Egypt’s cuisine has a rich heritage, with African and Mediterranean influences, intensely spicy and sweet flavors, and rich, hearty dishes.
There are many options in Dubai for fans of Egyptian food and anyone who wants to enjoy a delicious meal, from magnificent five-star dining experiences to humble eateries where you’ll find workers grabbing a quick lunch.
Here are our recommendations for the nine best Egyptian restaurants in Dubai.
1. Hadoota Masreya
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Established in 2011 with the aim of catering to expat Egyptians nostalgic for a meal from home, Hadoota Masreya has become one of Dubai’s favorite restaurants.
This casual eatery has a warm, welcoming atmosphere, whether you’re coming in for a leisurely breakfast, enjoying the lunch buffet, or relaxing with coffee and shisha.
Traditional breakfast options include eggs cooked to your specifications, foul, falafel, and gorgeous platters, which are so generous that you can share them. The tahini is particularly good with fresh bread.
The test of any authentic Egyptian restaurant is their Molokheya, which you can enjoy with chicken or meat – it’s just like your mother made it. The Musaqaa Bachamel is also delicious., as is the Fattah Mozat.
The menu is extensive, with other traditional dishes like grilled liver, Bamia (okra), Shish Tawook, and kofta. There are salads, soups, sandwiches, and a variety of beverages.
At night, especially, Hadoota Masreya gets busy, noisy, and bustling – it’s a great hangout with friends, but not for date night.
- Opening times: Saturday-Wednesday 10:00am-12:00am, Thursday-Friday 9:00am-1:00am
- Contact: +971 4 380 9000
- Address: Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Safa 1
- Website: https://www.hadootamasreya.com/
2. Masmat Baha
Fans of Egyptian street food flock to this cozy, budget-friendly restaurant, with branches in Abu Hail and near the Mall of the Emirates.
Masmat Baha is famous for the massive portions it serves and the family-friendly environment. It’s also known for its authentic home cooking, and the Alexandrian Liver is a testament to this.
Make sure you try the succulent Lamb Fattah, the Kaware Soup, and the superb Molokheya with duck.
The family platters are worthwhile, and you’ll be feasting for ages, especially the mixed grills, which come with lamb chops, kofta, fries, bread, and hummus.
All meals come with complimentary salad, pickles, and tahini. If you have space, try the Um Ali, a delectable milky bread pudding with nuts and raisins – it’s light and not too sweet.
- Opening times: 11:00am-2:00am
- Contact: +971 600 565575
- Address: Arabilla Building, Abu Hail
- Website: https://masmatbaha.com/
3. Khan Murjan
Located in the magnificent Khan Murjan Souk, this is one of the most beautiful restaurants in Dubai.
Traditional Arabesque souks inspired the exquisite architecture, where this high-end eatery sits in a serene marble courtyard. The soaring columns open to the sky in winter, and the tinkling of the water wheel and fountain are soothing and gentle.
The food is as magnificent as the setting. Khan Murjan serves a variety of Arabic food from Morocco, Syria, Turkey, Lebanon, as well as Egypt.
Start your meal with fresh falafel, creamy hummus, and a selection of steaming bread, or sip the Molokheya soup, rich with chicken, garlic, and coriander.
Move on to the delicious grills, especially the lamb chops, or choose Koshari for vegetarians. Salads are bejeweled with pomegranate seeds and fragrant dressing.
Khan Murjan is the perfect restaurant for a date night or family celebration and a must-see for visitors to Dubai.
- Opening times: Sunday-Thursday 10:00am-10:00pm, Friday-Saturday 10:00am-12:00am
- Contact: +971 4 327 9795
- Address: Level L, Souk Courtyard, Wafi City, Oud Metha Road, Umm Hurair 2
- Website: https://www.wafi.com/shop/restaurant-khan-murjan/
4. Koshari Abu Tarek
Koshari Abu Tarek is a hole-in-the-wall, cafeteria-style eatery that serves only one dish – Koshari.
If you’re unfamiliar with Egyptian food, Koshari combines rice, lentils, pasta, and chili sauce. Regarded as the national street food, Koshari can also include hummus, chickpeas, tomatoes, fried onions, garlic, and various spices.
Koshari Abu Tarek’s food is fresh, affordable, and satisfying, with your selection based on whether you want small, medium, or large.
The portions are hearty, and a medium Koshari will feed two people. Dishes come with three sauces, tomato, chili, and vinegar.
This small restaurant is always busy, but the service is friendly and quick.
- Opening times: Saturday-Thursday 10:00am-12:00am, Thursday-Friday 10:00am-1:00am
- Contact: +971 55 688 3668/04 354 1001
- Address: Behind Lulu Supermarket, Al Barsha Road, Al Barsha
- Website: https://www.instagram.com/koshariabutarekuae/?hl=en
5. Kazoza
Located at the Pointe on the spectacular Palm Jumeirah, Kazoza is a trendy, modern Egyptian restaurant.
