Order balaleet (sweet vermicelli with an omelette), chebab (pancakes) and foul (fava beans); expect AED 29-42 a dish, or AED 82-87 for a full tray at Arabian Tea House in Al Fahidi. Emirati breakfast is easiest in the Al Fahidi lanes, and Levantine breakfast with foul, hummus and manakish is at Lebanese-style restaurants and bakeries. This guide has the dishes, the prices from menus checked on 2 November 2026, opening times and a morning plan.
By SB Excursions · Published 3 November 2026 · Updated 3 November 2026
Tour on this route: Old Dubai Walking Tour — From $35 per person, 3-4 hours.
How much does an Arabic breakfast cost in Dubai?
A single dish costs about AED 29-42, for example foul AED 29, chebab AED 34 or balaleet AED 36-42. A full tray costs AED 82-87 at Arabian Tea House. The SMCCU cultural breakfast, with a talk by an Emirati host, is AED 130. Prices were checked on 2 November 2026.
This guide also answers:
- Where can I try Emirati breakfast in Dubai?
- What time do Arabic breakfast places open in Dubai?
Four places for an Arabic breakfast in Dubai
#1
Arabian Tea House, Al Fahidi
The restaurant describes itself as the first authentic Emirati restaurant, since 1997. Its menu lists a Special Emirati Breakfast Tray at AED 87, an Arabic tray and an Egyptian tray at AED 82 each, balaleet with omelette at AED 36 and chebab bread at AED 34. It opens at 7:00 am daily and has an online reservation page.
#2
SMCCU cultural breakfast
The Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding serves a 1.5-hour cultural breakfast for AED 130 per adult, with Arabic coffee, dates and local dishes and an open conversation with an Emirati host. Booking is required. Our separate guide explains the schedule, prices and what the experience is like.
#3
Al Safadi, for a Levantine breakfast
Al Safadi's website lists an Arabic breakfast and mezze category on its menu and five Dubai branches. We could not see item prices or breakfast hours on its pages, so call or check the branch you plan to visit. Rigga is on the Deira side of the Creek, which suits a morning in Old Dubai.
#4
Old Dubai cafeterias and karak
Our Old Dubai guide puts a cafeteria plate at about AED 15-25 and a karak tea at a few dirhams. These counters serve everyday bread, parathas, falafel and tea rather than Emirati trays, and opening hours vary by shop. They are the budget way to eat breakfast with residents, and some take only cash.
Arabic breakfast in Dubai: the short answer
Start with balaleet, chebab and foul, and plan about AED 29-42 a dish, or AED 82-87 for a full tray, at a heritage restaurant in Al Fahidi. Those are the prices on the menus of Arabian Tea House and Al Fanar, checked on 2 November 2026. At the exchange rate of AED 3.6725 to the dollar, AED 87 is about $24 and AED 36 is about $10.
"Arabic breakfast" covers two food traditions. Emirati breakfast is sweet and savoury at once: balaleet, chebab, regag and khameer bread, with Arabic coffee and karak. Levantine breakfast, from Lebanon, Syria and Palestine, is a table of small dishes: foul, hummus, labneh, olives, cheese and flatbread. Dubai has both, and you can have each in one morning. Our Emirati food guide explains the dishes in more detail.
The dishes: what to order
Names are spelt in several ways in English, so ask for a dish by what it is. Most of the dishes below are vegetarian, but they contain eggs, dairy or gluten.
| Dish | What it is | Tradition | Vegetarian? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balaleet | Sweet vermicelli scented with saffron and cardamom, topped with an omelette | Emirati | Yes (eggs) |
| Chebab | Thick pancakes with saffron and cardamom, often served with date syrup | Emirati | Yes (eggs, dairy) |
| Regag | Crisp, paper-thin bread, served plain or with egg, cheese or honey | Emirati | Yes |
| Khameer | A soft leavened bread, served for example with halloumi and za'atar | Emirati | Yes |
| Foul | Cooked fava beans served with bread | Levantine and Egyptian | Yes |
| Hummus and labneh | Chickpea dip and strained yoghurt, eaten with bread | Levantine | Yes (labneh is dairy) |
| Manakish | Flatbread baked with za'atar or cheese | Levantine | Yes |
Descriptions are general. Ask the kitchen about nuts, sesame, eggs and dairy before you order.
If you try only one, make it balaleet: it tastes like nothing else on a breakfast table, and it is cheap. Arabian Tea House also lists an Arabic breakfast tray and an Egyptian one at AED 82 each, which are good if you want to taste several dishes at once.
Where to eat Emirati breakfast: Al Fahidi and Al Fanar
Al Fahidi is the easiest place, because the restored houses are open from early morning and the lanes are quiet before the heat. Use the table to compare what the two best-known Emirati restaurants list on their own sites.
| Dish | Arabian Tea House, Al Fahidi (AED) | Al Fanar (AED) |
|---|---|---|
| Balaleet with omelette | 36 | 42 |
| Chebab | 34 | 34 |
| Regag bread | 35 | 24-34, depending on the filling |
| Foul | Hummus with foul: 41 | 29 |
| Full tray | Emirati tray 87; Arabic tray 82; Egyptian tray 82 | Not listed on the page checked |
Prices from the restaurants' websites on 2 November 2026. Al Fanar says prices vary slightly between branches. Check before you go.
