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Want to get under the shiny skin of Dubai and experience it like locals? You're in the right place.

You’ll discover alleys, people, foods and stories that only long-time locals know about in this transient and fast-paced city.

It’s easy to drown in the sea of touristy options in Dubai. But you don’t have to be one of the herd of travelers who leave Dubai concluding that this city has no culture.

Our veteran guides and articulate storytellers are committed to uncovering those memorable encounters and uncharted routes that only locals know of. On each of our food tours, you’ll decode those hidden secrets, nostalgic stories and humble dishes that will help you feel grounded in the city and appreciate its oldest communities. Oh, and don’t be surprised if you see residents when you join our tours. Many of them keep returning to join us, because they feel our experiences can connect them at a deeper cultural level with the city they now call home.

Don’t leave without having experienced and tasted what makes the city unique — we’re waiting to show you what only locals know.

Why choose us?

  • You’ll be hooked from the start thanks to our deep passion and childhood nostalgia of Dubai. It comes through on our food tours not only because we’re certified Dubai guides, but because many of us have grown up here or lived in Dubai for a very, very long time.
  • You won’t suffer through a heavily scripted tour. We keep things interactive and love when our guests ask us questions so that we can talk about topics in Dubai that feel most interesting and relevant to the group.
  • You’ll experience places and foods that we take our own family and visitors to, not where we have a vested interest. We don’t take commissions and pay our restaurants fairly, including gratuities which are already included in the price of your tour.
  • You’ll have a guide who is as friendly and articulate as you are. We’re blessed to serve culture conscious globe-trotters and we’re always investing in our own knowledge so we can continue to answer the very discerning questions that our guests serve us on the tour!
  • You won’t be inflicted with touristy gimmicks like camel meat burgers on our tours. (Camel meat is delicious, but traditionally it is slow cooked and served with rice, god forbid not inside a bun)
  • You’ll be choosing tours that the official Dubai Tourism board chooses for visiting journalists, celebrity chefs and TV crews from around the world—for all the reasons listed above and more!

Which tour is right for me?

First time visitor to Dubai? Expat that recently moved here? Opt for our Middle Eastern Food Pilgrimage or our Dubai Souks and Creekside Food Walk.

Resident for a few or many years? Keep reading – the choice of tour really depends on what you’re looking to experience!

If you’re looking for a tour that’s exclusively food and no sightseeing, then we recommend our Middle Eastern Food Pilgrimage and Little India (private request only) food tours. These are 3.5-4 hour food tasting experiences combined with culture and storytelling across 3 to 4 eating stops.

If you seek a blend of food and sightseeing, the Dubai Souks and Creekside Food Walk is for you. In addition to tasting eclectic foods from some of the older communities around the creekside, you will discover hidden alleys, learn about spices, take a boat ride and soak in vibrant sights and aromas. It’s also our only tour that includes indigenous Emirati food. The overall food component is slightly lighter than the Middle Eastern Food Pilgrimage and Little India Food Tour in terms of food offered, but we guarantee you will not walk away hungry!

If you’re a vegetarian, you will have more options on the Dubai Souks and Creekside Food Walk, Old Dubai Quickie Snacking Tour and Little India Food Tour and the . The Middle Eastern Food Pilgrimage does feature a non-veg main course that cannot be substituted.

Short on time? Or have kids between 4 and 10 years? Our 2 hour Old Dubai Quickie Snacking Tour is the one to go with! You get to roam through the vibrant Deira Spice Souk, peek into the Gold Souk to witness the ‘Godzilla ring,’ play a fun game in the souk and enjoy 5 delicious snacks that appeal to most adults and children (there’s fresh bread and chocolate too!) We’ll finish the tour steps away from the creek where you can take an old school boat (abra) ride across the water after the tour if you like! Just one thing though — we don’t feature hummus, falafels and other beloved foods of the Middle East (Levant specifically) on this tour because they simply aren’t available in this neighborhood which has grown up on Indian and Iranian flavours. If you’re looking to indulge in that cuisine, you’re better off on our Middle Eastern Food Pilgrimage.

Still not sure if our tours are for you?

Whether you’re a first-time visitor who’s trying to cherry pick the “must-do’s” for your Dubai itinerary or you’re a long-time Dubai resident who’s heard about our tours but not convinced they’ll show you anything new, let’s connect over a face-to-face call. Please select a time here that works for you with one of the original Frying Pan sisters, Arva, and she’d be happy to share more about Dubai, our tours, and go over any specific questions you might have.

If you can’t find a time that works for you, please email us at munch@fryingpanadventures.com and we’ll schedule a call that works for you.

We've Pioneered Food Tours in Dubai Since 2013

Our 2 to 4 hour food tasting tours showcase a side of Dubai that we’ve cherished growing up here, but that few tourists and expats ever experience.

BOOK NOW

Why choose us?

  • You’ll sense our deep passion and childhood nostalgia of Dubai come through on our food tours not only because we’re certified Dubai guides, but because we’ve grown up here.
  • We don’t do heavily scripted tours. We keep things interactive and love when our guests ask us questions so that we can talk about topics in Dubai that feel most interesting and relevant to the group.
  • You’ll experience places and foods that we take our own family and visitors to, not where we have a vested interest. We don’t take commissions or ask for discounts from restaurants, we pay them fairly and in full.
  • You’ll have a guide who is as friendly and articulate as the culture conscious globe-trotters that we’re blessed to serve. As a past guest described our tours, our guides are not “super scripted, but genuine and professional.”
  • You won’t be inflicted with touristy gimmicks like camel meat burgers on our tours. (Camel meat is delicious, but traditionally it is slow cooked and served with rice, not inside a bun)
  • You’ll be choosing tours that the official Dubai Tourism board chooses for visiting journalists and TV crews from around the world—for all the reasons listed above and more!

Which tour is right for me?

First time visitor to Dubai? Expat that recently moved here? Opt for our Middle Eastern Food Pilgrimage or our Dubai Souks and Creekside Food Walk.

Resident for a few or many years? Keep reading – the choice of tour really depends on what you’re looking to experience!

If you’re looking for a tour that’s exclusively food and no sightseeing, then we recommend our Middle Eastern Food Pilgrimage and Little India (private request only) food tours. These are 3.5-4 hour food tasting experiences combined with culture and storytelling across 3 to 4 eating stops.

If you seek a blend of food and sightseeing, the Dubai Souks and Creekside Food Walk is for you. In addition to tasting eclectic foods from some of the older communities around the creekside, you will discover hidden alleys, learn about spices, take a boat ride and soak in vibrant sights and aromas. It’s also our only tour that includes indigenous Emirati food. The overall food component is slightly lighter than the Middle Eastern Food Pilgrimage and Little India Food Tour in terms of food offered, but we guarantee you will not walk away hungry!

If you’re a vegetarian, you will have more options on the Dubai Souks and Creekside Food Walk, Old Dubai Quickie Snacking Tour and Little India Food Tour and the . The Middle Eastern Food Pilgrimage does feature a non-veg main course that cannot be substituted.

Short on time? Or have kids between 4 and 10 years? Our 2 hour Old Dubai Quickie Snacking Tour is the one to go with! You get to roam through the vibrant Deira Spice Souk, peek into the Gold Souk to witness the ‘Godzilla ring,’ play a fun game in the souk and enjoy 5 delicious snacks that appeal to most adults and children (there’s fresh bread and chocolate too!) We’ll finish the tour steps away from the creek where you can take an old school boat (abra) ride across the water after the tour if you like! Just one thing though — we don’t feature hummus, falafels and other beloved foods of the Middle East (Levant specifically) on this tour because they simply aren’t available in this neighborhood which has grown up on Indian and Iranian flavours. If you’re looking to indulge in that cuisine, you’re better off on our Middle Eastern Food Pilgrimage.

Still not sure if our tours are for you?

Whether you’re a first-time visitor who’s trying to cherry pick the “must-do’s” for your Dubai itinerary or you’re a long-time Dubai resident who’s heard about our tours but not convinced they’ll show you anything new, let’s connect over a face-to-face call. Please select a time here that works for you with one of the original Frying Pan sisters, Arva, and she’d be happy to share more about Dubai, our tours, and go over any specific questions you might have.

If you can’t find a time that works for you, please email us at munch@fryingpanadventures.com and we’ll schedule a call that works for you.

Join a Small Group Public Tour or an Exclusively Private One

Dubai Souks Iftar Tour *NEW!*

4.5 hours
AED472.50 • AED 4056+ Private groups
8 yrs+

Join us in Dubai’s old souks to witness a communal Iftar and a humble side of Ramadan in Dubai that many miss out on.


Middle Eastern Food Pilgrimage - dubai food tour

Middle Eastern Food Pilgrimage

3.5 hrs
AED435 • AED 3056+ Private groups
14 yrs+

Experience the flavours and stories of our favourite Middle Eastern mezze, specialty dishes and desserts on our longest-running food tour.


Dubai Souks and Creekside Food Walk

4 hours
AED435 • AED 3056+ Private groups
8 yrs+

Explore Dubai’s historic souks while indulging in nostalgic foods and hearing stories of the city’s first communities – the perfect mix of sightseeing and food!


Dubai Waterfront Market Tour and Lunch

Private request only
3 hours
AED367.50 • AED 3056+ Private groups
4 yrs+

Shop and lunch at the largest indoor fish and vegetable market in Dubai with our founders’ very lovable mother, a 40+ year UAE veteran!


International City Noodle Tour

3.5 hours
AED472.5 • AED 4056+ Private groups
14 yrs+

Discover 7 unique noodles dishes across 5 authentic restaurants in International City with a Chinese noodle aficionado—a unique bonding experience!


Little India Food Tour

Private request only
4 hours
AED 3056+ Private tours
14 yrs+

Visit Dubai’s oldest Indian neighbourhood to sample the best street food and popular dishes from the North and South Indian communities in the city.


Here's What Our Past Guests Are Saying

Here's What Our Past Guests Are Saying

Discover Old Dubai Your Own With Our
Thrilling Scavenger Hunt Game or Digital Tour Publications

The Ultimate Guide to Dubai’s Spice Souk

Mobile or Desktop Web Browser
E-guide 50 AED (Lifetime Online Access)

Our online guidebook covers over 70 different culinary and herbal spices, and is the perfect guide to the aromatic alleys of Dubai’s spice souk.

Dubai Digital Tour Guidebook

Digital Tour Guidebooks

PDF Guides
AED 160.00 per guidebook, AED 370 for bundle of 3 guidebooks

Whether you’d like explore on your own or you’d like to savour Dubai from afar, our digital guidebooks will reveal our favourite spots and insider knowledge of the city.

Gift a Food Tour

An unforgettable gift for that loved one with a curious appetite.

Group food walk with Frying Pan Adventures.

Private Events

Think differently—and deliciously—about your next corporate team-building event or private party.

Learn More

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Get Local Insider Info on Dubai's Authentic Food

Check out our blog for tips on what to eat, ideas for delicious souvenirs, food stories from our podcast and more.

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