Momos near me is one of Dubai’s most-typed food searches, and the answer is nearly always Karama, Bur Dubai or a Nepali kitchen most people scroll straight past. Steamed, fried, tandoori, jhol, and a few flavours nobody in Kathmandu asked for. These are the 21 spots I keep going back to.
This is my living list of the best momos in Dubai, grouped by what kind of momo place each one actually is, not by ranking. Vegetarian options are marked (V). Prices move constantly in Dubai, so I have left them off until I have re-checked each menu in person rather than guess at you.
Looking for momos near you? Jump to your area:
Karama · Bur Dubai · Oud Metha · JLT · Al Barsha · Al Quoz · Silicon Oasis · Deira · International City · Sharjah
Momo specialists, where the best momos in Dubai actually come from
These are the places that live or die on the dumpling, and where most of the best momos in Dubai come from. Menus run to dozens of fillings, service is fast, and most of them are counter-service rather than sit-down dinners.
Wow Momos, delivery and retail only
Worth knowing about, but not a sit-down option here. In the UAE this one runs as frozen packs in Lulu and a delivery listing, rather than a dine-in counter. Steamed, fried and baked, with vegetarian, chicken and buff fillings. (V options)
Momo & More, Karama
A Karama favourite for chicken and vegetable momos. Also the reason I now know sizzler momos and momo burgers exist. Chaotic menu, genuinely good dumplings. (V options)
Yalla Momos, Karama & International City
One of the first dedicated momo shops in Dubai, and still the busiest. Chicken, shrimp, buff and mutton, then dessert momos, apple pie, choco brownie. Yes, really. The International City branch is in Building V-17, Russia Cluster, ground floor shop 5.
Real Momos, Karama
A personal favourite. The conventional fillings are fine, but the Afghani, schezwan and tandoori spin-offs are the reason to go.
Momos Panda, Karama
Go for the kurkure, peri peri and chilli chicken momos. Crunchy-coated momos are divisive and I am firmly on the pro side.
That Place Restaurant, JLT
Around 48 varieties, veg, non-veg, steamed, fried and Afghani-style. Then the butter tadka momos, which taste exactly as unhinged as they sound. (V options)
Muma’s Momos, Lulu, Al Barsha
A food-court counter that has quietly taken over. Karak momos, tofu and pak choy, paneer tikka masala. Kid-friendly and fast. (V options)
Moshi, Oud Metha
Another one I rate. Pero pero chicken and cheese mushroom are the two to order.
Yum Momos, Silicon Oasis
Wheat momos, butter chicken momos and a KFC-inspired version. Not subtle, not trying to be.
Tasty Momos, Central Mall, Bur Dubai
A quick-fix counter in the newer Central Mall. Not a destination, but it does the job when the craving hits mid-errand.
The Nepali kitchens
Momos came here with Nepal’s community, and these are the kitchens cooking them the way they are cooked at home, thinner skins, more broth, less neon sauce.
Himalayan Restaurant, Bur Dubai
Tucked down the back roads of Bur Dubai, doing Nepalese and Indian food properly. The momos are the must-order, but the whole menu holds up.
Darjeeling Cafe, Oud Metha
Another favourite. Order the momos, then the wai wai chaat and the chowmein. (V options)
Namaste Restaurant, Al Rigga, Deira
Nepalese cuisine with a momo platter that is the fastest way to work out which filling you actually like.
Nepali Chulo, Al Quoz Industrial 1
On 318 Road off Latifa Bint Hamdan Street, opposite Al Khail Mall. Not where you would expect a Nepali kitchen, which is half the point. Thakali khana sets, sukuti and chowmein, and momos that are one of the signature orders. Open late, roughly 9am to 1am. Rated around 4.4 from 68 reviews on the listing aggregators, though check Google Maps for the live number. (V options)
Restaurants where momos are the sleeper order
Nobody books these places for dumplings. Order them anyway, in each case the momos quietly outperform the thing the restaurant is famous for.
Via Delhi, Oud Metha
You would not guess it from the North Indian menu, but the momos, fried, steamed or tandoori, are a proper reason to go. (V options)
Tum Tum Asia, Oud Metha
Known for vegetarian Asian food, and the momos are lovely. A small, tucked-away room in Oud Metha. (V)
Chaat Masala, Karama
An Indo-Chinese place in Karama that happens to make some of the creamiest momos in the city. The achari ones are the order. (V options)
International City, the cluster nobody writes about
International City has a proper Nepali food scene tucked into the residential clusters, and almost none of it makes the usual lists of the best momos in Dubai. Two worth the drive.
Dallo Momo, France Cluster
In the France Q5 building. Buff, chicken and veg momos, plus jhol and sadeko momo done properly. Also choila, sukuti and thukpa. (V options)
Momolicious, Morocco Cluster
Shop 18, G-08 in the Morocco cluster. Thakali plates, thukpa and chow mein, but the momos and the fusion dips are the reason to make the trip. (V options)
Sharjah, worth the drive
Two that sit outside Dubai but come up every time momos are discussed, so they earn their place on the list.
Momo House, Sharjah
A specialist momo shop with butter chicken, chilli paneer and tandoori chicken fillings. (V options)
Taste of Nepal, Sharjah
A cosy Nepalese room where the momos, chicken, buff or vegetable, are the anchor of the menu. (V options)
Questions people ask
Which momo spots in Dubai are open past midnight?
A few run genuinely late. Momo & More in Karama lists closing around 1:30am, Chaat Masala nearby goes to roughly 1am, and Namaste in Al Rigga is the latest at about 2am. None of the spots on this list run 24 hours. Hours shift, so check before a late drive.
What are the best momos in Dubai?
For dedicated momo shops, Real Momos, Yalla Momos and Muma’s Momos are the ones I return to. For the Nepali version done traditionally, Himalayan Restaurant in Bur Dubai and Darjeeling Cafe are the picks.
Where can I eat momos in Karama?
Momo & More, Chaat Masala, Real Momos and Momos Panda are all in Karama, and Bur Dubai is a short hop away for Himalayan Restaurant and Tasty Momos.
Are there vegetarian momos in Dubai?
Plenty. Tum Tum Asia is fully vegetarian, and paneer, tofu, mushroom, cheese-corn and classic mixed-vegetable fillings turn up at almost every spot on this list, look for the (V) marks above.
What is the difference between steamed, fried and tandoori momos?
Steamed is the original, soft, thin-skinned, served with jhol or a chilli chutney. Fried gives you a crisp shell. Tandoori momos are steamed first, then marinated and finished in the tandoor, which is a very Dubai-and-Delhi invention and completely worth trying.
Still hungry? See my best Indo-Chinese restaurants in Dubai and vegetarian restaurants in Dubai guides. For more of the city’s dining scene, Visit Dubai keeps a current list.
