Meet in Al Fahidi
USD 199per private group · up to 6 guests
About 3 hours
- Meet your guide at Arabian Tea House, Al Fahidi
- Guide waits 15 minutes before your start time
- Ends at Al Ras Metro Station, Deira
- All tastings and the abra ride included
Private Old Dubai street food tourEat your way through Old Dubai.
Shawarma, kunafa and karak through the old souks, with a local guide.
From USD 199 per private group (up to 6) · ★ 4.9/5 on TripAdvisor
Photo: Andy Li, CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)
4.9★Average rating on TripAdvisor
39Traveller reviews on TripAdvisor
3 hrsOn foot through Old Dubai
100%Private: only your group
Local food guidesPrivate tourHotel transfers availableVegetarian-friendly on requestWheelchair & stroller accessibleSecure online booking
Got a dish you have been dying to try? Tell us before the tour and we will try to work it in. Message us →
Rating and review count from our TripAdvisor listing (TripAdvisor), checked 6 Oct 2026.
Three hours on foot through Al Fahidi and the old souks with a local guide, tasting the food Dubai actually eats: shawarma, falafel and hummus, Indian street snacks, sweet karak and warm kunafa, with an abra ride across the Creek in between.
Who it suits
Six kinds of appetite. One very full afternoon.
If you recognise yourself here, this is probably the best three hours you will spend eating in Dubai.
01
The foodie
You travel for the food and want the small, busy places locals queue at, not the hotel buffet.
02
The long layover
Twelve hours between flights? Guests have done this walk on a layover and still had time to shop.
03
The family
Kids who like chai and falafel wraps, parents who like history. A private pace for everyone.
04
The vegetarian or picky eater
Tell us your dietary needs when you book. Guides have planned around vegetarian and other requirements.
05
The first-day visitor
Start your trip with the history of the city and the places you would never find on your own.
06
The repeat visitor
Been through Dubai many times? This is the side of the city most visitors walk straight past.
Travelling with a wheelchair, stroller or limited mobility? The tour is listed as wheelchair and stroller accessible. Tell us what you need and we will plan honestly around it.
Real reviews
What guests said with full stomachs.
Excerpts from reviews of this tour on TripAdvisor, with names and home towns as TripAdvisor shows them. Tap through to read every review there.
4.9
★★★★★39 reviews on TripAdvisor
Swipe for more reviews →
★★★★★
“Suqlain even tailored the experience to some of our preferences for foods to try that we had heard of. Overall we felt we got a great taste of Dubai from a local’s perspective. We left with absolutely full stomachs.”
Guide: Suqlain · TripAdvisor
★★★★★
“We had a fantastic private tour around the Deira Souks with our wonderful guide Saqlain. He gave us local and historical information and we sampled lots of delicious local cuisine. Our tour also included the water taxi over to Bur Dubai.”
Guide: Saqlain · TripAdvisor
★★★★★
“We did this tour on 12 hour layover in Dubai. It was a perfect way to spend some time. Had so much good food and got some shopping in too. Come hungry, you'll leave full.”
TripAdvisor
★★★★★
“What a fun and memorable experience exploring the sights and tastes of Bur Dubai! … We loved the pani puri, chai and falafel wraps the most! Our kids (age 13 and 10) enjoyed the experience too!”
TripAdvisor
★★★★★
“A fantastic and flavourful tour which captures perfectly the varied cultures woven into the fabric of diverse Dubai. … They worked around the best time for me to meet and also took my vegetarian dietary requirements into consideration which was appreciated.”
Guide: Taimoor · TripAdvisor
★★★★★
“Word of warning-pace yourselves! There was so much food that we were stuffed! And all so delicious. Loved trying restaurants that we wouldn’t have tried otherwise.”
Guide: Suqlain · TripAdvisor
★★★★★
“This food tour was exactly what we were looking for, our guide Mansoor Ali was knowledgeable and fun… he was easy to talk to and brought us to all his favorite spots”
Guide: Mansoor Ali · TripAdvisor
★★★★★
“Very informative tour. It was nice to see all the places that are not the main tourist locations. A wide variety of food and a great experience in the market!”
