Top 5 Must-try Budget-Friendly Street Foods in Abu Dhabi

A flavour-oozing shawarma is a complete meal truly enjoyed by visitors in Abu Dhabi. It is made using an Arabic flatbread that holds a mouthwatering array of ingredients. Thinly sliced lamb or chicken or other meat, crunchy veggies and greens like lettuce, cucumber, tomato and sauce are well packed tight to make an aromatic wrap. This is a complete meal ideal as a takeaway food to be relished in the comfort of your premier suite. Accompany it with your preferred beverage to finish off a satisfying meal.

The solo wraps are in great demand while you can have it upgraded to a meal accompanied by freshly made fries and a drink. For vegans, the shawarmas are made using cauliflower, cucumber, pickles, eggplant and tomato with fresh fries.

A great follow-up drink to many street food dishes you invariably enjoy in Abu Dhabi the hot and aromatic Karak Tea is close to Masala Tea or Masala Chai, however, the dominant flavours of cardamom and cinnamon are less in Karak Tea.

The freshly brewed Karak Tea with a dash of milk and sugar making it creamy and rich becomes a go-to beverage during the balmy afternoons in Abu Dhabi, with even visitors eagerly opting for this spicy beverage.

A round Indian flatbread that is flaky and layered, in Abu Dhabi Parottas are eaten with a curry such as a mixed vegetable curry or parottas can be served with chilli chicken or a meat curry like mutton curry depending on the customer’s preference.

Eating the flaky bread can be a bit messy however, the enjoyment is unparalleled as the bread soaks up the curry well. Hot Karak Tea is a good accompaniment for a filling parotta meal. For guests using centrally located accommodation options such as Oaks Liwa Executive Suites tasting this dish is quite easy with numerous restaurants and food stalls serving it being around.

Enjoyed as a breakfast dish most of the time, Manakeesh Zaatar is a savoury Arabic flatbread. This is available at many street food stalls and is enjoyed by locals and visitors.

Zaatar spread used on the Manakeesh is a traditional Middle Eastern spice blend with toasted sesame seeds, wild thyme, sumac and salt. Manakeesh flatbread made fresh with Zaatar spread is addictive and is devoured with freshly made Karak Tea to wash it down.

Kibbehs are fried patties shaped like American footballs. The perfect Kibbeh is savoury yet spiced moderately so that it is neither too spicy nor bland, it is also moist and succulent when you bite into it while crispy on the outside.

Ground lamb or other meat is used in the filling with diced onion and chopped pine nuts to add to the crunchy goodness of the patti. Kibbeh patties can be eaten plain when freshly made whilst they can also be accompanied with different sauces or plain yoghurt.