When it comes to snacking culture, nothing quite hits the spot like chowing down on a greasy paper plate at the corner of the street. While Urban Tadka scores major points for keeping it fancy with flamboyant artwork and ornate chandeliers – it also knows how to keep it real with its outdoor snack station. If you've got a case of the Bombay blues, take a shot of nostalgia at Urban Tadka. You'll be teleported back home with tangy morsels of pani puri, sizzling sounds of frying aloo tikis (potato fritters), and steamy bites of freshly sandwiched vada pavs.
MenuPages.ae recommends: Vada pav, paani puri, aloo tiki, and dokhla.
Good to know: Urban Tadka has a specific counter devoted to specialty Indian sweets (mithai).
Pappa Roti's dough takes more than five hours...just to rise! Native to Malaysia, Pappa Roti and its delectably warm and sinfully gooey buns have journeyed across the world. The brand has welcomed a cult-like following in Dubai, especially for an eatery that serves little more than buns and coffee. If chocolate makes your heart skip a beat at the very mention of its name, you cannot walk out of Pappa Roti's doors without trying its famous Nutella bun. You can choose to accompany your buns with a delicious beverage or a freshly scooped ball of ice cream (or both!). If you're on the prowl for something savory, dig into its selection of pasta, pizzas, and salads.
MenuPages.ae recommends: Almond with Nutella bun.
Good to know: Pappa Roti boasts several locations not only in the UAE, but across the GCC.
Take a break from your classic Eggs Benedict and try Raju's subcontinental curried cousin instead. Raju Omlet is a breakfast joint who's name is whispered among true Dubai foodies. Bringing the warmth of Indian spices and the haste of Indian service to Dubai brunchers, Raju Omlet may not serve bottomless mimosas but it sure can sautée a mean egg bhurji (Indian scrambled egg). The cozy eatery is splashed in blinding shades of yellow, doing a better job at waking you up than a morning espresso. Speaking of which, skip that and wet your whistle with a masala chai instead.
MenuPages.ae recommends: Chatpata Boiled Tikka, Egg Lazeez, and its signature chais.
Good to know: Raju Omlet doesn't offer home delivery.
With Pressman's cheapest sandwich priced lower than typical gas station sandwiches, it's a total winner. You can choose from a variety of bread and fillings to stuff in between. Depending on whether you're after a snack or a carb-rush, you can choose between two sizes – a paperboy or a big sandwich. Pressman's potato wedges will make your heart throb, and not just from the cholesterol. The eatery has a handful of diverse options for both its omnivore and vegetarian snackers. For an economic breakfast on the go, hit up its 15 dirham breakfast combo!
MenuPages.ae recommends: Caprese sandwich, egg and cheese sandwich, and the soups.
Good to know: Pressman's Pressed Sandwich has no minimum order for home delivery.
Al Ijaza's food is either deep-fried or slapped between two pieces of bread. Perfect for insomniacs or pub crawlers, its doors are open until the wee hours of the morning. Whether it's three in the afternoon or in the AM, there's always a queue of famished fans honking at its doorstep. Located beside Jumeirah Beach, grab a greasy bag of goodies and devour them by the shore. As the degrees climb up the thermometer, slurp on a Vimto slushie while you wait for your order. If you're still not convinced, Al Ijaza's fodder is so good, even the Crown Prince has tried it!
MenuPages.ae recommends: Seafood sandwich, Vimto slushie, and mini falooda.
Good to know: This one's for the night owls – Al Ijaza's doors are open until 3AM.
Serving up more than just felafel, Operation Falafel is on a mission to take your Middle Eastern snack game to the next level. Using a zesty combination of vintage family recipes and modern ingredients, this eatery lures you in with its energetic vibes and aromatic cooking. Everything from its freshly baked manakeesh right down to its chopped vegetable plate is Instagram ready. Operation Falafel's influence spans across the whole of Dubai, with outlets popping up with every passing month. Keep your eyes peeled and your stomach ready for its authentic grub.
MenuPages.ae recommends: Chicken shawarma platter and stuffed falafel wrap.
Good to know: Most Operation Falafel outlets are open 24 hours throughout the week!
Canada's favorite coffee has quickly become one of the Dubai's favorite coffees too. Although, the credit for that may go to Tim Horton's fun-sized donut holes instead of its coffee. Sprinkled around the UAE, from street corners in Jumeirah to mall outlets in Ibn Battuta, some Tim Hortons cafés in the city keep its night owl customers company until the break of dawn. Tuck in to the brand's fiesty chicken wrap (spicy if you want to make your tastebuds dance) with a side of black coffee. New additions to Tim Hortons' local menu that're getting some major love are its steak and egg on a homestyle biscuit and the farmer's wrap. Make it a combo with a splash of French vanilla coffee!
MenuPages.ae recommends: Spicy chicken wrap and Tim Horton's donut holes.
Good to know: Tim Hortons strives towards improving the lives of small-scale coffee farmers.
