Middle Eastern Food Pilgrimage

Duration: 4.25 HRS

Location: Deira, Dubai

Regular

AED 395.00

14 years + only

Ticket price stated is not inclusive of 5% VAT and online processing fees. Refund/rescheduling policies on legal section of our website.

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Important Update

Please read about our updated schedule of tours and policies given the current health concerns around coronavirus.

Join our signature Dubai food tour with 10 Arabic and Iranian food tastings, topped off with entertaining stories of food and culture.

  • Feast on lesser known dishes of Palestine, Lebanon, Egypt, Iraq and Iran; of course we'll check off falafels and hummus too!
  • Join an experience that feels less like a tour and more like a dinner party with about 12 to 13 well-traveled and culture seeking guests.
  • Hear stories of Middle Eastern food, culture and communities from a resident guide who is knowledgeable and passionate about the region.
  • Visit restaurants where the staff treat us less like 'customers' and more like old friends and family.
  • Meet like-minded travelers and even residents who are looking for an authentic experience far away from the touristy clichés.
  • Immerse yourself in food traditions of the region: eating with hands, learning coffee etiquette, detecting grades of saffron and more.
  • Visit places where old timers shop for saffron, baklava, Arabic cookies, pomegranate syrup and other delicious export-friendly souvenirs.

Runs year-long except peak summer. Afternoon/evening tours available on selected days of the week.

Walking only; distance covered is ~2.8km/1.7mi with stops in between.

2 non-vegetarian (1 beef and 1 fish) and 1 vegetarian savory dish with mezze and 2 desserts.

Tastings include Gluten/Lactose/Dairy/Nuts. We do not recommend the tour for severe allergies.

Carry earphones for the audio system used by our guide.

Dress comfortably to walk; cover shoulders and legs above the knees.

The minimum age to join the tour is 14 years. Strollers and infants are not permitted on the tour.

The tour requires a minimum of 4 guests; we may cancel and refund tickets if the minimum is not met.

Feast on Middle Eastern specialties across cherry-picked eateries in one of the first Dubai neighbourhoods to be urbanized during the 70s and 80s: Al Rigga. This non-touristy Dubai food tour leaves behind the bustling main road to venture into a hidden street that even most residents and taxi-drivers struggle to find. Nevertheless, it is a treasure trove for everything from flavourful mezze to decadent baklava. We visit restaurants in Deira, Dubai, that are small and humble in size but big on flavour and hospitality.

Our food tour route covers a spectrum of flavours from across the Middle East – herb green falafels and creamy hummus from the Levant, street-style flaky pizza from Egypt, cardamom-scented Arabic coffee from the Gulf, giant smoked fish or juicy kebabs* from Iraq and saffron-infused ice cream from Iran. In addition, we experience the time-tested customs of Arabic coffee, sample fresh sweet cheese pastry right off the stove and become saffron savants as we stroll over to our “Ali Baba’s cave” of exotic ingredients.

Our route and featured tastings are subject to change. *Food selection takes place based on the group size.

Allergens Key: Contains G-Gluten; D-Dairy; N-Nuts; M-Meat (Beef/Lamb); P-Poultry; F-Fish; S-Shellfish. We regret that there may not be substitutes for dishes. Even if specific dishes do not contain these ingredients, we cannot guarantee against cross-contamination of allergens in the restaurant kitchens.

Corner Falafel Cafeteria

'Stuffed' falafels for a DIY-sandwich with hummus, fried eggplant and cauliflower, three kinds of sauces and pickles.

Palestinian-Jordanian Restaurant

Sweet cheese pastry topped with crunchy noodles and pistachios. (G/N/D)

Lebanese Baklava Shop

Arabic coffee or 'gahwa' with a pressed date cookie and pistachio ‘cookies and cream’. Mixed boxes of baklava and Arabic cookies also available for purchase. (G/N/D)

Egyptian Restaurant

Egyptian 'inside-out' pizza filled with cheese, tomatoes, olives and the Egyptian version of cured beef. (G/D/M)

Iraqi Restaurant

Traditional wood-fire smoked Iraqi fish* (F) OR kebabs* (M) with lentil soup followed by a digestive samovar tea.
*Food selection varies based on group size.

Iranian Specialty Ingredients and Sweets Shop

Persian sundae with saffron ice cream (optional) and rosewater-spiked frozen cornstarch noodles. Rosewater, saffron and nuts available for purchase.

We meet at the bicycle stand outside Al Rigga Metro Exit #2, Al Rigga Road. The Bicycle stand is facing Diva Gents Salon. Please be on time, we don't wait for latecomers!

Given the heavy traffic, limited parking and different starting and ending locations, we strongly recommend that you take the metro rather than driving to the trail. If you plan to take a taxi, please budget extra time for traffic.

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Have questions? Here are the most frequently asked.

Can I join the Middle Eastern tour if I am vegetarian?

The 2 main courses on our Middle Eastern tour are both non-vegetarian: fish and beef. That said, we have had vegetarian guests join in the past and they have often walked away from the tour quite full and sated. While there are no vegetarian substitutes for the meat dishes, the falafels, dips and desserts are all vegetarian-friendly.

Do we only walk around and sample food?

Absolutely not! Our walking food tours are immersive experiences that combine food tastings with history, culture and personal stories of the city. On some of our tours, we get exclusive ‘behind-the-scenes’ access that would typically not be offered to regular guests at the restaurants/shops.

What if I have dietary restrictions or allergies?

Please be sure to let us know if you (or anyone in your group) have a dietary restriction (e.g. vegetarian, diabetic, allergy, etc.) when you purchase your tickets. In most cases, nuts, lactose and gluten may be in the foods featured on our experiences and there is a risk of cross-contamination. If you have a serious allergy, we recommend contacting us at ‘munch@fryingpanadventures.com’ prior to purchasing tickets to enable us to advise you if our tours are suitable for you.

What should I bring with me?

Please carry earphones for our tour guide audio system (else we will provide a free size one); don’t carry anything too heavy as we will provide a tote. If you plan to purchase edible souvenirs during the tour, please make sure to carry both cash/your credit card (most, but not all, locations accept credit card).

What are the change policies on my booking?

We apply the following policy for any tour booking (excluding Sufra experiences), including one booked with a gift voucher / e-certificate:

  • Cancellation policy
    • 75% refund if 30 days or more before Trail
    • 50% refund if 14 to 29 days before Trail
    • 25% refund if 4 to 13 days before Trail
    • 0% refund if 1 to 3 days before Trail
  • Rescheduling policy
    • Rescheduling permitted within the same tour type only if request is received 14 days or more before the trail and if there is availability on the new date requested. Only one rescheduling request permitted per booking.
    • No rescheduling permitted if request is received less than 14 days before the trail or if there is no availability on the new date requested.

For change policies on Sufra experiences, kindly click here.

Still have questions?   Visit our FAQ page to submit your own

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