Budget eats: Where to eat in Dubai when money’s too tight to mention

Little Lamb: A quintessential hotpot experience in Dubai

Mushrooms and bok choy. Oodles of noodles. Thin-cut lamb and beef. Deliciously juicy fish balls. All of these ingredients sound appetizing enough as is, but imagine mixing them in a spicy soup broth and cooking them up on a warm stove – with your friends and family. Say hello to Little Lamb Mongolian Hot Pot Dubai for a quintessential hotpot experience. A meal for 5 costs around 242.5 AED – that’s 48AED per head for dinner. the HUNTR tried and loved the chili-infused broth (there are also non-spicy options) with vegetable noodles, mushrooms, fish balls, thin-cut lamb and beef, bok choy, and coriander.

Insider Tip: Unfortunately when the HUNTR visited the Marina branch we experienced very slow and lackluster service – you may need to stand up on the table and scream and wave to get these waiters’ attention.

The regag bread stand at Al Labeeb Grocery store

Regag bread is more of a crepe or a cracker than bread, this Emirati delicacy is crafted using unleavened dough and water – which is spread out thin onto a super hot griddle and cooked until crispy. It can then be topped with all manner of concoctions, before being folded and handed to the lucky person who gets to wolf it down. And one of the best spots to find this tasty nostalgic treat is at the regag bread stand at Al Labeeb Grocery store in Jumeirah. For 5-6AED you can enjoy this for breakfast, lunch, or a snack and walk around Jumeirah or head to the beach.

Insider Tips: Takeaway only and only available in limited timings (which change, so we don’t want to enter something incorrect here). Fillings include Chips Oman, cheese, Nutella, fish sauce, and egg.

Chongqing: A homegrown noodle house serving no-frills, 15AED plates that are a 9 out of 10

Imagine the perfect bowl of warm egg noodles, thoughtfully, and depending on your preference – abundantly – spiced, with the perfect amount of flavour in each bite. After some digging, the HUNTR team has found the perfect spot for this craving. And the best part is: you can get it for as low as 10AED a bowl… Say nǐ hǎo to Chongqing Noodle House Dubai – an International City gem with no frills and all the flavour. the HUNTR recommends the spicy vegetable noodles (10AED), spicy fried beef noodles (15AED), and chicken wontons (15AED).

Insider Tips: Everything is pretty spicy, so make sure you let the kitchen know if you are sensitive to spice. Cash-only accepted.

Al Ustad Special Kebab: A 40-year-old family-run Iranian restaurant

Formerly known as Ostadi, Al Ustad Special Kebab Dubai is one heck of a hidden gem. Open for over four decades and counting, the family-owned Iranian restaurant offers friendly service in a unique setting with delicious Arabic fare. A great option for a small family or group of friends for lunch or dinner on a budget, you can get a mixed grill for 3 people for 108AED (36AED per person, although it’s also good for 4) and rice for the side is priced at 10AED.

Insider Tips: Al Ustad Special Kebab Dubai is open every day apart from Friday for lunch between 12 noon and 4 p.m. It is open 7 days a week for dinner between 6 p.m. and 1 a.m. Cash-only payments – cards are not currently accepted.

Ravi Restaurant Satwa: A Dubai icon serving affordable curries, kebabs & more

Dubai icon Ravi’s was founded by Pakistani ex-pat Chaudary Abdul Hameed in 1978 and not much has changed in the four-plus decades since the humble restaurant first opened its doors. Famed for its delicious and low-priced curries, head here for a brilliantly filling lunch or dinner and wonderfully friendly staff. The Butter Chicken is priced at just 24AED and is said to be one of the best in the whole of the UAE.

Insider Tips: Open daily from 5 a.m. until 3 a.m. apart from Fridays when it closes for prayer and is open from 5 a.m. until 11 a.m. and then again at 12:30 until 3 a.m. No free wifi or other amenities are on offer. Outside seating is available. There’s also a restaurant in Karama, although the Satwa outpost is the original.

Maxzi: A reasonably priced Al Quoz gem with great food

Here a flat white is just 16AED, and if you visit in the morning, you can add a delicious breakfast sandwich to that and pay just 18AED. Total. Thursday is ’20AED for half a rotisserie chicken and fries’ day and there are various other specials on rotation. The burgers are wonderful, the service is great and there’s an outdoor seating area. All of the meat and poultry are hormone-free, antibiotic-free, and MSG-free. There is even an in-store butchery and specialty food retail space. The only thing that isn’t so hot is the bathrooms – but they aren’t terrible, just a little ‘budget’.

