16 Weird & Expensive Foods in Dubai (2025) | Gold Steak & $400 Toast!
Luxury Dining & Food Prices in Dubai
The outrageously expensive and utterly outrageous food served in Dubai. With its abundance of sweet and dessert boutiques and luxury restaurants, Dubai seems to be a city where luxury tastes are highly valued. For some, this meal in Dubai might be a family dinner for two, a ticket to visit the Burj Al Arab, or a helicopter ride to Abu Dhabi instead of Sheikh Zayed Road.
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When it comes to important and luxurious meals throughout the day, Dubai faces a shortage of restaurants due to the luxury travel that takes place to Dubai. Apart from the cost of food in Dubai, know that in high-class restaurants in Dubai, which are located in towers such as Burj Khalifa and Burj Al Arab, the level of OTT food is very high. This means that they have a lot of nutritional value in each serving of food.
Dubai Real Estate Group Amlakuae In this article, we talk about the strange yet expensive and luxurious dishes served in some of Dubai’s luxury restaurants. We therefore pay tribute to the new and ultra-luxurious dishes that have been introduced for 2023. After introducing Dubai’s cuisine, we will introduce you to 4 areas of Dubai. In these areas, while being among the most expensive areas of Dubai, you can also find restaurants with great food and reasonable prices.
Umami Sushi Bar Crystal Toast
Sharpen your teeth for a very expensive dish. This meal, which offers inexpensive ingredients, has become one of the 99 most expensive plates at sushi bars and restaurants. Oddly enough, it all starts with something as simple as toast. But it’s a long way from a slice of bread.
Ingredients in this meal:
The Umami Crystal Toast is what the restaurant calls “absolute indulgence.” A rustic, crystalline Spanish baguette is drizzled with extra virgin smoked olive oil, before being topped with 100g of otoro (fatty tuna) tartare, Sushi 99, 75g of uni (Japanese sea urchin) and Kaluga caviar for AED 12,500 or AED 1,250.
Address: City Centre, Downtown Dubai, 99sushibar.com (04 547 2241).
Mumbai’s Golden Biryani
They say the best things in life are free. But that rule doesn’t seem to apply at Bombay Boro restaurant in the Dubai Financial Centre (DIFC), where a biryani topped with edible gold has been named the world’s most expensive dish.
Food ingredients in Mumbai’s Golden Biryani
The dish is made with 23-karat gold and includes Kashmiri mutton kebabs, old Delhi mutton chops, Rajput chicken kebabs, Mughlai kuftah and Mullai chicken all served with a layer of edible biryani with saffron. Plus that layer of edible gold, and all for a staggering price of 1,000 dirhams.
Address: Village Gate, DIFC, (04 327 1555).
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Caviar celebration
For the ultimate indulgence, guests can try the “Fetter.” This a la carte dish is served with brown bread meringue and sour cream mousse, a layer of gold with foie gras and cherry jam. It also comes with a can of caviar with blackcurrant and shiitake ganache, accompanied by a glass of chilled non-alcoholic champagne. Price: AED 840
Jumeirah Fishing Port, Al Arabiya Road, Jumeirah (056 525 5299)
You may find it interesting and useful to read: Introducing the best properties in Dubai and the most reputable developers of Dubai properties.
Food Cost in Dubai: Mafaldin Crab Restaurant & Bar LPM
A new addition to the menu and an absolute must-try is the LPM Restaurant & Bar Mafaldine maison au homard. This incredibly creamy, frothy pasta dish is topped with a generous amount of lobster meat. Named in honor of Princess Mafalda of Savoy, the mafaldine pasta is ribbon-shaped, flat, wide, and has scalloped edges on both sides.
Of course, adding crab is a way to make this dish uniquely Dubai. It is worth noting that these are expensive dishes in Dubai. The cost of food in Dubai can be high for people on average incomes in Dubai, including the best food with high nutritional value.
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Price: 279 dirhams.
Address: DIFC Gate Village (0439 0505)
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Marea’s golden burrata
Want to take your cheese dreams to the next level? Ever wondered what a gold-plated Mardana tastes like? Probably not, but it’s on the menu at DIFC’S Marea. This plump ball is featured on many Instagram feeds because it’s one of the most beautiful dishes in the city.
Price: 180 AED DIFC
Address: Gate Village, DIFC (04 583 6366).
Mayabai Caviar Crystal Dumplings
The Mayabay menu is more of a list than a book, with hundreds of dishes to choose from. One of these stands out for its crispiness and flavour. It’s a modern, superior take on the classic dim sum. Mayabay’s Crystal Caviar Dumplings are a clear testament to the high quality of Dubai cuisine.
The ingredients of this food
With a generous serving of top-notch caviar and full of shrimp pieces, it was perfectly balanced and delicious. We will definitely order one on our next visit.
Price: AED 155 (for three pieces).
Address: Jumeirah Al Naseem, Umm Suqeim (04 275 2500).
Golden Steak of Nusrat
Nusret Gökçe, aka Salt Bae, has previously made headlines for this dish. Elsewhere in the world, you’ll find a golden tomahawk. Here in Dubai, it’s a 400g lamb muscle steak grilled over charcoal before being wrapped in edible gold leaf. We personally prefer the grilled tiger prawns. Well, even if you don’t serve the grilled prawns with it, you’ve still won.
Price of this gourmet meal: AED 5,000
Address: Restaurant Village, Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach, Jumeirah Beach Road (04 407 4100).
Miso Black Cod Nobu Dubai
If your Japanese restaurant in Dubai doesn’t serve black cod, are you sure you’re in Dubai? The miso black cod at Nobu Dubai is one of our favourites, and for good reason. It’s always been one of the most sought-after and most consumed dishes in Dubai. So the cost of eating out in Dubai at luxury restaurants can be quite high.
