Bur Dubai and Deira · walking tour
Food Tour in Old Dubai
Walk between the souks beside the Creek and taste Emirati, Lebanese and Iranian food along with street food, with a local guide.
A food tour in Old Dubai is the tastiest way to get to know the older part of the city. You walk with a local guide through the lanes and the souks around the Creek, stopping at small restaurants and stalls where locals eat. At every stop you taste something different, and between stops you hear about the history of the place.
These tours have earned international recognition. According to the Dubai Government Media Office, in October 2025 the cultural food tours of Old Dubai were named one of the 25 leading experiences in the world on Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2026 list. It is the first time a specific area of Dubai has received such recognition. In the older neighbourhoods, Bur Dubai and Deira, the restaurants favour local ingredients, a fair price and authenticity.
What do you eat? According to Visit Dubai, do not miss the Emirati dishes: machboos (spiced rice with meat or fish), luqaimat (sweet dough balls), regag (thin, crisp bread) and chebab (a kind of breakfast pancake). Alongside them are regional classics, such as shawarma, falafel and grilled fish along the Creek. Dubai is home to residents from about 200 nationalities, and you taste it in the food.
What does the shared tour look like? You meet next to a metro station and start with Lebanese food: hummus, moutabal and shawarma. From there you move on to Iranian kebabs, to street food tastings such as sambousek and karak tea, and finish with an Emirati meal of machboos, with sweets and Arabic coffee. Along the way you pass through the Gold Souk and the Spice Souk of Deira.
On the longer, half-day tour, you eat a three-course meal at three different places, cross the Creek, and eat with your hands, the way the Bedouin did. There are also private tours with 10-12 tastings, which include tea with camel milk, camel milk chocolate, dates and falafel.
Tip: according to Visit Dubai, Old Dubai is very easy to walk, and it is worth crossing the Creek on a traditional abra. In the early evening the weather is more pleasant and the souks are full of life.
Tickets and prices
| Option | Price |
|---|---|
| Shared food tour in Old Dubai | 248 AED per person |
| Shared food tour + transfer | 320 AED per person |
| Street food tour – half a day, with pick-up | 680 AED per person |
What is included
Included
- A local guide
- Tastings at several restaurants and stalls, according to the tour
- Arabic coffee, karak tea and sweets, on the shared tour
- A walk through the gold souk and the spice souk
- Water
- Pick-up and drop-off, on the ticket with transfer and on the half-day tour
Not included
- Shopping and additional purchases
- Tips
- Transfer, on the ticket without transfer
What you will see and do
- Four cuisines in one tour: Lebanese, Iranian, Emirati and street food.
- Machboos and Emirati sweets: with Arabic coffee at the end of the tour.
- The Spice Souk and the Gold Souk: a guided walk between the stalls.
- Dubai Creek: an abra crossing on some of the tours.
- Tea with camel milk and camel milk chocolate: on the private tours.
- Lonely Planet: the food tours of Old Dubai on the Best in Travel 2026 list.
Who it suits
Good for…
- Anyone who loves food and wants to get to know the city through it.
- Anyone looking for the old, authentic side of Dubai, away from the malls.
- Families with children from age 6 who like to taste.
- Second-time visitors to Dubai who have already seen the big attractions.
Less suited to…
- Anyone who struggles to walk for a few hours.
- Anyone looking for a gourmet meal at a single restaurant.
- Anyone who does not like tasting unfamiliar dishes.
When to go
According to Visit Dubai, the best hours for a food tour in Old Dubai are the early evening, when the heat drops and the souks come to life. The most comfortable season is the cooler months, November to March. In summer it is better to choose an evening tour, and to drink plenty of water.
Getting there
- Metro: according to Visit Dubai, the Green Line reaches Old Dubai, at the Al Fahidi and Al Ghubaiba stations.
- The shared tour meets next to a metro station in Old Dubai. We will send you the exact meeting point with your booking confirmation.
- Abra: traditional boats cross the Creek between Bur Dubai and Deira.
- On a ticket with transfers, and on the half-day tour, there is hotel pick-up and the return.
Good to know
- The tour is on foot. Comfortable shoes, a hat and sunglasses.
- Come hungry: there are plenty of tastings.
- A vegetarian option is available on some tours. Tell us about any dietary restrictions when you book.
- Age: on the shared tour from 6.
- According to Visit Dubai, with street food it is better to pick busy stalls that prepare the food in front of you.