Eating out: 10 of our favourite healthy dishes in Dubai
There are so many amazing restaurants across all budgets in Dubai that it’s just too boring to eat in all the time.
The good news is that you can dine out in the city without swerving from eating nutrient-rich, healthy foods – here are our 10 favourite guilt-free eats in Dubai…
*MORE: Healthy dishes in Abu Dhabi*
*A LIST: Paleo-friendly restaurants in Dubai*
1. Cycle Bistro
What to get: Grass-fed beef tenderloin (paleo-friendly)
How much is it: Dhs88
What started as a personal passion project by the Cycle Hub owners is now a thriving café endorsed by nutritionists and fitness experts. The food is predominantly paleo, but the menu has now expanded to include vegan options too.
Dubai Motor City, Mon to Thur 8am to 8pm, Fri and Sat 8am to 5pm. Taxi: Next to Dubai Autodrome. facebook.com/thecyclebistro
2. Common Grounds
What to get: Greens and grains salad
How much is it: Dhs47
Delicious Moroccan spices mixed with quinoa tabbouleh, spring beans, cashews, pumpkin seeds, goji berries and a hunk of avocado. Meat eaters can add roast lamb for a heartier option.
Mall Of The Emirates, Dubai, daily 8am to 10pm. Tel: (04) 4551663. Metro: Mall Of The Emirates. facebook.com/commongroundsdubai
3. Comptoir 102
What to get: Seaweed pesto (vegan)
How much is it: Dhs60
This beautiful café takes a holistic approach to food, with an entire menu devoted to light and healthy dishes. We love the seaweed salad, which comes with a generous heap of guacamole and a stack of linseed crackers. Partner it with the dairy-free ice coffee shake and you’ve got yourself the perfect Instagram-friendly flat lay – not to mention a
tasty lunch.
Jumeirah Beach Road, Dubai, Sun to Thur 8.30 to 6.30, Fri and Sat 8.30 to 8pm. Tel: (04) 3854555. Taxi: Beside Choueri Real Estate Brokers. comptoir102.com
4. One Café By Life n’ One
What to get: Raw zucchini pasta
How much is it: Dhs49
Dubai’s healthy food hunters love this pretty café in the gardens of a wellness centre in Jumeirah. One Café serves vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free, dairy-free and (of course) meat-free dishes that are all made fresh to order.
27b street, Villa 5/1b, Jumeirah Beach Road, Dubai, daily 8am to 7pm. Tel: (04) 3436676. Taxi: Behing Jumeirah Centre and Magrudy’s. lifenone.com
5. Be Super Natural Kitchen
What to get: House pizza breads (raw)
How much is it: Dhs39
Don’t expect anything close to a Domino’s thick crust here: instead, you’ll get raw, vegan red pepper flax crackers topped with a tomato basil salsa and your choice of healthy toppings.
Galeries Lafayette, Level 2, Dubai Mall, Dubai, daily 8.30am to 10pm. Tel: (04) 3399933. Metro: Burj Khalifa/ Dubai Mall. facebook.com/BeSuperNatural
6. The Salad Jar
What to get: Southwestern
How much is it: Dhs42
The jars make it easy to eat portion-controlled meals on the go, and the Salad Jar team crams as many super foods as possible into one pot. Since they’re now stocked at the Surf House, they make a perfect beachside snack.
7. Saravana Bhavan
What to get: Masala Dosa (vegan)
How much is it: Dhs9.25
If you steer away from the creamy kormas you’ll find that Indian cuisine can be very healthy. For a vegan-friendly snack, snap up a delicious rice crêpe stuffed with spicy potatoes.
Summer Land Building, Barsha, Dubai, daily 7.30am to 11pm. Tel: (04) 4276682. Taxi: Behind LuLu hypermarket. saravanabhavan.com
8. Circle Café
What to get: Falafel salad
How much is it: Dhs38
Is it just us or has Circle Café turned it up a notch this year? Their salads are fresher, their portions are bigger and their homemade falafels give Zaroob a run for its money. Rest them on a bed of mixed lettuce, mint, tomato and tahini sauce and you’ll be set up for the day.
Dubai Mall, Downtown Dubai, daily 10am to 11pm. Tel: (800) 382246255. Metro: Burj Khalifa/ Dubai Mall. circle-cafe.com
9. Tasha’s
What to get: LSA porridge (paleo)
How much is it: Dhs48
Photo: David Ross
An even healthier spin on the ultimate sensible breakfast, at Tasha’s the porridge is made from linseeds, sunflower seeds and almond shavings instead of oats (hence LSA). There’s no dairy – it’s made with coconut milk and topped with sliced banana and chopped dates – and its gluten- and wheat-free as well.
Galleria Mall, Al Wasl Road, daily 7.30am until 10.30pm. Tel: (04) 3855500. Taxi: Galleria Mall. facebook.com/tashascafe1
10. Heat Café And Grill
What to get: Chicken and avocado skewers
How much is it: Dhs35
This is the ultimate no-frills, low-fat, low-carb diner, where dishes have fewer than 400 calories and cost less than Dhs40. The simple chicken and avocado skewers are clean, tasty and satisfying.
Next to Al Hilal Bank, Jumeirah Road, Umm Suqeim 2, Dubai, daily 6am to midnight. Tel: (04) 4489027. Taxi: Opposite Burj Al Arab. facebook.com/heatcafe
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