The best affordable restaurants in Dubai feed two people for under AED 100, and several manage it for half that. These are the 15 I actually eat at, grouped by cuisine.
This is my living list of affordable restaurants in Dubai, updated as prices move. Vegetarian picks marked (V).
Middle Eastern affordable restaurants in Dubai
Where most of the best affordable restaurants in Dubai sit.
Al Mallah — Al Diyafah
As old school as it gets. Street-side seating, shawarma and juices, and a bill that barely registers. (V options)
Al Beiruti
Regional Lebanese done properly. The hummus alone justifies the trip. (V options)
Allo Beirut
Middle Eastern street food classics, open late, branches across the city. (V options)
Mama’esh
Authentic Palestinian street food at reasonable prices. The oven-baked wraps are the order. (V options)
South Asian
The best value on this entire list, consistently.
Ravi Restaurant
A Dubai institution. Chicken biryani, late hours, almost nothing on the bill. (V options)
Calicut Paragon
Seven decades old and still one of the most popular affordable restaurants in the city. Keralan seafood is the strength. (V options)
Raju Omlet
Omelettes, ginger tea and Gujarati street food. Fully vegetarian and genuinely cheap. (V)
Asian
Where the portions tend to outrun the price.
Super Bowl Asian Food — JLT
Community favourite in JLT, big portions, low prices. (V options)
Betawi Cafe
Family-owned Indonesian with three Dubai outlets. Nothing else quite like it here. (V options)
Kinoya
Ramen with a proper broth. Pricier than the cafeterias, still good value. (V options)
Al Ustad Special Kebab
Persian, and a Bur Dubai landmark. Fried fish with rice is the order.
Seafood
Cheaper than you would expect for a coastal city.
Blue Seafood Asia
Worth a visit if seafood is the priority and the budget is not.
Dampa Seafood Grill
The Dump Seafeast, eaten with your hands off the table. Built for groups.
Ibn AlBahr
Lebanese seafood, generous portions.
Italian
One entry, and it earns it.
Isola
Italian that manages to stay affordable, which is rare in this city. (V options)
Questions people ask
What are the best affordable restaurants in Dubai?
Ravi Restaurant and Al Mallah are the two institutions everyone names. Raju Omlet is the best fully vegetarian option, and Calicut Paragon is the pick for Keralan seafood.
How much is a cheap meal in Dubai?
Under AED 100 for two at most places on this list, and closer to AED 50 at the Karama and Bur Dubai cafeterias.
Where do locals eat cheaply in Dubai?
Karama, Bur Dubai, Deira and Al Nahda. That is where the cafeterias and the long-standing family restaurants are, and where prices have not chased the skyline.
Still hungry? See my cheap breakfast under AED 20, best shawarmas in Dubai and snacks under AED 10 guides. For opening hours and current listings, Visit Dubai keeps a live guide.
