Bite into this nostalgia trip down Dubai’s memory lane
In Dubai, shawarma is not just food. It is a language everyone speaks. Whether you prefer the tidy Lebanese version with perfect proportions, the Syrian one dripping with toum and pickles, or the homegrown cafeteria style with its over-the-top tahini and extra fries, there is a version for everyone. It is comfort food that somehow tastes of belonging, no matter who you are or where you come from. So come along on this trail that starts in new Dubai and winds through the city’s old soul before ending in Sharjah. You might think you know shawarma, but in this city, it comes with a story.
New(er) Dubai Beginnings
Every Dubai childhood seems to begin at Al Ijaza in Jumeirah. Cafeteria food here is almost a cuisine in itself, with its own loyal following and unspoken etiquette. You will find Porsches, G-Class Wagons and Range Rovers lined up outside, their engines humming as drivers wait for foil-wrapped shawarmas and tall cups of juice. It is one of those only-in-Dubai scenes where luxury meets late-night hunger and nobody thinks twice about it.
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A few streets away, Allo Beirut at City Walk gives the shawarma a glow-up without losing its charm. Here the wrap is neater, the toum fluffier, the meat grilled just so. You eat it indoors but still feel the nostalgia of roadside Lebanon. It is shawarma for the Dubai of now, proof that progress and tradition can share a plate.
And then there is Shawerma Al Farooj, a name that instantly brings a smile to anyone who grew up here. Before Dubai was filled with global chains, Al Farooj was the weekend family stop. Its Maxeeki spicy chicken shawarma is unmistakable, bursting with garlic, tahini and just the right amount of crunch and heat to make it addictive. The bright yellow and red signboard still glows across the city, a reminder of the time when shawarma began crossing from humble cafeterias into full-blown icons.
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Into the Old Hood
Then you drive past the glass towers and find yourself where Dubai’s story really lives. Satwa, Karama, Oud Metha. The air thickens with smoke and spice, the kind that lingers on your clothes and your heart. Al Mallah, on 2nd December Street, is where cravings turn into rituals. You park, flash your headlights, and wait. The carhop appears with shawarmas stacked like treasure. The chicken version is the unofficial national snack, eaten leaning out of car windows or perched on bonnets. Don’t forget to get a side of manakeesh, and the Abood milkshake. It is the Dubai of the 90s, bottled and served with extra toum.
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Tucked away in Al Fahidi, Picnic Home feels like a time capsule. It was everyone’s after-school hangout. The meat shawarma here is juicy and a little smoky, but the secret lies in the pickled onions. They add a sweet, tangy crunch that transforms every bite. It is the shawarma equivalent of a song you never get tired of hearing. And in Oud Metha, Island Shell keeps the cafeteria spirit alive. You order a spicy shawarma that brings all the heat, and a fresh mango juice, maybe with a side of nostalgia.
The Heart of the City
By the time you reach Deira and Rigga, the shawarma has become a full-blown obsession. Each shop has its fans, its spice secrets, its loyal night-owls. Shiraz Nights in Baniyas adds a Persian rhythm to the mix. Their spicy chicken shawarma comes wrapped in lavash, oozing with chilli oil and attitude. It is not just a quick bite, it’s one that leaves you craving for more.
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Then there is Al Safadi on Rigga Street. Polished, reliable, quietly excellent. Their shawarma is clean in flavour and perfectly seasoned, ideal for those nights when you want comfort without chaos. But Saad Al Weraani in Rashidiya is where legend meets lunch. Their meat shawarma is a Dubai classic, rich and savoury, sliced straight from the spit and wrapped in soft bread with a drizzle of tahini. It is one of those old-school shawarmas that never needed reinvention because it got everything right the first time.
Then there is the Hassan Mathar, a sandwich that has taken on a life of its own. Old-timers say it may have started here at Saad Al Weraani, although others insist it began at Al Ijaza. Whatever the truth, the Hassan Mathar has become a symbol of Dubai’s cafeteria creativity. It is a pita stuffed with juicy chicken shawarma, cheese, and hot sauce, pressed until everything melts together. Whether it was born in Rashidiya or Jumeirah, one thing is certain, few things taste more like Dubai.
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Going past the fading skyline into slower pace, Belad Al Sham in Qusais greets you with Syrian hospitality. The shawarmas are generous and gloriously messy. Each bite drips with garlic and warmth, as though the wrap itself is giving you a hug. Finally, the last stop, the OG Laffah in Al Qasba, Sharjah. Their chicken shawarma is crisped on the edges, wrapped with golden fries, and impossible to eat gracefully. Its old school charm has stayed throughout the many branches they have opened across Dubai in the last decade.
Home in Every Bite
The shawarma trail is really a story about Dubai itself, about how flavours from different places blended here and became something new. It is about shared tables, laughter in parked cars, late-night drives, and comfort that costs less than a coffee. For us, it is also a personal ritual. A pre-flight send-off. A post-travel welcome home. A reminder that no matter where we go, Dubai will always taste of garlic, spice and that perfect, imperfect roll. So follow the scent. Somewhere between Jumeirah and Sharjah, under a flickering signboard, someone is slicing meat onto bread, wrapping it with care, and handing you a piece of the city’s heart, one shawarma at a time.
Image credit: @almallahuae on Instagram
Pallavi is a freelance food and travel writer who has explored more than 35 countries and dined at over 130 Michelin-starred restaurants. Born and raised in the UAE, she spent three decades witnessing Dubai’s transformation into a global culinary hub.