Bravely floating in a sea of American, Middle Eastern, and Indian snacks – El Greco purely relies on staple ingredients, solid traditional recipes, and national pride. Dishing out Greek favorites like refreshing tzatziki and indulgent pita sandwiches, El Greco is piercing through local competition using Greek's distinct flavors as its secret weapon. With some dishes reaching prices north of 40 dirhams, its menu isn't cheap and cheerful if you've forgotten your wallet at home and have to count on the spare change in your pocket. But if you're looking to switch up your snack game, you should totally grab a bite of El Greco's loaded platters and power-packed Greek coffee.
MenuPages.ae recommends: Pita sandwiches, grilled feta in an aluminum foil nest, and floudes.
Good to know: El Greco's on-site seating is pretty limited.
When most of us reminisce about our time in high school, we're either filled with dread at the whacky hairstyles we strutted back then or are filled with joy over the awesome stunts we pulled with our friends. Rahman, Filli's owner, turned his childhood memories into a delicious enterprise. Gracing his brand with the name his childhood friends called him by, Filli aims to strengthen friendships over steaming cups of tea. He created ripples in the local chai scene with his distinct Filli zafran tea, and now aims to take his brand and tea blend around the world. To accompany your tea, sink your teeth into everything from crispy paratha wraps to heaping club sandwiches.
MenuPages.ae recommends: Punjabi samosa bite and Filli's zafran tea.
Good to know: Escape the city with a relaxing snack and chai at Filli's outlet at Kite Beach.
When somewhere's called Bombay Bites, you know its snack game is going to be off the charts. This snackery's hero dish is, without a doubt, a humble little vada pav. If your tongue is tired of clichés and is looking to, figuratively and literally, spice things up – hit up the bread pakora, schezwan dosa, and prawns koliwada. Put an eastern spin on tea time, and order a glistening pile of cauliflower or mushroom manchurian. After all, where would Indian street food be without the culinary creativity of our Chinese neighbor? If you've got a sweet tooth that can't be tamed, let it run wild and free with Bombay Bites' rose falooda, shrikhand, or custard apple milkshake.
MenuPages.ae recommends: Pav bhaji and Indian spiced tea (masala chai).
Good to know: Open from 8AM, Bombay Bites whips up a cheap and cheerful breakfast.
Jumeirah Beach Road's trendiest destination for modern regags, Hum Yum's tables are packed at every hour of the day. The urban snackery doesn't just draw the line at regag – its menu oozes with classic Emirati favorites. You can choose to keep things traditional with honey-drizzled lugeimat (fried dough balls) or get your Snapchat buddies drooling with a pizza-themed chapatti. If you're looking to kill some spare change, dishes on Hum Yum's menu go for as low as four dirhams. If you've got the midnight munchies, remember Hum Yum's doors are open until 3AM.
MenuPages.ae recommends: Cheese and Chips Oman regag and the karak chai.
Good to know: Lap up the salty air and seaside vibes at Hum Yum's outlet at Kite Beach.
Housing endless boxes of Emirates Pofaki corn puffs and enough Vimto to get you through a thousand Dubai summers, Al Labeeb's snack game relies solely on its one-hit wonder. At the front of the grocery store, its snack station serves up a single crowd favorite – fresh regag that's prepared right in front of you. The regag comes with various customizations. These range from cheese and Chips Oman to traditional Emirati fish sauce (mehyawah) and creamy Nutella spread.
MenuPages.ae recommends: Cream cheese and fish sauce regag, with a Vimto on the side.
Good to know: Al Labeeb's regag station operates after sunset, every day.
Kicking open its doors in 2012, Yalla Momos landed on the local snack scene with a bang because, well, momos! Hailing from Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan and Sikkim – momos have rapidly won everyone's heart with their comforting steamed pouches and scrumptious stuffing. While dim sums aren't a unique addition to Dubai's dining landscape, Yalla Momos is the country's first eatery that pays its bills purely by throwing together legendary momos. Sweltering 45 degree days in Dubai call for a round of freshly steamed momos with a swig of Limca popped straight out of the freezer. Incredibly quirky, this joint needs to be on your snack bucket list!
MenuPages.ae recommends: Chicken momos and masala-spiked beverages.
Good to know: Yalla Momos gets pretty busy, so plan your trip efficiently.
A haven for kawaii fans, Yamanote Atelier caters European sweet treats with Japanese swag. It's shelves are loaded with Instagram-perfect Hello Kitty and Totoro puffs – injected with custard and chocolatey goodness. Essentially a fusion café, an afternoon snack here comprises a sweet and savory pastry with a side of specialty tea or coffee (with a twist). Draped in soothing shades of baby teal and powder white – walking in feels like stepping into a spa. Yamanote Atelier's ambiance is both adult and kid friendly, ideal for sunny weekend mornings with the little ones.
MenuPages.ae recommends: Noodle bun, kawaii-inspired desserts, and the rose croissant.
Good to know: Yamanote Atelier's DIFC outlet serves an adorable lunch box for 56 dirhams.