TripAdvisor
★★★★★
“We had a fantastic experience learning about the history of Dubai and the UAE while having some fantastic local food at restaurants that we would never have found on our own.”
TripAdvisor
Overall 4.9/5 from 39 reviews on TripAdvisor, checked 6 Oct 2026. Excerpts are verbatim, shortened where marked “…”.
Why eat with us
Old Dubai, one bite at a time.
The best food in the old city hides in small cafeterias, bakeries and sweet shops. A local guide knows which ones, and what to order.
Private, always
Only your group, at your pace. The price is per group of up to 6.
Food with the story
Hear where each dish came from and how Emirati, Arab and South Asian kitchens shaped what Dubai eats today.
Tailored tastings
Heard of a dish you want to try? Tell us before the tour and your guide will try to work it into the walk.
Dietary needs considered
Vegetarian or other requirements? Tell us when you book so the tastings can be planned around them.
Hotel transfers available
Meet us in Al Fahidi, or choose hotel pickup and drop-off for a relaxed start and finish.
An abra ride in between
Cross Dubai Creek on a traditional wooden abra between tastings, the old-fashioned way.
Still deciding? A real person answers on WhatsApp.
Ask a question on WhatsAppWhat you pay for
One price per group. Written down.
What the tour includes, as listed on our TripAdvisor and Viator pages.
Included
- Private tour for your group only (price per group of up to 6)
- English-speaking local food guide who leads the walk and explains the culture
- Food and drink tastings: shawarma, kunafa, falafel, hummus and much more
- Abra (water taxi) ride across Dubai Creek
- Hotel pickup and drop-off, if you book the hotel transfers option
Not included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off on the meeting-point option
- Anything you buy in the souks
Tastings change with what is fresh and available on the day, but they always focus on freshly made local favourites. Come with an empty stomach.
Prices
Two ways to start. Same feast.
One price for your whole private group. Prices in US dollars, confirmed October 2026.
With hotel transfers
USD 299per private group · up to 6 guests
About 3 hours + transfers
- Pickup from your Dubai hotel by private vehicle
- The same private food walk with your guide
- Drop-off back at your hotel
- All tastings and the abra ride included
More than 6 guests? Message us and we will price your group. Ask on WhatsApp.
The route
How the afternoon tastes.
The usual flow of the walk. The exact stops and tastings change with the day and what is freshest.
- Start
Meet at Arabian Tea House, Al Fahidi
Your guide waits at the seating next to the restaurant entrance, opposite the Musalla Post Office, 15 minutes before your start time. Or we collect you from your hotel.
- History
Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood
Start with the story of old Dubai in its coral-stone lanes, near the Dubai Museum, before the eating begins.
- Taste
Old souk lanes and street food stops
Shawarma, falafel with hummus, Indian street snacks and local tea from trusted local spots, with the story behind every bite.
- Cross
Abra across Dubai Creek
Hop on a wooden water taxi with the locals for a breezy ride between Bur Dubai and Deira.
- Browse
Spice and Gold Souks
Saffron, spices, textiles and gold, with tips on what to buy and what to pay.
- Dessert
Something sweet
Traditional desserts such as warm kunafa to finish, while the cheese still stretches.
- Finish
Al Ras Metro Station, Deira
Your guide helps you get a taxi or the metro, or your driver takes you back on the transfers option.
Good to know
The practical bits.
3 hoursTypical length of the walk
Up to 6Guests per private group price
Al FahidiStart: Arabian Tea House
Al RasFinish: Al Ras Metro Station
Step-freeListed wheelchair & stroller accessible
EnglishLanguage of the tour
What you might taste
Old Dubai, on a plate.
Photos show dishes and places typical of Old Dubai. Exact tastings vary with the day, and not every dish shown is on every tour.
Your options
Three ways to eat in Old Dubai.
On your own
- Where
- Whatever has the brightest sign
- Ordering
- Pointing and hoping
- Story
- None
- You'll remember
- The one dish you recognised
A big group food tour
- Where
- Places that can seat 20
- Pace
- Set by the slowest eater
- Requests
- Same menu for everyone
- You'll remember
- Queuing behind the group
A private walk with us
- Where
- Small local spots our guides trust
- Ordering
- Done for you, explained
- Requests
- Tailored to your tastes & diet
- You'll remember
- Leaving absolutely full
How to book
Four steps. The first takes a minute.
1
Choose & pay online
Pick meeting point or hotel transfers in the booking box and pay securely by card with Stripe. Add your preferred date and hotel at checkout.
2
Instant confirmation
Your booking confirmation arrives by email right after payment. A real person then confirms your guide, start time and dietary needs on WhatsApp.
3
Meet your guide
At Arabian Tea House in Al Fahidi, or at your hotel lobby on the transfers option.
4
Eat Old Dubai
Three hours of tastings, stories, souks and an abra ride. Come hungry.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
How do I book and pay?
Choose Meeting point or With hotel transfers in the booking box and press Book now. You pay the private group price securely by card on a Stripe checkout page and add your preferred date and hotel there. You get an instant booking confirmation by email right after payment, and we confirm your guide and start time on WhatsApp. Prefer to ask first? Message us on WhatsApp +971 50 826 9272.
How do I get my confirmation?
Right after you pay online you get an instant booking confirmation by email, sent to the email address you enter at checkout. We then confirm your guide and start time on WhatsApp.
How long is the food tour and what does it cost?
About 3 hours. It costs USD 199 per private group of up to 6 from the meeting point, or USD 299 with hotel transfers (add the drive to and from your hotel).
Is it private?
Yes. Only your group joins your guide, and the price is per group of up to 6 guests.
Where do we meet?
At Arabian Tea House Restaurant & Cafe in Al Fahidi (Bastakiya), opposite the Musalla Post Office on Al Fahidi Street, Bur Dubai. There is a seating area next to the entrance; your guide is there 15 minutes before the start time. Arriving early? Our guide to street food around Al Fahidi and the Creek covers the neighbourhood.
Can you pick us up from our hotel?
Yes. The With Hotel Transfers option is USD 299 per private group of up to 6, including pickup and drop-off at your Dubai hotel. The meeting-point option is USD 199 per group.
Where does it finish?
At Al Ras Metro Station in Deira. Your guide helps you get a taxi or the metro. On the transfers option you are driven back to your hotel.
What will we eat?
Tastings depend on what is fresh and available, but typically include Arabic shawarma, falafel with hummus, Indian street snacks, local tea and traditional desserts such as kunafa. For a taste of what to expect, read our Old Dubai street food guide to Bur Dubai and Deira.
Can you cater for vegetarians or allergies?
Tell us your dietary requirements when you book. Guides have adjusted tastings for vegetarian guests and other dietary restrictions before.
How hungry should we be?
Very. Guests regularly say there was more food than they expected, so skip the big meal beforehand.
Is it OK for kids and wheelchairs?
Families with kids have enjoyed the tour, and it is listed as wheelchair and stroller accessible. Let us know about your group so the guide can plan the pace.
Can I do this on a layover?
Guests have joined on a 12-hour layover. For airport pickup and a timed return to DXB, see our sister brand Layover in Dubai.
What about cancellations?
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before your tour starts, with a full refund. No refund for cancellations made less than 24 hours before the start time, or for no-shows. Bookings made on Viator or TripAdvisor follow that platform's policy. Full details are on our Cancellation & Refund page.
Question we have not answered? Ask us on WhatsApp.
Book
Your table in Old Dubai, reserved in a minute.
Tell us what you love to eat.
Pick your option and pay securely online. At checkout you add your preferred date and hotel. You get an instant email confirmation after payment; we then confirm your start time and any dietary needs on WhatsApp.
- Secure card payment by Stripe
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
- Private food tour, priced per group of up to 6
- Instant email confirmation after payment
Prefer to chat first? WhatsApp +971 50 826 9272