Whenever I visit a country I like to sample the local food and the food of the country itself. Unfortunately, in a city like Dubai, this isn’t so easy. Dubai is all about the international food on offer and if you want to try Emirati food, you’ll probably have to get an invite into someone’s house. However and thankfully, there are a handful of restaurants that specialise in authentic Emirati cuisine. The very first of them to do Emirati food is Arabian Tea House – they opened in 1997.
Arabian Tea House, for many, is the central point, the meeting point even the entry point of the historic old Dubai that is more formally known as Al Fahidi District. This area of Dubai takes you back in time, gives you a glimpse into old Dubai, is a great day out and is something you should all include in your Dubai itineraries. So, a restaurant to be deemed the entry point to this area, it must have something about it. And it sure does! It lives up to that name and beyond.
The setting is stunning from before you set foot into the restaurant to the interior itself. It feels old, authentic and charming yet clean and inviting at the same time. Pebble flooring and rattan chairs provide for a chilled out and laid back vibe. They’ve got AC, so don’t worry about it feeling hot inside. So, it feels like you’re dining outside, but not having to deal with the Dubai heat. And it fits right into the area that it resides in – it has that old Dubai feel. So, whether you dine in or just walk past, it just feels like it is part of the rest of the Al Fahidi District. I don’t know if this was done on purpose, but it works so well; it seems perfectly synchronised.
Their Branches
Al Fahidi is the main one and I would urge you to experience this one. But they have now opened new branches in Dubai and other parts of the UAE. They also have one in Expo 2020, so if you’re there for that, you can try this out! They’ve also gone global by opening one branch in Egypt and one in Montenegro.
Our experience
We ordered:
- Emirati Breakfast Tray 80 AED – this includes – Balaleet (vermicelli cooked with cardamom, cinnamon, saffron topped with omelette), dates molasses, cheddar cheese, melted cheese, baked beans, watermelon jam, dango, bajella that comes with traditional bread (khameer, chebab and tanoor).
- Karak Tea – 30 AED (6 or 7 tea cups worth)
- Mango Juice – 32 AED
Firstly, we loved the setting as described above. It really makes you feel like you are experiencing something special. A big well done for recreating this feeling. In terms of the service, we were attended to quickly and the staff were always on hand to answer questions.
Now, all importantly the food. You can sample all kinds of Emirati foods at this spot from breakfast to mains, from desserts to drinks. This place, however, is famous for its breakfast trays as well as their wide variety of drinks (you have 150 varieties to choose from!). We opted for the Emirati breakfast tray (when in the Emirates right?). It is presented in a wonderful circular tray with each dish in small bowls or plates on one big tray. The Balaleet is the star of the show. As described above it is basically egg on top of sweet vermicelli – a really nice combo and made for a nice sweet breakfast dish. Dango is boiled chickpeas with a few spices – this is simple and subtle, but brilliant at the same time. Khameer is soft, round and fluffy flatbread. Chebab is Emirati pancakes. And Bajella is fava beans, which were similar in simplicity and subtleness to the chickpea dish. The rest of the items are self explanatory I think.
All in all a delicious breakfast that provides a variety of different tastes. There’s sweet, there’s savoury and there’s something in between! It’s perfect to share with your friends or family (mind you, we even saw singles there devouring trays by themselves!). This restaurant most definitely needs to be on your Dubai itinerary and I’d strongly recommend it being part of your Al Fahidi District / Old Dubai day out. In fact, I’d start my day here for breakfast and this’ll then give you fuel to explore Old Dubai well.
Getting There:
Google Location Link: click here
Metro: switch over at Burjuman (red line) onto the green line and get off at Sharaf DG. Arabian Tea House is 8 minutes from the station.
Careem: you can go there directly.
