The UAE may be packed with some of the world’s best restaurants, but some days simply call for sweatpants, television and comfort food delivered to your doorstep.
Luckily, there's no dearth of brilliant takeaway options. From dumplings and sushi to biryanis and shawarma, you can get pretty much anything. However, the next time you’re thinking of staying in, how about upping the food stakes with some brands that are only available to order in?
Cloud kitchens or dark kitchens have revolutionised the food scene in the UAE and have led to the rise of some new and deliciously tempting brands. Here’s a look at some of the top contenders, and why they deserve an order or 10.
Affordabowls
From the team behind Sweetheart Kitchen that brought us Bravo Avocado and Wingo comes Affordabowls. What’s great about it is that the brand combines the ease of good food with convenient-to-eat dish that's all in one bowl – all while providing quite a bit of diversity. For example, Affordabowls includes everything from burrito bowls, to mashed potato bowls, quinoa bowls and rice bowls. There’s even a hummus bowl for those who can't get enough of the chickpea mash. Don't like any of the pre-made versions? There’s a make-your-own option too.
What to order: The spicy shredded beef and cheddar mashed potato bowl (Dh44).
Delivers to parts of Dubai and Sharjah; byswhk.com/uae/brands-3/affordabowls
Art of Dum
A gourmet delivery kitchen by Foodlink, Art of Dum is known for its "dum pukht" style of slow cooking, which is not often found at cloud kitchens. The result is meat that’s deliciously tender, be it rolls and kebabs or biryanis. As a bonus, there are lots of vegetarian options and it does eco-friendly packaging.
What to order: Bombay Style Paneer Tikka Biryani for vegetarians (Dh54) and any of the kebabs for non-vegetarians.
Delivery across Dubai; dubai.artofdum.com
Bravo Avocado
Millennial jokes aside, it’s hard not to love avocado on toast. And this brand, also by Sweetheart Kitchen, is a winner because they do 10 types of mashed avocado on toast, while also giving customers the chance to build their own. There are plenty of veggie options options and if you’re looking to try something new, there's hummus on toast. Everything you need to start your day on a healthy, tasty note.
What to order: Avo toast with feta and roasted beets for a vegetarian option (Dh32) and smoked salmon and eggplant for those looking for something offbeat (Dh42).
Delivery to parts of Dubai and Sharjah; byswhk.com/uae/brands-3/bravo-avocado
Bloom Vegan Kitchen
A vegan brand so good even dairy eaters won’t feel like they’re missing out. Bloom Vegan Kitchen delivers to all emirates in the UAE, and is all about breaking the myth that vegan food is restrictive. Case in point, scan the menu and you’ll find everything from burgers and tacos to salads and sandwiches.
What to order: the grilled cheese sandwich (Dh39); the velvety, smooth cheese is made from soya and vegetable based cream and is complemented by pesto sauce, layers of cooked spinach, and chips on the side.
Delivers across all emirates; bloomvegankitchen.com
Cut by High
Burger lovers in the UAE are probably already well-versed with High Joint which took the dining scene by storm when it launched in 2018. This year, its creators took things to a new level with the launch of a new guilt-free burger brand Cut by High. Available for delivery across Dubai, these burgers promise to pack in the flavour, while cutting down on the carbs, fat and calories. They also come with transparency in the ingredients used, and provide nutritional information, such as a calorie, protein, fat and carb count, for each of the dishes.
What to order: The Smokey (Dh43), with grilled bacon, bbq sauce, melted pepper Jack cheese, slow cooked onion jam, crispy onions and garlic aioli is a clear winner.
Delivery in most parts of Dubai; Instagram: @cut.high
Go! Restaurants
You’re often spoiled for choice in Dubai, and few brands encapsulate that quite like home-grown concept Go! Restaurants. It really does have something for everyone, including Go! Pasta, Go! Greek, Go! Chinese, Go! Salad N' Wrap, Go! Lebanese and Go! Healthy. The dishes are usually all crowd-pleasers, and you also have customisation options if you’re looking to build your own bowls.
What to order: A butter chicken tagliatelle masala from Go! Pasta ramps up the spice factor while a classic souvlaki from Go! Greek is an easy favourite.
Delivery in parts of Abu Dhabi and Dubai; gorestaurants.ae
Grizzly Burger and Buns
The brainchild of Sergio Lopez, the restaurateur behind other popular ventures such as Tom & Serg and Sanderson’s in Abu Dhabi, comes Grillzy, a delivery-only concept for burger enthusiasts in the capital. Gourmet creations include Get Down, a peri-peri grilled chicken burger with crispy onion, guacamole and jalapenos and the Truffle Shuffle, with Wagyu, pecorino cheese, truffle oil and rocket leaves. All the burgers are priced at Dh45. Desserts feature a selection of sweet buns, including those with sour cherry and custard, each for Dh35 a pop.
