5 fantastic food halls in Dubai worth visiting

The promise of the food hall should be a wildly intriguing offer for anyone who loves good food and general convenience. Basically: a tonne of great stuff to eat, all in one place. Here are some of the best in town…

The buzz of hungry crowds, the hiss of grills, and the scent of freshly brewed coffee and baked goods, Dubai’s food halls are a full-on sensory experience. These dynamic spaces bring a global spread of cuisines together under one roof, offering something for every palate. In recent years, the city’s food hall scene has exploded, with many venues opening in the last five years, and even as recently as 2024. These halls have also become key platforms for both up-and-coming chefs looking to break through and established restaurateurs testing out fast-casual concepts in a flexible setting. The venues also successfully double as community hubs, often hosting everything from trivia nights and comedy shows to cooking classes and weekend markets. Behold, your ultimate guide to the city’s most exciting food halls.

TIME OUT MARKET

Time Out Market Dubai is where Dubai’s food scene comes to show off. Located in the heart of Downtown, inside the Souk Al Bahar dining and retail hub, this 43,000 sq ft space brings together 17 standout kitchens, three bars, a spacious outdoor terrace, and a curated mix of the city’s most exciting chefs, concepts, and dishes. The Dubai outpost offers a hand-picked lineup of what’s really worth eating right now. That means Pitfire’s cult-favourite pizza, Hattem Mattar’s smoked brisket, Three by Eva’s feta brûlée, and Slab’s piled high nachos. It serves a platform for celebrated, homegrown restaurants, those already earning serious recognition in the city. It offers these standout independents a bigger stage, placing them alongside other culinary heavyweights, each selected for being the best in their category, and it’s well worth a visit now and again, especially with out of towners.

Time Out Market Dubai, Downtown Dubai, Sun to Thur noon to midnight, Fri noon to 1am, Sat 10am to 1am. @timeoutmarketdubai

NEIGHBOURHOOD FOOD HALL

Tucked away in a stripped-back building in Motor City, Neighbourhood Food Hall has quietly become one of Dubai’s most compelling culinary destinations. It may not sit in a prime postcode, but what it lacks in location, it makes up for in soul. What started as a collection of unfamiliar names has grown into a magnet for the city’s most exciting chefs, thanks in no small part to founder Nicky Ramchandani, whose no-frills, full-of-heart approach has struck a chord with Dubai’s food community. Now, you’ll find heavy hitters alongside hidden gems. Chef Kelvin Cheung (of Jun’s fame) dishes out gloriously craveable American-style Chinese at Jooksing, while Chef Akmal Anuar (3Fils, Goldfish, Harumanis) slings creative, crispy pies at Pizzeria Funkcoolio, an offshoot of Osteria Funkcolio. But the beauty of NFH is in the line-up of independent brilliance: doughnuts by 11 Crumb & Co., juicy kebabs at Meating Room, Asian treats at Streetery, Malaysian and Singaporean flavours in Oriental Dining, killer Mexican at Tacos Los Hermanos, Maru Udon slurp specials, and more. If you’re quick, you might still catch a final bite of Al Naqa Lao Kebab House by AJ, his Grandma’s fried chicken is the stuff of legend. NFH is a love letter to Dubai’s local scene with genuinely good food made by people who care.

Neighbourhood Food Hall, Green Community Retail, Motor City, Sun to Thur noon to 11pm, Fri and Sat noon to midnight. @neighbourhoodfoodhalls

DEPACHIKA

Inspired by Japan’s legendary department store basements, known as depachikas, this Dubai food destination brings a refined twist to the traditional food hall. Located in Nakheel Mall on the Palm, Depachika is a curated culinary space that blends gourmet groceries, artisanal finds, and specialty bites from some of the city’s best-loved names. Think immaculately packaged delicacies, regional treats, and high-end culinary craftsmanship. Depachika Dubai channels that spirit, offering everything from freshly made ramen at Daikan and sushi at Sals, to signature tiramisu from La Fabbrica and French treats by Odeon. Prime Gourmet’s ready-to-eat lasagne and Lime Tree’s café staples are just some of the other highlights on the lineup that we love at What’s On. At the centre, you’ll find an array of boutique kiosks selling everything from mochi and handmade popcorn to artisanal salt and bean-to-bar chocolate. It’s part food hall, part luxury grocer, with a strong emphasis on quality and craftsmanship. Don’t miss the hidden gem: a gourmet cheese room tucked away at the back, perfect for the dairy devout.

Depachika, Nakheel Mall, Palm Jumeirah, Sun to Thu 10am to 10pm, Fri and Sat 10am to midnight. @depachika.ae

THE MARKET ISLAND

In a town flush with foodie-pleasing superlatives, The Market Island boldly claims the title of the largest food hall in the Middle East, which, in practice, makes it less food court, more culinary city. Located inside Dubai Festival City Mall, The Market Island spans 70,000 square feet with seating for over 3,500 guests. With over 40 kitchens under one roof, it’s a full-scale dining destination built around variety. From casual bites to chef-driven counters, the lineup spans continents and cuisines, with 16 Dubai debuts packed into the mix. Highlights include John Dory Seafood Market, the region’s first sustainable head-to-tail seafood concept, managing everything in-house, from import and processing to open-fire cooking and retail. Tacos Camino by Shaw Lash (of Lila Taqueria) brings bold Mexican street food, Kooya delivers modern Filipino street vibes, and Homer Lobster stuffs its famous crustaceans into juicy, buttery rolls. You’ll also find comforting Uzbek plates from Kelinka, and punchy Peruvian tapas from Chef Roberto Segura.

The Market Island, Dubai Festival City, Mon to Thur 10am to 11pm, Fri to Sun 10am to midnight. @market.island_uae

CULINARA SOCIAL DINING

Perched high in the sky at The Link, One Za’abeel, Culinara Social Dining is Dubai’s latest culinary destination, and also its highest. The Link initially launched as a strip of high-end restaurants, but the concept didn’t quite stick. Now? They’ve flipped the script and gone all in on a bold new direction: a curated food hall packed with serious culinary talent. Officially launched in May, Culinara brings together 12 original, homegrown dining concepts under one sleek, sky-high roof. And they’ve brought in the big guns. Chef Sperxos reimagines Greek-Mediterranean at The Dish, while Reif Othman brings the heat (and the noodles) at SIO Ramen House and KONA Pizza House. You’ll also find Crudo Raw Tapas Bar by Roberto Segura and Javier de la Flor, and Seiran serving up elegant Persian fare. The line-up continues with soulful Lebanese plates at Joumana’s Table, French-Japanese wellness dishes at NETTE, and speciality coffee at The Coffee Lab. At the centre of it all is HighBall, a sleek cocktail bar anchoring the space, flanked by gourmet retail spots ITALTOUCH and African + Eastern.

Culinara Social Dining, The Link, OneZa’abeel, Trade Centre, daily noon to midnight. @culinaradubai