Insider Tips: Pick up a coffee loyalty card – you get 1 free for every 5 purchased. There is ample (paid RTA) parking out front and further down the road.

Al Farwania: A four decade-old Umm Suqeim Karak institution

This 40-year-old gem has been serving karak (1AED) to hoards of people in the know for four decades. Alongside its famed chai, Al Farwania Restaurant also serves up a host of dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner including paratha concoctions, curry, grilled meats, and more, alongside Chinese rice and noodle dishes. There are also ample vegetarian options. Although, full disclaimer: We have not tried the food. However, we did see some dishes and have heard great things. So it is worth a try… especially if you are a karak lover.

Insider Tip: Limited parking outside because of the queues of cars waiting to get their karak fix straight to their door.

HumYum: Emirati cuisine, karak, and specialty coffee

This homegrown restaurant offers snappable interiors and delicious, cheat-day-worthy Emirati cuisine. Outside it is flanked by a charming little straw stick gate and clad in wood, there is a small outdoor seating area and ample indoor seating. We love the vintage Land Rovers, which serve as the kitchen and the coffee corner. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, there are many reasonably priced dishes to choose from. the HUNTR tried the Chips Oman and Cheese Regag (10AED), and the Dynamite Shrimp Paratha Roll (20AED) – washed down with karak (3AED) and a flat white. The coffee isn’t the best we’ve ever had, but the food and the vibes are what seal the deal (not to mention the excellent prices).

Insider Tip: The most expensive savoury item on the menu is 20AED.

Satwa Falcon Cafeteria: Budget karak and Indian food in Satwa

Alongside its popular Karak, Satwa Falcon Cafeteria offers a range of juices and smoothies, milkshakes, burgers, sandwiches, shawarma, noodle dishes, biryani, Chinese specials, curries, fried chicken, paratha, and Indian breakfast dishes. This cheap and cheerful “no-frills” spot first opened in Dubai in 2010. the HUNTR tried and loved the karak (1AED) and we heard good things about the paratha, so we are already planning our return…

Insider Tip: Open 24 hours a day.

Arabian Tea House: An authentic Emirati gem that first opened in 1997

For over two decades, Arabian Tea House Al Fahidi has been offering a unique and rare opportunity to experience authentic Emirati and Arabic cuisine and hospitality in one of the UAE’s oldest neighbourhoods. Open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the regag bread is awesome, and to guarantee a reasonably priced meal you need to do a little hack and share one of the trays, which are around 70-80AED each. They feature enough to feed 2-3 people depending on hunger levels. the HUNTR recommends the Emirati Breakfast Tray (75AED), which with a choice of tea or coffee (side note: the drink won’t be easy to share!) or The Arabian Tea House Breakfast Tray (68AED) (also vegetarian), which is comprised of hummus, falafel, beans, olives, grilled halloumi cheese, cheddar cheese wrap, and jam served with fresh vegetables and Arabic bread.

Insider Tips: No WiFi. Unless you share the trays or opt for the regag bread, the prices and bill will creep up. There are two other Arabian Tea House branches in Jumeirah too.

Al Shaab: A 50-year-old Meena Bazaar Karak gem

If you find yourself aimlessly walking around the Meena Bazaar area, hankering after something sweet and warm to give you an energy kick – you can’t go wrong with a pitstop at Al Shaab Restaurant for a cup of Karak. This tiny hole-in-the-wall gem has been operating for over 50 years. Open from 7:30 a.m. every day (until 10.30 p.m.), Al Shaab offers one of our editor’s favourite karaks in the city at a very reasonable price of 1AED. There is also an assortment of samosas (2 for 1AED or 12 for 5AED), paratha, pakora, and other fried snacks alongside main menus featuring Indian favourites for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Disclaimer: the HUNTR is yet to try the food.

Insider Tip: Pick up a takeaway and explore the Meena Bazaar area on foot.

Project Chaiwala: A cafe dedicated to chai (and Indian streetfood) in Al Quoz

Project Chaiwala Dubai is the brainchild of two tea enthusiasts – Emirati Ahmed Kazim and Indian Justin Joseph. What started as a travelling pure tea concept (as the name suggests) grew to become a permanent cafe serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner options inside the homegrown independent film hub – Cinema Akil. There are three breakfast menu items alongside 6 ‘Chai Toasts’, bites, ‘smashmosas’, salads, and wraps. the HUNTR sampled and recommends the Chili Cheese Toast (20AED) – spicy, cheesy, and buttery toasted bread, and the Vada Pav (15AED), a Mumbai street food delicacy, which is crafted with veggies, spices, and potato and served inside a bread bun. There are now 3 Project Chaiwala branches in Dubai.

Insider Tip: When no films are running, you can sit inside the expansive Cinema Akil screen space and get some work done, study, or relax.

Raju Omlet: Karama’s most iconic eggs

Raju Omlet first started in Karama with very loose opening times and eventually, very long queues forming out the door. It now has a total of 5 restaurants in the UAE – JLT, the original Karama outlet, Al Quoz, Safeer Mall in Sharjah, and Dubai’s Business Bay. Centered around eggs and Indian street food, Raju Omlet offers a variety of dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus light snacks, karak, and soft beverages. There are curries, omlets, sandwiches, starters, and more. the HUNTR recommends trying the Egg & Cheese Roll (17AED), the Mumbai Omlet Sandwich (12AED), the Power Omlet (14AED), Eggs Kejriwal (18AED), and the Rice Bhurji (18AED). The karak is 4AED.

Zam Zam Mandi, Various locations

Famed for its cheap and cheerful Mandi dishes, this Karama gem also serves up 7AED plates of Luqaimat (Emirati deep-fried dumplings/doughnut balls), kunafa (12AED), and karak. Chicken mandi starts at 22AED and there’s a hamour mandi for 25AED.

Insider Tips: There are also Zam Zam Mandi branches in Deira City Centre, Downtown Dubai, Ras Al Khor, Sharjah, and more.

Yamanote Atelier, Various locations

Yamanote invites you to experience the Japanese bakery culture and self-serve yourself a plethora of interesting delights from the buffet station that stretches across this quaint little cafe. Adorable Totoro character buns (15AED) are so cute they are hard to eat, but one bite and you’ll forget about its exterior as you enjoy the sweet dough filled with chocolate custard cream. A curry doughnut (16AED) awaits the more adventurous foodies and Yamanote’s Hello Kitty Nutella buns (15AED) are a regular fixture on Instagram. Sandwiches range between 20-30AED and there are plenty of savoury options including pizza, rolls, and bakes for under 20AED.

Insider Tips: Yamanote has one of the best cheese croissants in the city. It’s also a great place to pick up edible gifts that will impress and not be too hard on the bank balance. There is also a branch inside The Dubai Mall; the closest parking is ‘Fashion Parking’.

Dampa Seafood Grill, Deira

Fans of seafood or folks looking to try an authentic Filipino experience should head to Dampa Seafood Grill – a lively, reasonably-priced hotspot in Deira. Feast on the Dump @ Sea Fest (155.96AED), which is good for 2-3 people and features shrimp, crab, mussels, and clams cooked in cajun sauce – grilled, baked, or steamed. The dish is dumped onto the table and you are equipped with an apron, and plastic gloves, and invited to tuck in. The package includes unlimited rice and a 2-litre fishbowl mocktail. It’s a delicious, fresh, and reasonably-priced feast.

Insider Tip: Due to damage from a fire, Dampa Dubai is temporarily closed for now. There is also a Dampa Seafood Grill location in Abu Dhabi

Al Reef Lebanese Bakery, Various locations

First opened in 1986, Al Reef Lebanese Bakery is famed for its reasonably-priced manakish and its 24/7 operational hours. A small Zaatar manakish is priced at 6.30AED and the most expensive thing on the menu is the big cheese hotdog priced at 25.20AED. Sweet pastries and cakes are also available.

Insider Tip: The food from here is best eaten hot straight away and in your car (the restaurants are small and don’t offer the comfiest seating areas).

Falafel Frayha, Delivery to Various Locations

Lebanese street food gem Falafel Frayha’s menu is chock-full of reasonably priced delicious eats. The French Fry sandwich is priced at 16AED and filled with fries, garlic sauce, pickles, ketchup, and coleslaw, and the specialty at this humble restaurant is the falafel – which comes plain (18AED for 9 pieces) or filled with cheese (25AED for 5 big pieces) or stuffed with a spicy tomato mix (20AED for 5 big pieces).

Insider Tips: Available on Deliveroo from a central delivery kitchen in Barsha. You can request free bread for every order.