The easiest cooking class for a visitor in Dubai is Emirati: booking listings show Al Khayma Heritage House in Al Fahidi at $39 for a 1.5-hour breakfast class, $69 for lunch and $96 for dinner. A second option, at Al Marmoom Oasis in the desert, adds a Bedouin dinner from $119 per adult. We could confirm these only from booking listings, not from an official price list, so check before you pay. This guide covers menus, times, children, a place that serves Emirati meals without cooking, and what we could not verify.
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 a cooking class cost in Dubai?
Booking listings show Emirati classes at Al Khayma Heritage House at $39 for a 1.5-hour breakfast class, $69 for a 2-hour lunch and $96 for a 3-hour dinner, and a class with a Bedouin dinner at Al Marmoom Oasis from $119.02 per adult. These are listing prices, so check the current price on the booking page.
This guide also answers:
- Can children join a cooking class?
- Does the Sheikh Mohammed Centre run cooking classes?
Four ways to cook or eat Emirati food with a host
#1
Al Khayma Heritage House breakfast class
The breakfast class lasts 1.5 hours and lists balaleet, shakshuka, luqaimat and khubz tannour. A listing shows $39 per person, with welcome drinks, a bottle of water and a photo session. One listing gives a 9 AM start and another a 7 AM start, so confirm the time when you book.
#2
Al Khayma Heritage House lunch and dinner classes
The lunch class lasts 2 hours, is listed at $69, and cooks chicken machboos with spiced rice. The dinner class lasts 3 hours, is listed at $96, and lists regag bread, chicken machboos and luqaimat for dessert. Both listings include a salad, welcome drinks and a photo session.
#3
Al Marmoom Oasis class with a Bedouin dinner
A listing shows from $119.02 per adult aged 12 and over, and children under 5 are free. It includes a class with a local chef, a snack with tea or coffee, a full meal, henna painting and cultural activities. Hotel pickup is not included, and the listing does not state the length or the start time.
#4
A cultural meal at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre
Its website lists cultural meals, including an Emirati breakfast in a courtyard with Arabic coffee, dates and dessert, for about 1.5 hours. It does not list a cooking class. Booking is through an online form, WhatsApp or phone; our guide to the cultural meal has prices and the schedule.
Cooking classes in Dubai: the short answer
Emirati cooking classes in Dubai are listed in two places: Al Khayma Heritage House in Al Fahidi, at $39 for breakfast, $69 for lunch and $96 for dinner, and Al Marmoom Oasis in the desert, from $119 per adult with a Bedouin dinner. The Al Khayma classes last 1.5, 2 and 3 hours, and a travel guide's page says they run every day except Tuesday. The class at Al Marmoom Oasis is part of a desert evening.
Be careful with the prices. They come from booking listings on third-party sites, not from the venues' own price lists, and the listings disagree on some start times. We could not open an official site for either venue. Treat every figure here as a guide, and read the current price and the cancellation terms on the page where you book.
Al Khayma Heritage House: breakfast, lunch and dinner
Al Khayma Heritage House is in the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, the old quarter on the Bur Dubai side of the Creek. A Fever listing gives the address as Al Mussallah Road. The three classes use the same house and different menus:
| Class | Dishes listed | Length | Listed price per person |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Balaleet, shakshuka, luqaimat, khubz tannour | 1.5 hours (listings give a 9 AM or a 7 AM start) | $39 |
| Lunch | Chicken machboos with spiced rice | 2 hours (listed around midday) | $69 |
| Dinner | Regag bread, chicken machboos, luqaimat | 3 hours (listed in the evening) | $96 |
Prices and times are from booking listings on a Dubai travel guide's page and on Fever. Check the booking page before you pay.
The listings say the price includes welcome drinks, one bottle of mineral water and a photo session, and lunch and dinner add a salad. The travel guide's page says the classes run every day except Tuesday, and advises checking the dates on the booking site. Fever's terms say all sales are final and tickets cannot be refunded or changed, and that children aged 3 and under enter free. Because that is strict, check the terms before you book, and choose a date you are sure of.
A class here sits well with a morning in the old quarter: see our Al Fahidi Historical District guide for the lanes and museums around it.
Al Marmoom Oasis: a class with a Bedouin dinner
A Platinumlist listing sells a traditional Emirati cooking class and Bedouin dinner at Al Marmoom Oasis, within the Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve. It lists entry to the oasis, a class with a local chef with a cooking station, utensils and ingredients, a snack of luqaimat or regag with tea or coffee, a full meal of cooked dishes, salads, dips and bread, henna painting, cultural activities and photo spots.
The price is from $119.02 per adult, with adults counted from age 12, and children under 5 free if an adult is with them. Guests choose chicken or lamb when they book, and the listing also mentions a vegetarian menu, so ask which applies to you. Hotel pickup and drop-off are not included, the length and start time are not stated, and you are asked to arrive 10 to 15 minutes early. It is in the desert reserve, so plan a taxi or car; our Al Qudra Lakes guide explains how remote that reserve is without a car.
The listing includes henna painting. Before you accept any henna, read our henna guide: it explains what natural henna looks like and why black henna is a health risk.
Want the food without the cooking?
The Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding is in the same neighbourhood as Al Khayma, at House 26 in Al Fahidi. Its website lists cultural meals, an Emirati breakfast in a courtyard on floor cushions with Arabic coffee, dates and local dishes, for about an hour and a half, along with a museum, a mosque visit and other programmes. We did not find a cooking class on that page. Our cultural meal guide gives the prices and the weekly schedule.
For tasting rather than learning, our Old Dubai walking tour is from $35 per person, or $55 with street-food tastings. It lasts 3 to 4 hours, starts in Al Fahidi near Sharaf DG metro, and includes the abra ride, Arabic coffee or tea, dates and water. Our Old Dubai food tour guide explains the difference between the two prices. If the desert dinner is what you want, our full-day desert safari is from $45 and ends with a BBQ buffet at camp; it is a dinner, not a class.
What you will cook, in plain words
The dishes on these menus are Emirati staples. Our Emirati food guide lists nine dishes to try. In short:
- Balaleet: sweet vermicelli served with egg, a breakfast dish.
- Shakshuka: eggs cooked in a spiced tomato sauce.
- Khubz tannour: flatbread baked in a clay oven.
- Regag: a very thin bread.
- Chicken machboos: chicken cooked with spiced rice.
- Luqaimat: sweet fried dough balls; see our guide to Arabic desserts.
Other cuisines, and what we could not verify
We looked for classes in other cuisines in Dubai and could not confirm a published schedule or price that we trust. A search also turned up a class at Fairmont Bab Al Bahr in Abu Dhabi, but its page did not open for us, so we cannot give details. A hotel concierge or the cooking school's own site is the safer source. If you find one, ask the questions in the next section.
After a class, buy spices to take home. Our Spice Souk guide covers saffron quality and prices.
Questions to ask before you book
Listings leave out things you will want to know. Ask the operator:
- What is the exact start time, and how long does the class last?
- How many people are in the class, and in which language is it taught? The listings we read do not say.
- What is the minimum age for children, and what is the price for ages between the free age and 12?
- Can the menu be changed for a vegetarian, or for an allergy?
- What are the refund and change terms? Fever says its sales are final.
- How do I reach the venue, and is a pickup possible? At Al Marmoom Oasis, it is not included.
FAQ
How much does a cooking class cost in Dubai?
Booking listings show Emirati classes at Al Khayma Heritage House at $39 for a 1.5-hour breakfast class, $69 for a 2-hour lunch and $96 for a 3-hour dinner, and a class with a Bedouin dinner at Al Marmoom Oasis from $119.02 per adult. These are listing prices, so check the current price on the booking page.
Where can I take an Emirati cooking class in Dubai?
The two options we found are Al Khayma Heritage House in the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood and Al Marmoom Oasis in the Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve. Both are sold through booking sites. We could not open an official website for either.
Is the class hands-on?
Yes, according to the listings. Al Khayma describes a cooking session with the dishes you will prepare. Al Marmoom Oasis lists a cooking station, utensils and ingredients and a local chef.
Which day is Al Khayma Heritage House closed?
A Dubai travel guide's page says the classes run every day except Tuesdays. Confirm the date on the booking site, because a Fever listing showed no tickets available when we read it.
Can children join a cooking class?
At Al Marmoom Oasis, adults are counted from age 12 and children under 5 are free if accompanied. Fever lists free entry for children aged 3 and under at Al Khayma. For ages in between, ask the operator.
Is there a vegetarian option?
The Al Marmoom Oasis listing mentions a vegetarian menu, but it also tells guests to choose chicken or lamb when they book. Ask before you pay. For Al Khayma, the lunch and dinner classes list chicken machboos, so ask what the alternative is.
Does the Sheikh Mohammed Centre run cooking classes?
Its website lists cultural meals, a museum, a mosque visit and other programmes, but we did not find a cooking class. The centre is in Al Fahidi at House 26, and bookings are by form, WhatsApp or phone.
Can I cook other cuisines in Dubai?
We could not confirm a published class or price for other cuisines. Ask your hotel concierge, or the cooking school's own site, and use the questions in this guide.
Recommended Dubai tours for this guide
Old Dubai Walking Tour
It is the Dubai that is walked rather than driven: the Creek where the city began as a trading port, the restored wind-tower quarter and the souks that still trade spices and gold. A local guide tells the story along the way. The $35 walk includes the abra, Arabic coffee or tea, dates and water; the $55 option adds street-food tastings.
- Duration
- 3-4 hours
- Area
- Old Dubai: Bur Dubai and Deira
- Format
- Shared group walk
- Best for
- first-time visitors, food lovers and anyone who wants the old trading side of Dubai on foot
From $35 per person Full prepayment
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Full-Day Desert Safari in Dubai
It is the slow-travel version of the classic safari: more time on the dunes, sunset without the crowds and a full evening programme at a premium camp with air-conditioned tents, unlimited drinks and a large BBQ buffet with vegetarian and gluten-free options. Everything is arranged from the hotel door — a licensed English-speaking driver, the 4x4, the camp and the shows.
- Duration
- 7 hours
- Area
- Lahbab Desert, Dubai
- Format
- Full-day desert safari
- Best for
- families, couples and first-time desert visitors who want the full evening programme
From $45 per person No prepayment
View tour