Arabian Tea House is in Bastakiya, opposite Musalla Post Office on Al Fahidi Street, and opens every day from 7:00 am to 11:00 pm. Its website has a reservation page. Al Fanar's Dubai Festival City branch opens at 9:00 am daily, and its Al Barsha Pond Park branch opens at 8:30 am on weekends. Its Al Seef branch opens at 1:00 pm, so it is not a breakfast stop. The website did not say which branches serve the breakfast menu, so ask before you travel.
Al Fahidi is next to Sharaf DG station on the Green Line; our Al Fahidi guide has a walking route, and where to eat in Old Dubai lists more cafes.
Breakfast with a host: the SMCCU cultural meal
If you want to ask questions as well as eat, the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding (SMCCU) in Al Fahidi serves a cultural breakfast on Monday and Wednesday at 9:00 am for AED 130 per adult, and a brunch from Friday to Sunday at 10:30 am for the same price, according to its website. Each lasts about 1.5 hours, and booking is required. You sit in the courtyard, eat local dishes with Arabic coffee and dates, and talk with an Emirati host. Our guide to the SMCCU cultural meal has the full schedule and how to book.
It is not a restaurant breakfast, because the conversation is the point and the centre's pages do not list the dishes, so choose it for the experience and not for a long menu.
Levantine breakfast and manakish
A Levantine breakfast arrives as a spread: foul, hummus, labneh, olives, tomatoes, cheese and bread, with tea. Manakish are flatbreads baked with za'atar, a thyme-and-sesame mix, or with cheese; they are a standard morning snack and are sold at bakeries across the city.
Al Safadi's website lists an Arabic breakfast and mezze category on its menu, with five Dubai branches: Rigga, Sheikh Zayed Road, Umm Al Sheif, Motor City and Dubai Festival City Mall. The pages we read did not list breakfast hours or prices, so call the branch first. For cheaper options, our street food guide and cheap eats guide cover bakeries and cafeterias.
Tea, coffee and the right way to drink them
An Emirati breakfast usually comes with Arabic coffee and dates, or with karak, the strong milk tea with cardamom. Take the cup with your right hand, and shake it gently when you have had enough. Our karak and Arabic coffee guide explains both, and dates are the usual thing to buy afterwards.
A morning plan in Al Fahidi
Arrive by Metro at Sharaf DG, have breakfast when Arabian Tea House opens at 7:00 am or at the SMCCU table at 9:00 am on a Monday or Wednesday, then walk the lanes while they are cool. Our Old Dubai walking tour goes from Al Fahidi by abra across the Creek to the Spice and Gold Souks, in 3-4 hours, from $35 with Arabic coffee or tea and dates, or $55 with street-food tastings. It is a walk with a guide, not a breakfast, so eat first and ask us on WhatsApp for the start time.
Three practical points. Friday mornings are slow in Old Dubai, and many shops open only in the afternoon. In Ramadan, many places close or serve discreetly in daytime; see Ramadan in Dubai for tourists. And if you want a large buffet instead, our Friday brunch guide explains the packages.
FAQ
How much does an Arabic breakfast cost in Dubai?
A single dish costs about AED 29-42, for example foul AED 29, chebab AED 34 or balaleet AED 36-42. A full tray costs AED 82-87 at Arabian Tea House. The SMCCU cultural breakfast, with a talk by an Emirati host, is AED 130. Prices were checked on 2 November 2026.
What is balaleet?
Balaleet is sweet vermicelli scented with saffron and cardamom, topped with an omelette. It is a traditional Emirati breakfast dish that mixes sweet and savoury, and it is vegetarian because it uses eggs and no meat.
Where can I try Emirati breakfast in Dubai?
Arabian Tea House in Al Fahidi opens at 7:00 am and serves balaleet, chebab and trays. Al Fanar lists balaleet, chebab, regag and foul. The SMCCU cultural breakfast runs on Monday and Wednesday at 9:00 am. Book ahead for the trays and for SMCCU.
What is the difference between Emirati and Levantine breakfast?
Emirati breakfast uses breads and pancakes such as regag and chebab, balaleet and date syrup, with Arabic coffee and karak. Levantine breakfast is a spread of foul, hummus, labneh, olives, cheese and flatbread such as manakish, usually with tea.
Is Arabic breakfast vegetarian?
Mostly. Balaleet, chebab, regag, khameer, foul, hummus and manakish with za'atar or cheese are vegetarian, though they contain eggs, dairy or gluten. Some trays include meat or liver; Arabian Tea House lists a liver tray, so ask before you order.
What time do Arabic breakfast places open in Dubai?
Arabian Tea House opens at 7:00 am daily. Al Fanar's Dubai Festival City branch opens at 9:00 am, and its Al Barsha Pond Park branch at 8:30 am on weekends. The SMCCU breakfast starts at 9:00 am on Monday and Wednesday, and its brunch at 10:30 am from Friday to Sunday.
Do I need to book an Arabic breakfast in Dubai?
Booking is required for the SMCCU cultural breakfast, which you arrange through its website, WhatsApp or phone. Arabian Tea House has a reservation page on its website. Other cafes and cafeterias usually need no booking, but we did not check each one.
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