The Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding (SMCCU) in Al Fahidi serves a 1.5-hour cultural meal with an Emirati host: breakfast and brunch cost AED 130, lunch AED 145 and dinner AED 160 per adult. Booking is required, through its website, WhatsApp or phone. This guide covers the weekly schedule, children's prices, what the question-and-answer session is like, how to get there and how to fit it into a morning in Old Dubai.
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 is the cultural breakfast at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre?
AED 130 per adult, about $35, on Mondays and Wednesdays at 9:00 am. The Friday to Sunday brunch is also AED 130 at 10:30 am. Lunch is AED 145, fuala is AED 150 and dinner is AED 160. Prices are from the SMCCU website on 2 November 2026.
This guide also answers:
- How long does an SMCCU cultural meal last?
- Do I need to book the cultural meal?
- Where is the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding?
Four ways to meet Emiratis at SMCCU
#1
Cultural breakfast and brunch
The breakfast and the brunch both cost AED 130 per adult and last about 1.5 hours. The centre's breakfast page lists Arabic coffee, dates, a variety of local dishes and dessert, served in the courtyard on traditional floor cushions, with time to talk to your Emirati host about UAE traditions and history.
#2
Cultural lunch
The lunch is listed at AED 145 per adult, Monday to Thursday at 1:00 pm. It follows the same format as the breakfast: a traditional local meal paired with a discussion led by an Emirati cultural presenter. The page does not list the dishes, so ask when you book if you have dietary needs.
#3
Fuala tea time and Dinner Under the Stars
On Tuesdays the centre lists fuala, an Emirati tea time, at AED 150 and an Emirati dinner on the rooftop at AED 160, which runs from 6:30 to 8:00 pm. In Ramadan the dinner is replaced by an iftar programme. The lunch and fuala are both listed at 1:00 pm on Tuesdays, so check which one is offered.
#4
Jumeirah Mosque visit
SMCCU also runs a 1 hour 15 minute visit to Jumeirah Mosque at AED 45 per person, with a guided tour, henna art, cultural exchange and refreshments. Its page says prior booking is not required and registration starts 30 minutes before the programme. See our Jumeirah Mosque guide for the dress code and timing.
SMCCU cultural meal: the short answer
The cultural meal at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding costs AED 130 for breakfast or brunch, AED 145 for lunch, AED 150 for fuala tea time and AED 160 for dinner, per adult. That is about $35-44 at the fixed rate of AED 3.6725 to the dollar. Each meal lasts about 1.5 hours. A traditional local meal is paired with a talk and questions, led by Emirati cultural presenters, in a restored wind-tower house in the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood. Booking is required.
The centre was founded in 1998 and its motto is "Open doors. Open minds." Its website describes the meals as a relaxed and interactive learning experience, with topics that include Emirati culture, the influence of Islam on local traditions, cultural values and daily life. Prices and times below are from the SMCCU website on 2 November 2026; check them before you book.
Schedule and prices
The centre lists these meals for adults. All of them last about 1.5 hours.
| Meal | Days | Time | Adult price (AED) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Monday and Wednesday | 9:00 am | 130 |
| Brunch | Friday to Sunday | 10:30 am | 130 |
| Lunch | Monday to Thursday | 1:00 pm | 145 |
| Fuala (Emirati tea time) | Tuesday | 1:00 pm | 150 |
| Dinner Under the Stars | Tuesday | 6:30 pm | 160 |
During Ramadan the dinner is replaced by an iftar programme. Lunch and fuala are both listed at 1:00 pm on Tuesday; ask which one runs on your date.
Children aged 7-12 pay less: the page lists AED 65, 75 and 80 without saying which price goes with which meal, and the dinner page lists AED 80. The meals page says children under 7 are free. Adult tickets are limited to between 1 and 11 per booking. The page also mentions a buy-one-get-one offer that was valid until 31 August 2026; it has expired, so ask whether a new offer is running. Emirates passengers can book with an Emirates Pass, with an ID and proof of boarding pass.
What happens during the meal
You sit in the courtyard on traditional floor cushions. The breakfast page lists Arabic coffee, dates, a variety of local dishes and dessert. Your host, an Emirati cultural presenter, talks about UAE traditions and history, and the page says the presenters are always welcoming questions from guests. The pages do not list the exact dishes for lunch or dinner, and they do not describe dietary options or a cancellation policy, so ask when you book.
