature onsite dining options too. For example, you could find the best Abu Dhabi restaurant at the site of a resort such as Anantara Sir Bani Yas Island Al Yamm Villa Resort. 

Emirati Breakfast Dishes 

Locals love to have something hearty and filling for breakfast. These are often the top picks:

• Baleelat: Sweet and savoury, Baleelat consists of sweetened vermicelli noodles and scrambled eggs. It’s perfect for breakfast or as a snack.
• Shakshuka: Made with poached eggs and tomato sauce, Shakshuka is a hearty, flavour-packed breakfast dish. Needless to say, it’s a must-try. It’s often served with bread.
• Chabab Bread: This is an Emirati-style pancake flavoured with saffron and cardamom. It’s usually enjoyed with a drizzle of date syrup.
• Khameer Bread: A type of flatbread, Khameer Bread is fluffy and warm. It can be eaten on its own.
• Raqaq Bread: Thin and crispy, Raqaq Bread is like crackers, only larger. Locals like to enjoy it with butter or savoury fillings.
• Dango: Boiled chickpeas mixed with salt, cumin, and sometimes a squeeze of lemon, Dango is a healthy and savoury breakfast dish.

Lunch Dishes 

If you walk into a traditional Emirati eatery or a restaurant specialising in local food, the menu will consist of the following:

• Hareeth: Made from wheat or slow-cooked lamb or chicken, Hareeth is a type of porridge. It’s soft and creamy and is eaten mainly for lunch or special occasions.
• Samak Mashwi: This is Emirati-style grilled fish. Freshly caught fish is marinated in a blend of spices and then grilled to perfection.
• Thereed: A traditional stew made with meat, vegetables, and a blend of fragrant spices, Thereed is served with crispy thin bread. You’re supposed to dip the bread in the stew to soak up all the flavours.
• Machboos: A spiced dish similar to biryani, Machboos is made with meat or fish. Lots of spices are added, of course, along with dried lime and saffron.

Desserts 

Once you’ve had your fill of the above dishes, try these sweet items for a complete culinary experience in Abu Dhabi!

• Luqaimat: These are like dumplings, only smaller and honey-coloured. These balls of absolute deliciousness come drizzled with date syrup or honey.
• Aseeda: To make Aseeda, you need to cook wheat flour, butter, and water into a thick, smooth paste. It’s often eaten with ghee or syrup.
• Al Batheetha: A snack made from dates, flour, ghee, and spices, Al Batheetha is crumbly and immediately melts in your mouth. Al Batheetha and Arabic coffee are the perfect pairing.