
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 neighborhood.
Duration: 4.25 hours
Location: Deira, Dubai
14 years and above only.
Ticket price stated is not inclusive of 5% VAT and online processing fees. Non-refundable/transferable unless Ticket Guardian insurance purchased at the time of checkout.
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.
Mostly non-veg, except 2 veg savory dishes 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 (1 stop involves sitting on cushions).
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 and slow-cooked meat from the Gulf and saffron-infused ice cream from Iran. In addition, we share the etiquette of eating in a traditional Arabian-style ‘majlis,’ experience the time-tested customs of Arabic coffee, sample fresh sweet cheese pastry right off the stove and become a saffron savant as we stroll over to our “Ali Baba’s cave” of exotic ingredients.
Our route and featured tastings are subject to change.
Corner Falafel Cafeteria
'Stuffed' falafels for a DIY-sandwich with hummus, fried eggplant and cauliflower, three kinds of sauces and pickles.
Palestinian-Jordanian Restaurant
Palestinian caramelized onion and chicken pie | Sweet cheese pastry topped with crunchy noodles and pistachios.
Lebanese Baklava Shop
Arabic coffee or 'gahwa' paired with a 'pressed' date cookie | Takeaway piece of flaky cashew nut baklava | 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.
Mixed Emirati and Yemeni Restaurant
Lentil soup | Chicken simmered with rice and the local spice mix | Slow-cooked goat.
Iranian Specialty Ingredients and Sweets Shop
Persian sundae with saffron ice cream and rosewater-spiked frozen rice 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 steps away from Bollywood Trading. 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.
53 Al Rigga Rd - Dubai - United Arab Emirates
The Middle Eastern tour is admittedly very meat-heavy – such is the nature of traditional Middle Eastern fare! 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, we would be happy to order you an extra plate of falafels and a vegetarian Egyptian pastry upon request.
Absolutely not! Our walking food tours (Middle Eastern Food Pilgrimage and Little India on a Plate) 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. 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.
For the Middle Eastern Food Pilgrimage and Little India on a Plate tours: 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).
Kindly note that our change policies have been amended on March 10, 2018.
Still have questions? Visit our FAQ page to submit your own
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