Come with questions. Family life, food, dress, religion and daily habits are natural topics, and a respectful question is the best way to get a good answer. The floor seating is worth knowing about if you have knee or back problems: the booking form asks about accommodations for people of determination, so say what you need in the form. For the coffee ritual and the right-hand rule, see our karak and Arabic coffee guide, and for what to wear, the Dubai dress code guide. The SMCCU pages do not state a dress code, so dress modestly in the heritage quarter.
How to book and how to get there
Booking is required. Use the booking form on the SMCCU website (name, email, phone, date and comments), or contact the centre on WhatsApp or by phone at +971 4 353 6666; the website also lists an email address. The office is open from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm every day. The team contacts you to confirm the details.
The centre is at House 26, Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, Al Musallah Street, Bur Dubai. Take the Green Line to Sharaf DG station, which is next to Al Fahidi; our Dubai Metro guide explains the Nol card, and the Al Fahidi district guide has a walking route through the lanes. The meals are run by SMCCU, not by us, so book with the centre directly.
Is it worth the price? An honest view
It is worth it if you want to talk to Emiratis, who are a minority of Dubai's residents, so meeting one is not easy for a visitor. It is not the best value if you only want to eat. A restaurant breakfast is cheaper: for example, balaleet with an omelette is AED 36 at Arabian Tea House, as we explain in our Arabic breakfast guide. The meal is a group experience, so you share the table and the questions with other guests, and the pages do not list a menu to choose from.
One more point: the group size is up to 11 adults per booking, so a larger group should ask the centre first.
Fit it into an Old Dubai day
A cultural breakfast on Monday or Wednesday at 9:00 am leaves most of the day free. Walk the Al Fahidi lanes afterwards, or take an abra across the Creek for a short ride to Deira. Our Old Dubai walking tour starts in Al Fahidi near Sharaf DG station and runs 3-4 hours: from $35 with the abra, Arabic coffee or tea, dates and water, or $55 with street-food tastings. Ask us for the start time on WhatsApp if you want to plan the two around each other.
For more places to eat afterwards, read where to eat in Old Dubai, and for the dishes you may meet at the table, our Emirati food guide. If you want to see a mosque as well, the Jumeirah Mosque visit guide explains the open-doors tour in more detail.
FAQ
How much is the cultural breakfast at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre?
AED 130 per adult, about $35, on Mondays and Wednesdays at 9:00 am. The Friday to Sunday brunch is also AED 130 at 10:30 am. Lunch is AED 145, fuala is AED 150 and dinner is AED 160. Prices are from the SMCCU website on 2 November 2026.
How long does an SMCCU cultural meal last?
About 1.5 hours. The Dinner Under the Stars on Tuesdays runs from 6:30 to 8:00 pm. The Jumeirah Mosque visit is a separate programme and takes 1 hour 15 minutes.
Do I need to book the cultural meal?
Yes. Use the booking form on the SMCCU website, WhatsApp or phone (+971 4 353 6666), or email. Adult tickets are limited to between 1 and 11 per booking. The Jumeirah Mosque visit is different: its page says prior booking is not required.
Where is the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding?
At House 26, Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, Al Musallah Street, Bur Dubai. It is in a restored wind-tower house, near Sharaf DG station on the Green Line. The office is open from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm every day.
What food is served at the cultural breakfast?
The centre lists Arabic coffee, dates, a variety of local dishes and dessert for the breakfast. It does not list the dishes for the lunch or dinner. If you have allergies or follow a vegetarian diet, tell the centre when you book.
Can children join the cultural meal?
Yes. Children aged 7-12 pay a reduced price: the website lists AED 65, 75 and 80 without matching them to meals, and AED 80 for the dinner. The meals page says children under 7 are free. Confirm the exact price for your meal when you book.
Can I go to an SMCCU meal during Ramadan?
The website says the dinner is replaced by an iftar programme in Ramadan and links to a separate iftar page. Check that page for prices and times. Ramadan 2027 is expected to begin around 8 February, subject to the moon sighting; see our Ramadan guide for what changes.
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Photos: Jumeirah Mosque visit — Pmk58, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons).