The United Arab Emirates is a rich country and that is evident in the county’s luxury lifestyle, very tall skyscrapers and exotic tourist centers, to mention but a few. As a country that has adopted a huge part of the western culture due to its diverse nature, promoting its own culture has always been a priority and the UAE hasn’t fallen behind in doing that. Abu Dhabi is the capital city of the UAE and also one of the seven emirates in the country which also include the famous Dubai; it also happens to be the largest emirate as against the popular belief that Dubai is.
As the capital of UAE, one would expect Abu Dhabi to be the center of cultural activities and promotion which is exactly what the city stands for. One of the many ways culture is being promoted here is through traditional cuisines.
Although the local cuisines regularly compete with foreign cuisines as part of the country’s taste for diversity, there are restaurants who mainly serve local dishes. Below are the best Abu Dhabi restaurants to eat the best traditional Emirati food.
1. Al Fanar Restaurant & Cafe
Al Fanar Restaurant & Cafe is one of the most renowned restaurants in Abu Dhabi and it is best known for serving the best Emirati cuisines and also for its great customer service. The restaurant is located in Cascade Walk, Yas Mall – Abu Dhabi, where it serves its customers tasty traditional dishes like maleh, naghar mashwi, mandi, among other great local dishes. What’s most interesting about this restaurant is its look which was inspired by the heritage of the country. The restaurant is also one of the oldest not just in the city, but the United Arab Emirates as a whole.
2. Al Mrzab Restaurant
This is another very popular traditional restaurant in the city of Abu Dhabi. Whether you’re an Emirati or you’re just a visitor looking to explore the culture of the city, Al Mrzab is your go-to traditional restaurant because it serves some of the best traditional dishes in the country. Like Al Fanar Restaurant, Al Mrzab has also been in existence for a very long time and the display of the pictures that reflect the gulf years ago on the walls of the restaurant speaks a lot about the restaurant’s longevity. The restaurant arguably serves the best Arab coffee, coupled with Harees which is very popular as one of the customers’ favorite dishes in the restaurant.
3. Yadoo’s House Restaurant & Cafe
With a very good customer service, and a friendly group of staff that makes sure you have a great time dining at the restaurant, Yadoo’s House Restaurant & Cafe is a very nice place for family and friends to enjoy traditional Emirati cuisines. The restaurant offers tasty local dishes like the Lamb Shakshuka, Karak Tea, Lentil Soup and many more with a home delivery service just in case you decide to eat from home. There is a private dining area where you can have that nice meal with that special someone without being disturbed and free Wi-Fi available to all customers as long as they’re in the network range. In short, the restaurant offers one of the best overall customer services in Abu Dhabi.
4. Milas
Located at Al Maqtaa, Abu Dhabi, Milas is a lovely traditional restaurant that serves some of the best Emirati, Arabian, and Middle Eastern cuisines. The restaurant opens as early as 9am, just in time for breakfast before you resume work or better still, you can place an order for your favorite Emirati cuisine which will be delivered directly to your location without wasting time. The restaurant serves homemade falafel served with tomato, radish and parsley topped with sesame salsa and many other irresistible traditional dishes that are in anyway not outlandishly costly. The restaurant also offers a great customer service, with a free Wi-Fi available to everybody as they surf the internet while they enjoy their nice traditional cuisines.
5. Saudi Kitchen
There’s undoubtedly no restaurant on this list that features better interior feel than Saudi Kitchen. The content of this interior is self-explanatory as it is filled with historic designs and artifact, giving you a feeling that you’re in a real Middle East environment. Saudi Kitchen is a late-night restaurant that closes as late as 1am in the midnight, serving some of the best traditional dishes that include Emirati, Middle Eastern and Arabian. Lentil Soup, Meat Madfoon, Mutton Mandi, Cheese Kunafa, Fattoush Salad are all some of the tasty traditional dishes you can enjoy in this restaurant, with customers always trooping in to enjoy nice dinner after a stressful day at work which is always made better by nice cuisines and friendly staff. Located at Al Mushrif, Abu Dhabi, the Saudi Kitchen also offers services like the home delivery and indoor seating to have a feel of the wonderful interior that the kitchen itself possesses.
