Middle Eastern Food Pilgrimage

Duration: 4.25 HRS

Location: Deira, Dubai

Summer

AED 350

Jun-Sep. 14 years + only.

Regular

AED 395

Oct-May. 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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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 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. 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. Please notify us of severe allergies.

Carry earphones for our guide audio system. Dress comfortably; cover legs and shoulders.

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.

Important update: On 19th May 2018, the Emirati restaurant on our tour suffered a terrible fire and burnt down. While the restaurant is gutted, thankfully none of the staff were injured. Unfortunately there is no easy replacement for this traditional experience and we will miss the restaurant sorely. While we have no information on when/if they will reopen, we will do our best to look for alternatives and appreciate your patience during this difficult and unforeseeable situation.

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. 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.

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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 (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.

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. 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?

For the Middle Eastern Food Pilgrimage, Little India on a Plate and Dubai Souks and Creekside Food Walk tours as well as Unseen Trails: 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?

Kindly note that our change policies have been amended on March 10, 2018. 

  • For all bookings made on or after March 2018, all tickets are non-refundable/transferable to another date unless the Ticket Guardian insurance is purchased at the time of checkout. Ticket Guardian insurance offers a 100% refund for a number of situations ranging from illness to work conflicts to family emergencies, as long as you notify Ticket Guardian of a cancellation any time before the tour begins.
  • For all bookings made on or before March 9, 2018, we apply the following policy for any tour booking, 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.

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

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