Anywhere you go, and Dubai is no exception, a tourist’s strategy for getting a tasty, safe and inexpensive lunch is simple: ask and look around to find where the locals eat, and avoid empty places (there must be a reason for that).
This Lebanese bakery could be easily identified as an outstanding establishment: there is often a line out the door. First opened in 1986, Al Reef Lebanese Bakery makes probably the best manakish in the city. Manakish, a traditional breakfast food, is a flatbread topped with cheese, meat or za'atar (mix of spices including thyme, oregano, and others).
A small Zaatar manakish is priced at 6.30 AED. The seating inside is pretty limited, so consider getting takeout(but remember to eat your manakish while it is hot!).
The best reason to sail across the Creek to Deira is its numerous spots selling shawarma, falafel and pastries. The noisy and dusty streets of Deira are awash with cheap, authentic, yummy food from around the world, so you can have a quick bite for just a few dirhams. Among the Deira streets most interesting for foodies is Al Muraqqabat Street.
Aroos Damscus has 3 locations, but the one in Deira is legendary. They have been serving Syrian and Lebanese food on the corner of Al Muraqqabat Street and Al Jazira Street for 35 years. A main course costs 35-60 AED, shawarma — 20–30 AED.
Cheap and yummy street food can be found not only in Deira or Bur Dubai. Take, for example, the neon-lit bakeries and eateries of Al Satwa, a small neighbourhood between the busy Sheikh Zayed Road and Jumeirah’s beaches.
An old and famous Pakistani restaurant, Ravi has 3 locations, but the one at Al Satwa is considered the best. The interior is low-budget and shabby, but the food is great and the service quick and friendly. The butter chicken at Ravi is especially good. An average price is around 20 AED for a main course.