What to order: Try From Down Under, a beef burger with grilled onion, lettuce, beetroot, beef bacon and cheddar cheese (Dh45).
Delivers in Abu Dhabi only; grillzyburgers.com
Izu Burger
Gaia's creator chef Izu Anu's Izu Burger is all about delicious-tasting burgers made with clean, conscious ingredients. The brand, which is available for delivery in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, has a limited menu – there are about five burgers on offer – but you can taste quality all the way through.
What to order: Milk Baguette Burger features the classic French-shaped bread, filled with a choice of Australian Wagyu beef or 150-day grain fed Canadian beef and Emmental Swiss cheese (Dh45).
Delivers in Dubai and Abu Dhabi; Instagram: @izuburger
Mama Rita
It’s not often you get a taste of homely cooking in a takeaway, which is what makes Mama Rita a win. Started by mother-daughter duo Rita and Jessica Kahawaty, Mama Rita is all about those authentic, healthy recipes, passed on from one generation to the next. On the menu are plenty of good-for-the-soul dishes, from lentil soup and fattoush to traditional kebbe, shawarma platter and oriental rice with lamb.
What to order: Feeling adventurous? The peanut butter chicken is an African-inspired dish with tender chicken and peanut butter sauce over rice (Dh47).
Delivery in Abu Dhabi and Dubai; mamarita.com
Mix n Match
Have many people over to the house and you simply can’t decide on one cuisine? The beauty of this concept also lies in its simplicity. Mix n Match allows you to order from a variety of brands all under the same umbrella, so you’re not paying for delivery and tips twice. Anything from poke bowls to pizza at your fingertips. It doesn’t get more Dubai than this.
What to order: Chicken dumplings (Dh32) and the falafel with fried vegetable sandwich (Dh13).
Delivery to parts of Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah; mixnmatch.ae
Viking Bageri
If you’re a real bread connoisseur, you’ll probably appreciate Viking Bageri, available through UAE food aggregator Locale since this January. The brand is on a mission to bake the best baguettes in the UAE, and presents both sweet and savoury offerings. So, if you’re a fan of the smell of freshly baked bread, you can order flavours such as the original, sesame, cheese and jalapeno and chocolate, exclusively through Locale.
What to order: A truffle baguette for fans of that truffle flavour (Dh30).
Delivers in Dubai and a limited range of baguettes to Abu Dhabi via Freedom Pizza; app.locale.ae/order/viking-bageri
Umami Burger
Thanks to a recent partnership between Kitopi and C3, famous Los Angeles burger brand Umami Burger is now in the UAE. The brand offers absolutely drool-worthy creations — from the Umami Patty Melt to Sam’s Crispy Chicken Sandwich with cornflake crusted chicken breast. There are even Impossible patties for vegans. Everything you need to satiate those cravings.
What to order: The Umami Classic Burger: 4oz smash patty, classic sauce, lettuce, pickles, tomato, caramelised onions and American cheese (Dh40).
Delivers in parts of Dubai near Hessa Street; on Deliveroo
For dessert
Chunk Bakehouse
This new dessert kid on the block only launched a few months ago, but has already racked up quite a following online. Its unique selling point? Desserts that look too good to be true. Their chocolate dream cake is well just that – a dream. It’s a rich gooey chocolate within a hardened cocoa-dusted shell. Perfect for the tastebuds and for the 'Gram.
What to order: The chocolate dream came true for chocolate lovers (Dh129).
Delivery is available across emirates, but must be pre-ordered; Instagram: @chunk.uae
Sugargram
The bite-size cupcake brand has won a lot of hearts thanks to its cute packaging, wealth of flavours and those moist, decadent sponge cupcakes. The portions are great for sharing, special occasions and for gifting, and the boxes also come with creative sleeves, making them good for different occasion. Of course, if you want to gift yourself a box – we’re not here to judge – you can stuff your face with flavours that are eccentrically named: we’re talking about Fudge Judy, Oreona Grande, Love Rosie, Jennifer Appleston and the like.
What to order: The OG box comes with 25 itty bitty cupcakes across eight flavours (Dh125).
Delivery in Dubai and Sharjah; sugargram.me
Sugarmoo
Whether it’s for a last minute birthday cake or just to satiate those midday sugar cravings, home-grown brand Sugarmoo provides a little something for every occasion. Their cakes not only look gorgeous but also feature a generous proportion of icing to sponge, making them a decadent sugar fix. There are also baby cakes, if you want one all to yourself. But there’s also a range of dessert jars, cookies and cake pops to try out.
What to order: The Choco Loco Cake (Dh235) is for real chocoholics while the Red Velvet Oreo Crunch Cake (Dh205) is a sure-fire crowd pleaser.
Delivers across Dubai; in Sharjah on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday; sugarmoo.com
