There's something sinfully appealing about a shawarma, that most humble of sandwiches. All it needs is good-quality meat and marinade, well-infused spices and fillings, and fresh saj or pita.
It's little wonder that the shawarma regularly tops most ordered dish lists and is the Middle East's most tagged dish on social media. Most recently, residents from the Emirates selected shawarma as their grub of choice for a Time Out survey of the most beloved dishes around the globe, according to 38,000 locals.
Of the two main types, a chicken shawarma typically comes with pickled cucumber and turnips, garlic paste (toum) and potato fries, while the lamb and beef versions are paired with tahini (ground sesame) paste, onions and tomatoes.
Finding the "best" shawarma restaurants in any of the UAE's cities is a tall order, simply because there is no secret ingredient or special cooking technique involved here. Even so, here is a list of restaurants in Dubai (and here's one for Abu Dhabi) – from hole-in-the-wall joints to beloved franchises and food court favourites – that come highly recommended, juicy meat, fluffy bread and all.
Al Mallah
Price: from Dh9
It's the place "all the Dubai kids swear by", says The National's lifestyle writer Janice Rodrigues. And indeed, Al Mallah – which opened in 1979 and has three locations in Dubai, in Al Diyafah, Al Seef and Ibn Battuta – garners regular recommendations and rave reviews on most foodie groups. It offers pita, saj and Mexican options, as well as a chicken and meat combo shawarma (Dh18).
Zaroob
Price: from Dh13
Another Dubai staple, Zaroob also operates from multiple locations, including from within The Radisson Blu Residence in Dubai Marina, plus Trade Centre, Uptown Mirdif and Silicon Oasis. Although questions have been raised about its slow service, there’s no denying the freshness of its offerings.
Eat & Drink
Price: from Dh5.50
With more than a dozen outposts – from Meena Bazaar to Jumeirah – this cafeteria serves its Lebanese fare alongside Indian and Chinese food, with burgers thrown in for good measure. Its chicken and Mexican shawarmas are some of the cheapest you’ll find in the emirate, though, and tasty, too.
Sports Athletic
Price: from Dh6
Another cafeteria that does it all – from porattas to zinker sandwiches – is this Al Satwa hole-in-the-wall fast food joint. Visit when you’re super-hungry and you won’t be disappointed by the size of its special “Mexicy-Arabic” shawarma.
Picnic Home
Price: from Dh6
"This tiny Lebanese cafeteria, located just outside Al Fahidi metro station, serves one of the best shawarmas I've ever had in Dubai. They have a killer spicy version that's falls under the try-if-you-dare bracket," says The National's sub-editor Mary Paulose.
Kabab Erbil Iraqi
Price: from Dh20
With branches in Al Rigga, Al Muteena and Jumeirah 2, Kabab Erbil is better known for its kubba and tashreeb, but its Iraqi shawarma sandwich is a worthy contender. The restaurant also serves tashreeb shawarma, maglouba shawarma and shawarma with rice (Dh75 each). Samad Al Iraqi, with locations in Al Muraqqabat, and Jumeirah 2 and The Pointe, is another good option. Its shawarma sandwiches start from Dh16.
Saad Al Warani Cafeteria
Price: from Dh5.25
For those in the know, this tiny spot in Rashidiya is the birthplace of the Hassan mattar sandwich, a variation of the shawarma that is now a staple of roadside cafes across Dubai. A flat, open sandwich (rather than your typical rolled variety), the bread comes toasted, for added crispiness, and you can add chips and cheese, plus Saad Al Warani’s special spicy sauce.
Al Safadi
Price: from Dh12
It may have launched a two-level, fountain-facing outpost at Dubai’s hottest dining destination, The Pointe at Palm Jumeirah, but this casual dining Lebanese chain is known for its juicy meat, which tastes delicious in its simple chicken and meat shawarma options. As Dubai cookbook author Flavel Monteiro puts it: “Justice can only be done when you are there eating every bite of the shawarma in its original Al Rigga home.”
Filful
Price: from Dh14
This Beiruti street food concept started life in Boxpark, but it has since moved to Dubai Marina Mall. The restaurant’s name refers to its in-house chilli, described as “the strongman of delectable street food ... the one accompaniment that makes all the difference”. So if it’s a spicy shawarma you’re after, make this your go-to.
