Iftar is the sunset meal that ends the daily fast in Ramadan, and visitors are welcome at it. In Dubai it means dates and water first, then a long buffet or set menu, from about AED 140 per person at casual restaurants to about AED 550 at the top hotels. Ramadan 2027 is expected to start on 8 February, with iftar at about 6:10 PM. This guide covers tents, prices, booking, etiquette and where our desert safari, from $45, fits into the month.
By SB Excursions · Published 29 October 2026 · Updated 29 October 2026
Tour on this route: Full-Day Desert Safari in Dubai — From $45 per person, 7 hours.
What time is iftar in Dubai?
At sunset: about 6:10 PM at the start of Ramadan 2027, which is expected on 8 February, and about 6:30 PM near the end in March. Arrive 20-30 minutes earlier so you are seated before the call to prayer.
This guide also answers:
- How much does iftar cost in Dubai?
- Is alcohol served at iftar?
- Does your desert safari run during Ramadan?
Five ways to join an iftar in Dubai
#1
A hotel iftar tent or buffet
The easiest first iftar. Large hotels set up a Ramadan tent or a buffet room with live cooking stations, dates, soups, grills and sweets, and staff who explain the dishes. Prices in listings for Ramadan 2026 ran from about AED 215 to AED 350 per person at many hotels, with children paying less. Book ahead and ask what the price includes.
#2
A restaurant set menu or buffet
Many restaurants, in Old Dubai and Al Seef as much as in the malls, offer an iftar set menu or buffet for the month. Casual ones started from about AED 140 per person in listings for Ramadan 2026. The atmosphere is quieter than a hotel tent, the portions are easier to control, and a table facing the Creek at sunset is a good place to start.
#3
A cafeteria iftar in Deira or Karama
Neighbourhood cafeterias and small restaurants serve iftar sets and plates to residents at a fraction of hotel prices: dates, soup, a samosa, a main dish and karak tea. Rooms are plain and busy, and the menu is on the wall, so check prices before you sit down. Go a little early, because the first 20 minutes after sunset are crowded.
#4
A desert camp evening
Our full-day safari ends at the camp with a BBQ buffet, a fire show and Tanoura dance. It is a lovely evening but a barbecue, not a traditional iftar spread, and in Ramadan entertainment and alcohol service may be limited or modified. Ask us on WhatsApp what the camp programme looks like on your date before you pick the day.
#5
An invitation to a home or majlis
If a colleague or a host invites you, say yes. Bring dates, sweets or fruit, take off your shoes at the door, wait for the host to start and accept the Arabic coffee that is poured in small cups. Do not expect to arrange this as a tourist, and never turn up unannounced; it is a gift, not a booking.
Iftar in Dubai for tourists: the short answer
Iftar is the meal that breaks the fast at sunset during Ramadan, and tourists can join one by booking a hotel tent, a restaurant buffet or a cafeteria table. It begins at the sunset call to prayer, about 6:10 PM at the start of Ramadan 2027 and about 6:30 PM at the end. Dates and water come first, then soup, starters, a large main course and sweets.
Ramadan 2027 is expected to begin on Monday 8 February, according to the Emirates Astronomical Society, subject to the moon sighting; our Ramadan 2027 dates guide follows the announcement. In listings for Ramadan 2026, iftar cost about AED 140 to AED 350 per person at most restaurants and hotels, and up to about AED 550 at the very top. Prices change each year, so check the venue before you book.
The honest points: the best tents fill up, traffic is heavy in the hour before sunset, and the late afternoon is quiet, so plan sightseeing for the morning or after dark. What changes for visitors across the whole month is in our Ramadan guide for tourists.
What iftar is and how the meal runs
During Ramadan, Muslims do not eat or drink between dawn and sunset. Iftar is the moment that ends the day's fast, and it is a social meal: families, friends and colleagues eat together, and hotels and restaurants build the evening around it. Nobody expects a visitor to fast, but everyone appreciates that you understand why the evening matters.
| Stage | What happens | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Sunset call | The fast ends the moment the sun sets, and in places a ceremonial cannon marks it | Be seated 20-30 minutes earlier, and ask your hotel where the cannon is fired |
| Dates and water | The traditional first bite is a date, with water, juice or laban, a salted yoghurt drink | Take one date and a drink before the plates; the buffet follows after a short pause |
| Soup and starters | Lentil soup, samosas, hummus, fattoush and other salads | A light start, mostly vegetarian |
| Main course | Machboos, harees, thareed, grills and curries | Shared platters or buffet stations; start small and go back |
| Sweets | Umm Ali, luqaimat, kunafa and qatayef, the stuffed Ramadan pancakes | Our Arabic desserts guide lists them |
| Coffee, tea and shisha | Arabic coffee, karak and, at tents, shisha | The evening runs late; shisha usually costs extra |
A rough running order. Hotel buffets compress it; a family meal at home takes longer.
The dishes are the same Emirati food described in our guide to Emirati food, served in larger quantities. For the dates themselves, the dates guide says which varieties to try.
Where tourists can join an iftar
Hotels and restaurants are the practical choices for a visitor. Cafeterias suit anyone who likes plain food and a lively room, a private invitation is a gift when it arrives, and free community iftar tables are for people who need a meal, so please do not take a place at those.
| Option | Typical cost per person | How to book | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hotel tent or buffet | About AED 215-350 at many hotels, up to about AED 550 at the top | Reserve days ahead, online or by phone | First-timers, families, groups |
| Restaurant set menu or buffet | From about AED 140 | Reserve ahead, especially at weekends | Couples, smaller budgets |
| Cafeteria in Deira or Karama | A fraction of hotel prices | Walk in, early | Cheap and local |
| Desert camp (our safari) | From $45, BBQ buffet | Agree the date on WhatsApp, pay on the day | Dunes first, dinner second |
| Private invitation | Free, bring a gift | Only if invited | Guests of residents |
Prices are from listings for Ramadan 2026 and change every year; check the venue and ask whether VAT and service charge are included.
