Little India on a Plate
Discover what Indians really love to eat, beyond the clichéd naan and butter chicken, in Dubai's oldest, most vibrant Indian neighbourhood.
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Get exclusive discounts on our limited edition series of food and culture experiences
Duration: 4.25 HRS
Location: Deira, Dubai
14 years + only
10% off for Sufra members
Ticket price stated is not inclusive of 5% VAT and online processing fees. Refund/rescheduling policies on legal section of our website.
Get exclusive discounts on our limited edition series of food and culture experiences
Runs year-long. Afternoon/evening tours available on selected days of the week.
Walking only; distance covered is ~2.8km/1.7mi with stops in between.
1 non veg (beef and fish), 1 veg savory dish with mezze and 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 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 Dubai’s first communities 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 and tangy mango pickle 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.
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' | 'Pressed' date cookie (G/N) | Pistachio 'cookies and cream' (G/N) | Mixed boxes of baklava and Arabic cookies also available for purchase.
Egyptian Restaurant
Egyptian 'inside-out' pizza filled with cheese, tomatoes, olives and the Egyptian version of beef pastrami. (G/D/M)
Iraqi Restaurant
Lentil soup | Traditional smoked Iraqi fish (F) | Traditional samovar tea.
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.
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.
Absolutely not! Our walking food tours (Middle Eastern Food Pilgrimage, Little India on a Plate and Dubai Souks and Creekside Food Walk) are immersive experiences that combine food tastings with history, culture and personal stories of the city. We often get exclusive ‘behind-the-scenes’ access that would typically not be offered to regular guests at the restaurants/shops.
Our Old Dubai Souks and Stories experience is not a food-focused tour, even though it does feature one of our favourite classic meals in the city at the end of the experience. This tour is a cultural and souk sightseeing experience that weaves together the guide’s passion with her knowledge of history and cultural stories.
Our Emirati Cooking Session and Lunch involves cooking and sampling through the session, as well as lunch – so you will definitely be well-fed! The Chef also brings his extensive knowledge of Emirati spices and culinary techniques to the experience.
The Unseen Trails experiences with our community partners – Dubai Desert Conservation Drive, Naif by Night, Old Dubai Iftar Walk and Indian Festival of Lights – are not food-focused tours and are more centered on urban/desert exploration depending on the tour you sign up for. However, all of them do feature a few delicious treats which are always carefully selected and well-explained on the tour.
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.
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).
We apply the following policy for any tour booking (excluding Sufra experiences), including one booked with a gift voucher / e-certificate:
For change policies on Sufra experiences, kindly click here.
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