Barbar Beirut Restaurant
Price: from Dh6
With its bright orange facade, this tiny cafeteria is something of a local secret in Dubai’s Al Khabaisi district. Its pita and saj shawarmas are an example in tasty simplicity and worth the trek for everyone else.
Allo Beirut
Price: from Dh11
The Al Barsha and CityWalk restaurant is a favourite with Foodiva founder Samantha Woods, who says she loves “the large portion of its beef shawarma with tomato, pickles and tahini wrapped in toasted Arabic or saj bread”. The street food outlet also does its supersized chicken and beef shawarmas in Arabic bread (from Dh35).
Zaatar W Zeit
Price: from Dh32
Wood also says she appreciates that this chain serves its “shredded beef shawarma with tomato, parsley and tahini in an oat flatbread, because it feels healthy. I also love that it’s literally opposite my house” – which is no surprise, really, given Zaatar W Zeit’s 14 branches.
Shawarma Houzz
Price: from Dh10
Don’t get confused by its playful misspelt name, this tiny cafeteria in Al Barsha takes its shawarmas very seriously and is known to give full value for money. Lebanese and Mexican styles aside, it has an Italian version served in saj, pita or Arabic bread. Tahini and toum aside, it also serves peri-peri mayo and a creamy tomato-mushroom mayo sauce.
Qaalat Al Balbak
Price: from Dh8.50
Another Al Barsha gem, Qaalat is nestled close to the Saudi German Hospital, and is the go-to for those craving lamb (rather than beef) shawarmas.
Al Reef Bakery
Price: from Dh7.35
For 24/7 shawarma options, look no further than this 35-year-old Lebanese bakery and visit its Al Karama branch for an authentic experience of Old Dubai (a second outpost is in Jumeirah 3). Regular pita shawarmas aside, it has Arabic and Mexican iterations.
Sandwich Club
Price: from Dh5.50
In the depths of Deira, this is a fabulous 3am option, serving everything from club sandwiches and biryani to a simple yet tasty shawarma stuffed to the brim with fresh fillings.
Belad Al Sham
Price: from Dh6.50
Generous is the term most associated with this Qusais cafe’s chicken, meat and Mexican shawarmas. This one is strictly for fans of garlic.
Hatam Al Tai
Price: from Dh7
An expansive neon-lit cafe in the Binyas area, close to the metro, Hatam allows you to dictate the quantity of its many fillings, or you could just get them as a side salad for an extra Dh3 to go with your tightly wrapped shawarma sandwich.
Al Hallab
Price: Dh58
Sure, it’s pricey for the simple sandwich, but this here is a rare spot serving seafood shawarma, complete with sauteed king fish, tahini and lemon dressing. Don’t confuse this Bab El Bahar restaurant in Downtown Dubai with the branches of Al Hallab found in Mall of the Emirates, The Dubai Mall and Al Garhoud, which also serves tasty albeit regular chicken and meat shawarmas, from Dh11.
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Tips to avoid getting scammed
1) Beware of cheques presented late on Thursday
2) Visit an RTA centre to change registration only after receiving payment
3) Be aware of people asking to test drive the car alone
4) Try not to close the sale at night
5) Don't be rushed into a sale
6) Call 901 if you see any suspicious behaviour
THE SCORES
Ireland 125 all out
(20 overs; Stirling 72, Mustafa 4-18)
UAE 125 for 5
(17 overs, Mustafa 39, D’Silva 29, Usman 29)
UAE won by five wickets
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Six things you need to know about UAE Women’s Special Olympics football team
Several girls started playing football at age four
They describe sport as their passion
The girls don’t dwell on their condition
They just say they may need to work a little harder than others
When not in training, they play football with their brothers and sisters
The girls want to inspire others to join the UAE Special Olympics teams
Pakistan v New Zealand Test series
Pakistan: Sarfraz (c), Hafeez, Imam, Azhar, Sohail, Shafiq, Azam, Saad, Yasir, Asif, Abbas, Hassan, Afridi, Ashraf, Hamza
New Zealand: Williamson (c), Blundell, Boult, De Grandhomme, Henry, Latham, Nicholls, Ajaz, Raval, Sodhi, Somerville, Southee, Taylor, Wagner
Umpires: Bruce Oxerford (AUS) and Ian Gould (ENG); TV umpire: Paul Reiffel (AUS); Match referee: David Boon (AUS)
Tickets and schedule: Entry is free for all spectators. Gates open at 9am. Play commences at 10am
Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