What it costs and how to book
In listings for Ramadan 2026, casual buffets started from about AED 140 per person, many hotels sat between AED 215 and AED 350, and the grandest rooms reached about AED 550. Children usually pay less: aged about 6 to 11 often pay roughly half, and younger children are often free. Some venues set a minimum number of guests for the best tables.
Book as soon as the dates are confirmed, and sooner for weekends and the last days of the month, which usually fill first. Ask four questions: what time the seating starts, whether the price includes soft drinks, VAT and service, whether shisha is extra, and whether you can bring children. Arrive 20-30 minutes before sunset, because tables are laid for the call to prayer and latecomers miss the dates.
Iftar tents are generally alcohol-free, and licensed hotel bars serve from the evening as in any other month; the alcohol laws guide has the rules.
Etiquette: what to do and what to skip
None of it is difficult, and hosts are generous with visitors who make the effort. These are the habits that matter most:
- Dress modestly: shoulders and knees covered, smart casual for tents. The dress code guide covers the details.
- Do not eat, drink or smoke in public in daylight. Keep your water in the taxi, the mall or the tour vehicle.
- Wait for the sunset call, or for your host, before you eat. In a hotel tent, staff announce it.
- Eat the first date and drink before the plates, then pace yourself. Buffets are long.
- Use your right hand for food and Arabic coffee, and shake the small cup gently when you have had enough.
- Keep voices low and photograph with care. Do not film people at prayer.
- Greet people with Ramadan Kareem. It is always welcome.
Children, vegetarians and allergies
Iftar is a family meal, so children are welcome almost everywhere, and a long buffet suits them better than a quiet restaurant. A tent seating can last 1.5-2 hours, so bring a small toy or a tablet with headphones, and eat early if they are hungry: dates and soup arrive at once.
Vegetarians do well at iftar. Dates, lentil soup, salads, hummus, vegetable samosas, rice and bread are on every table, and the sweets are vegetarian. Everything is halal and pork is not served; the halal food guide goes further. Allergies need a word with the kitchen: many sweets contain nuts, gluten and dairy, and buffet dishes sit side by side.
Iftar and our tours
Our full-day desert safari, from $45 per person with hotel pickup in Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman, runs in Ramadan with a BBQ buffet at the camp. During Ramadan, entertainment and alcohol service may be limited or modified, so ask us what the evening looks like on your date. You agree the date on WhatsApp and pay on the day. It is the dunes, a camel ride and a camp dinner after sunset, not a traditional iftar, so for the real thing book a tent on another evening.
Daytime sightseeing needs a plan. For the Burj Khalifa tickets, from $55, opening hours change during Ramadan and we confirm your slot against the current timetable. The Old Dubai walking tour, from $35, is mostly outdoors and includes Arabic coffee or tea and dates, so ask us what runs on your Ramadan date. Neither fits the hour before sunset well, when traffic is at its worst.
Before and after iftar: planning the day
The hour before sunset is the slowest in the city, with heavy traffic as everyone heads for the table, and the streets go quiet during the meal. Take the Metro if you can, allow extra time for taxis, and be at your table early. After iftar the city comes alive: malls stay open late, cafés fill and the Marina and Al Seef are busy until after midnight. Our guide to Dubai at night lists what else is open.
The month ends with Eid Al Fitr, expected on 9 or 10 March 2027. Eid is a public holiday with family meals rather than iftar tents, and attractions and hotels are at their busiest. If your dates touch it, the public holidays guide says what to book early.
FAQ
What time is iftar in Dubai?
At sunset: about 6:10 PM at the start of Ramadan 2027, which is expected on 8 February, and about 6:30 PM near the end in March. Arrive 20-30 minutes earlier so you are seated before the call to prayer.
How much does iftar cost in Dubai?
In listings for Ramadan 2026, casual buffets started from about AED 140 per person, many hotels charged AED 215-350 and the top end reached about AED 550. Children usually pay less. Prices change each year and may exclude VAT and service charge, so check the venue.
Can tourists join an iftar?
Yes. Hotels and restaurants welcome visitors of all faiths, and booking ahead is the only requirement. Free community iftar tables are meant for people in need, so tourists should book a tent or restaurant instead.
What should I wear to an iftar in Dubai?
Modest, smart casual clothes with shoulders and knees covered. Shorts, beachwear and low-cut tops are out of place in a tent. Evenings can be cool in February, so bring a light layer.
Can I eat or drink in public during Ramadan days?
Out of respect for people who are fasting, avoid eating, drinking or smoking openly on the street, in parks and on the Metro in daylight. Eat inside restaurants, hotels and malls, and drink water in a taxi or tour vehicle. Check official guidance for the final word.
Is alcohol served at iftar?
Iftar tents are generally alcohol-free and serve juices, laban, tea and coffee. Licensed hotel bars serve from the evening, and the normal rules apply: 21+, licensed venues only. Ask the venue when you book.
Does your desert safari run during Ramadan?
Yes. The full-day safari is from $45 per person with hotel pickup and no prepayment. During Ramadan, entertainment and alcohol service may be limited or modified, so ask us on WhatsApp for the programme on your date.
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Photos: A restaurant set menu or buffet — Poorva90, CC BY-SA 4.0, An invitation to a home or majlis — Clemens Schmillen, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons).