Rising from the desert sand in a dizzying display of wealth and ambition, Dubai is a city of extremes that often defies logic. Filming No Reservations in 2010, the objective was to look past the towering skyscrapers, artificial islands, and gold-plated excess to find the actual, beating heart of this global crossroads. Dubai is famous for its opulent hotel dining and imported celebrity chefs, but its true culinary identity is shaped by the massive expatriate workforce that built the city. The angle here was to explore the brilliant friction between the unimaginable luxury of the elite and the deeply authentic, working-class food of the immigrant communities from India, Pakistan, and the broader Middle East. It was an investigation into a society where you can drink hot cocoa inside an indoor ski slope and eat life-changing mutton curry in a bustling, plastic-chair cafeteria on the very same day. To taste the real, unfiltered Dubai, you have to be willing to leave the resorts. Here is exactly where to look.
When Anthony Bourdain visited Dubai on his show No Reservations Season 6 Episode 19 (originally aired August 9, 2010), he and his crew picked many restaurants. Here are all the addresses and the dishes showcased on Anthony Bourdain Dubai, all in a convenient list. It can be a good idea to sample these dishes while you go through your Dubai travel itinerary.
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DISH – Mutton Achar
WHAT IS IT?
Mutton achar is a traditional Pakistani recipe that resembles a typical curry dish. It is made through stewing spicy, pickled mutton in curry sauce. It is often served with naan and abgooshth (lentils soup).
WHERE IS IT?
Ravi Restaurant
Opp. Union Co-operative Society – Al Dhiyafa
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
NOTES – Anthony Bourdain Dubai
Ravi is a popular restaurant that serves traditional Indian and Pakistani dishes. It is known for its mutton achar (mutton curry) and chicken tikka.
DISH – Hot Cocoa with Marshmallows – No Reservations Dubai
WHAT IS IT?
Drinking hot cocoa with marshmallows is a popular way of warming up during cold weather. People often add a dollop of whipped cream to jazz up this comfort beverage.
WHERE IS IT?
Avalanche Cafe
Ski Dubai, Mall of the Emirates
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
NOTES – Anthony Bourdain Dubai
Avalanche Café is part of Ski Dubai, an indoor ski resort at the Mall of the Emirates.
DISH – Coconut Seafood Curry – No Reservations Dubai
WHAT IS IT?
Adding coconut milk to seafood curry makes the dish creamier. It also makes the curry flavor less overwhelming. This enables diners to enjoy the fresh flavors of seafood along with the sweet, spicy and savory hints of curry.
WHERE IS IT?
Bu Qtair Restaurant
Old 32B Street, Fishing Harbour 2
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
NOTES – Anthony Bourdain Dubai
Bu Qtair Cafeteria is known for its fresh fish and other seafood. It serves whatever is the catch of the day. Here, Anthony Bourdain sampled their deep-fried grouper and prawns in coconut curry sauce. He had traditional paratha bread along with the coconut seafood curry.
DISH – Modern European Cuisine – No Reservations Dubai
WHAT IS IT?
Modern European Cuisine is marked by a more laidback attitude towards the selection and preparation of ingredients. It is less specific with the choice of ingredients and cooking methods used. Quail and mushroom pithivier with confit and celeriac remoulade is an example of this movement. Blanquette de veau with palm puree and shallot cream sauce is another example.
WHERE IS IT?
Verre
Hilton Dubai Creek, Baniyas Rd
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
NOTES – Anthony Bourdain Dubai
Verre by Gordon Ramsay served modern European dishes. It closed its doors in 2011. The famous English chef has since opened an English pub at Palm Jumeirah.
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DISH – Aishu Lahem – Anthony Bourdain Dubai
WHAT IS IT?
Aishu lahem is a traditional Emirati dish that features saffron rice and lamb. It is flavored with crushed cardamom seeds, cinnamon, bay leaves, garlic, cumin, pepper and ginger. All the ingredients are steamed until the lamb becomes very tender. It is often served with mint yoghurt sauce.
WHERE IS IT?
Bait Al Mandi
Opposite J5 Rimal – Al Muraqqabat Rd
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
NOTES – Anthony Bourdain Dubai
Bait Al Mandi, which translates to House of Mandi, is well-known in Dubai for its traditional Emirati dishes. If you find a Dubai travel guide recommending that you sample traditional Emirati cuisine, it would be a good idea to stop by Bait Al Mandi.
READ MORE: ANTHONY BOURDAIN JEDDAH : ALL OF THE RESTAURANTS PICKED ON NO RESERVATIONS
Dubai was a destination that initially baffled and fascinated Bourdain, a place where hyper-capitalism and extreme luxury often obscure the human element. He found the most profound joy not in the Michelin-starred dining rooms of the mega-hotels, but in the chaotic, incredibly flavorful cafeterias run by the immigrant workforce. This episode is historically significant for successfully stripping away the gilded facade to champion the working-class joints—like Ravi and Bu Qtair—proving that the city’s best food is often its cheapest. It served as a powerful reminder that behind every monument of excess are the hands of the people who built it. The legacy left behind is an order to venture past the shiny lobbies. Follow the locals, sit outside in the heat, and eat the curry.
