Abu Dhabi Street Food: Hidden Bites You’ll Be Thinking About Long After You Leave
Your guide to the real flavours of the UAE capital
Abu Dhabi has a street food scene that goes far beyond tourist menus and hotel restaurants. If you know where to look, you will find stalls and small eateries serving dishes that have been part of daily life here for generations.
Shawarma: The One Dish You Cannot Miss
No visit to Abu Dhabi is complete without eating a proper shawarma. The ones sold at small roadside spots are usually the best. Thin slices of marinated chicken or lamb are shaved off a rotating spit, wrapped in flatbread, and layered with garlic sauce and pickles. It is simple, filling, and genuinely delicious. After sampling a variety of street eats, many travellers prefer returning to calmer surroundings. Staying at places such as Anantara Santorini Abu Dhabi Retreat offers a quiet contrast to the lively street corners, allowing you to enjoy the city’s vibrant dining culture while retreating to peaceful comfort at the end of the day.
Luqaimat: Sweet Dumplings Worth Every Bite
Luqaimat are small fried dough balls drizzled with date syrup and sesame seeds. They are crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. You will often find them at markets and festivals. Street vendors sell them in paper cups, and they are best eaten hot. Visitors staying at a beach hotel in Abu Dhabi may spot vendors near public beaches during cooler months. These sweets are part of Emirati tradition and are especially popular during Ramadan.
Balaleet: Breakfast That Surprises You
Balaleet is a sweet vermicelli dish served with a savoury egg omelette on top. The combination sounds unusual but it works really well. It is a traditional Emirati breakfast that most visitors never try because it rarely appears on standard menus.
Harees: Slow-Cooked and Deeply Satisfying
Harees is made from wheat and slow-cooked meat, blended together until thick and smooth. It is heavy, comforting food that locals eat during Ramadan and celebrations. Finding it outside of that season takes a bit of effort, but specialist Emirati restaurants do serve it year-round.