If Dubai were to have its own menu representing the many cultures that call it home, biryani would undoubtedly be on there. Communities from across the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East prepare their versions of this popular rice and meat (or even chicken, fish, prawns or veg!) dish across the city. And while the topic can get controversial because nearly everyone has their opinion on where to find the best biryani in town, this also speaks to its universality as a dish. In fact, biryani is often served by mosques to the masses during Ramadan when they break their fast. It’s the one dish that is guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser.
On our biryani episode of our Deep Fried podcast, our Eating Designer Mufaddal Husein and our food tour guide Tanya Rehman shared some biryani variants that you can find in Dubai. Tune in using the player below to hear their top spots or scroll down for our list of places to try biryani.
Restaurants Serving Biryani Worth Trying in Dubai
Disclaimer: It makes us uneasy sharing this list because we as a team are from different cultural backgrounds and don’t agree on biryani spots either! So don’t take it from us—try these biryani variations and decide for yourself.
- Hyderabadi Biryani: Shahran Restaurant, Biryani Culture (not a restaurant, cloud kitchen)
- Mumbai Biryani: Delhi Darbar, Jafferbhai’s
- Pakistani Biryani: Pak Liyari
- Emirati Biryani: Arabian Tea House, Khalid Huriyah
- Iranian (Isfahani) Beriani: Beriani Isfahani
- Yemeni Zurbian: Noor Al Mandi
Where Our Resident Community Goes to Try Biryani
We opened up a treasure chest of biryani recommendations over Instagram when we asked our community where they go for biryani in Dubai. We’re planning on visiting many of the places listed in the comments, so if you’re planning a biryani expedition, you may want to add these to your list too!
Want more of our scrumptious podcast episodes? Feast on our main podcast page here!
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Arva Ahmed is the co-founder of Frying Pan Adventures, Dubai’s first food tour company, and a celebrated food explorer known for uncovering Dubai’s hidden culinary gems. Her expertise in the city’s diverse food scene has been featured in prominent publications such as CNN, Khaleej Times, BBC Travel, The Sun, The Independent and countless more. She also hosts Ditch the Silver on YouTube. Through her immersive tours and storytelling, Arva brings Dubai’s rich flavors and vibrant cultures to life.