The interior design is stunning, nearly as beautiful as the views: on the one side, you can marvel at the musical fountains, the highest in the world, or look out the windows at Atlantis Hotel, an architectural masterpiece.
Kazoza serves authentic Egyptian street food with a modern twist. Try the delicious Hawawshi stuffed with ground meat, the Kebda (Alexandrian liver), and the crispy falafel.
The grills are excellent, generously served, and far too much for one person. The pickles are tangy and fresh, especially the pickled eggplant.
This lovely restaurant is also open for breakfast, so you’ll have to visit twice: once to enjoy the ocean views and a second time for the evening lights. Kazoza is ideal for couples, families, or business lunches.
- Opening times: 9:00am-12:00am
- Contact: +971 4 874 4000
- Address: The Pointe, Palm Jumeirah
- Website: https://www.kazoza.net/
6. Basboussa
The name of this eatery gives you a clue about its menu: Basboussa is an Egyptian bakery and dessert haven that will leave you spoiled for choice.
The chefs prepare all their confectionary fresh every day and offer a twist on traditional Egyptian recipes. You can enjoy their bakes in the peaceful dine-in area or select items from the patisserie section to take home and enjoy with your family.
Basboussa is their signature dish, a semolina cake soaked in syrup, often served with cream, and not to be missed.
Their menu offers various Basboussa options so that you can enjoy your favorite version, whether with pistachio, hazelnuts, or Nutella, as a cheesecake, or even a red velvet version.
Other highlights include the baklava, Kunafa, several flavors of Esh El Bolbol, and petit fours.
You can also get typical Egyptian delicacies, such as Balah El Sham, the sticky snacks eaten during Ramadan, Kahk cookies, and Gullash, delicate pies with various stuffing.
Give yourself a treat: visit this delightful and charming patisserie.
- Opening times: 10:00am-10:00pm
- Contact: +971 4 344 7707
- Address: The Village Mall, Beach Road, Jumeirah 1
- Website: https://www.basboussa.com/
7. Cairo Gourmet Restaurant And Café
This cozy, homely café is a little piece of Cairo in the middle of Dubai.
Located along the scenic Dubai Water Canals, Cairo Gourmet is a pocket-friendly eatery that welcomes diners for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Have a quick breakfast on your way to work – the beans are really tasty, and the Koshari tea is the best in town. Take advantage of the lunch specials, where your choice of main dish comes with a drink, soup, a cold appetizer, and a rice pudding.
Come with a group of friends in the evenings and enjoy the generous portions, the mixed grills, and, of course, the Molokheya. There’s also a great variety of sweet and savory Fatayer (pies).
There are also several TV screens, usually tuned to football, be it the English Premier League or the hotly contested Egyptian League. Patrons can get boisterous, creating a friendly buzz.
Live music performances add to the fabulous atmosphere.
Cairo Gourmet is also known for its shisha – be warned that the restaurant can become smoky in the late evenings.
- Opening times: 9:00am-2:00am
- Contact: +971 4 226 5555
- Address: 260 Al Diyar Building, Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Safa
- Website: https://cairogourmet.com/
8. Ibn Hamido
With its original branch in Al Barsha, Ibn Hamido has a new location at the Pointe, with magnificent views of the Palm Jumeirah.
The focus of this high-end eatery is Egyptian-style fresh seafood, served in an elegant, modern Arabesque setting.
Recommended starters include the succulent stuffed, grilled calamari and the seafood shwarma. The baked rice with shrimp is delicious, as is the renga (herring) salad, full of tahini, onion, tomatoes, and lettuce.
Ibn Hamido always offers a selection of fresh fish and shellfish on display, which they will prepare in the way you choose: oven grilled, charcoal grilled, baked, or Sengari-style, which is a traditional Egyptian method of preparing fish with a spicy marinade.
Enjoy eel, lobster, salmon, and crab, as well as seasonal and daily specials.
With Egyptian music playing in the background and the ocean view outside, you might think you’re in Port Said.
- Opening times: 12:00pm-1:00am
- Contact: +971 04 584 4575
- Address: The Pointe, Palm Jumeirah
- Website: https://ibnhamido.net/index.php
9. Al Amoor
Al Amoor is a no-frills, budget-friendly eatery that offers a quick, simple breakfast on the way to work, r a snack during lunch hour, or a late-night feast.
Their specialty is Fatayer, an Egyptian-style pie or pizza. The chicken and cheese version is delicious; people drive there to have the dessert pie with cream cheese and honey.
Al Amoor’s chicken biriyani is fantastic, served in a massive portion.
This hole-in-the-wall is tiny and gets very busy in the evenings – you might find yourself getting a takeaway and munching it in the car.
Some hints: Al Amoor only takes cash, and servers don’t speak much English. Order online if you can’t order in Arabic.
- Opening times: 7:00am-2:00am
- Contact: +971 4 297 9797
- Address: 15 C Street, Hor Al Anz East