Nobu does a fantastic job of executing it. Chef Nobu Matsuhisa, with the help of Robert De Niro, made this simple piece of fish world-famous. Nobu’s OG is black cod, so don’t miss it.
Price: AED 255.
Address: Atlantis The Palm, Palm Jumeirah (04 426 2626).
umami éclair Orfali Brothers
Syrian-born, Dubai-based chef Mohamed Orfali is a tangibly rule-breaking chef. This umami éclair is a prime example of him pushing the boundaries of culinary art. The layering of textures, flavors, and ingredients is so unexpected that you’ll want to take a bite. It’s a taste explosion waiting to happen. Plus, at Dh33, it’s more affordable than some of the other standouts on Dubai’s expensive food list. So head to Wasl 51 for a laid-back, high-life experience.
Price: AED 33.
Address: Wasl 51, Jumeirah (04 259 2477).
Ossiano’s Kissing the Sea on the
No list of OTT Dubai dishes is complete without Ossiano. Although this stunning work of art looks like an elaborate dessert, it’s actually salmon, cauliflower and caviar. The “kissing the sea on the lips” Ossiano (literally) is served with a mound of dry ice that rises like a gentle mist from the bowl, and the dish consists of a base of soft cauliflower cream topped with house-smoked salmon and pickled cauliflower.
Saltwater foam; this is a prime example of chef Gregoire Berger’s penchant for playing with texture and flavor. Plus, you can eat it in an aquarium, which makes it even more amazing value.
Price: AED 1,150
Address: Atlantis The Palm, Palm Jumeirah. atlantis.com
Reef Sando Wagyu Katsu Koshiaki Japanese
You might think it’s just a fancy sandwich. But sandos are a big deal in Dubai. Local hero Riff Osman added the dish to his menu when he opened Japanese restaurant Riff Koshiaki in 2019, and it’s become one of the city’s most popular dishes. The mega wagyu katsu sando is packed with flavour and is the perfect treat for foodies. Head to Time Out Dubai or its OG location in Dar Al Wasl Mall to get one of Dubai’s most popular dishes, not just now, but of all time. Thick slices of fried wagyu are served on toasted bread with tonkatsu sauce.
Price: AED 188.
Address: Dar Wasl Shopping Center, Al Wasl Street, reifkushiyaki.com (050 235 7071).
Golden Steak Steakhouse Rhein
Want to try a gold steak that won’t completely destroy your bank account? Head to Rhine Steakhouse at Conrad Dubai and have a night out with some gold-crusted steak. If you haven’t already, now’s your chance. Other dishes on the menu include Rhine salad, beef sushi, T-bone steak with mustard marinade, truffle fries and asparagus.
So there’s plenty to sink your teeth into, but if you’re a meat lover, you know there’s nothing quite like it. There’s something satisfying about a good steak and a little bit of edible gold to top it off. Food in Dubai can be expensive, too.
Price: AED 375.
Address: Conrad Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, rhaindubai.com
Scalini black truffle taglioni
This seems like one of the simplest dishes to make with pasta. Scalini’s homemade tagliolini with black truffle, parmesan sauce, and black truffle shaved into a Grana Padano wheel is the MVP of pasta. Tagliolini al Tartufo is filling, authentic, and full of flavor.
Price: AED 195.
Address: Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach, Jumeirah 2 (043490068).
Scoopy Charcoal Ice Cream with Edible Gold
If you’re not familiar with the charcoal food trend that started a few years ago, you should know that activated charcoal is packed with health benefits. One of them is detoxifying your digestive system. If eating charcoal waffles is considered a detox, let’s get started. This popular ice cream has everything to make a perfect dessert.
Although this is unlikely, if you do get sick after eating these foods, you can still avail of the health insurance services in Dubai. Additionally, you can read all the details of other living costs in the UAE in our comprehensive article on the cost of living in Dubai.
We’re talking specifically about its activated charcoal scoops infused with gold dust. Located just steps from Dubai’s Jumeirah Beach, Scoopy makes all of its ice cream using liquid nitrogen to achieve a soft, buttery scoop that’s like nothing else.
Price: From AED 100
Address: Jumeirah Beach Road and Time Out Dubai
پیتزای Toledo’s Magnatum
At AED 2,900, this dish is enough for most people. This is not your average Margherita pizza; it is topped with rare Alba white truffles and the brainchild of Via Toledo founder Francesco Calo, who was voted “Best Italian Pizzaiolo in the World” in 2019.
Price: AED 2,900.
Address: Dubai Beach Resort, JBR (050 545 9278)
Sublimotion at Mandarin Oriental Jumeirah
Sublimemotion at the Mandarin Oriental Jumeirah, priced at AED 5,000 per person, is probably one of the most exotic and extravagant dinners you’ll encounter in Dubai. The concept was launched in Ibiza in 2014 and made its debut in Dubai in 2021, and has since become known as a truly extraordinary culinary experience.
The experimental dinner offers ten exotic courses that transform the entire dining room with each dish. The theatrical show features 360-degree screens with images projected onto every surface from the walls to the table, and an expert team of chefs, designers, directors, technicians and musicians all contribute to the experience. There are two shows daily, one at 6:30 PM and the other at 9:30 PM.
Prices: AED 3,500 (including soft drinks), AED 5,000 (including house drinks).
Address: Mandarin Oriental Jumeirah, Dubai. (056 603 1270)
Introducing 4 important areas of Dubai
Here we introduce you to 4 of the best areas in Dubai. In these areas, while being considered the most luxurious neighborhoods in Dubai, you can experience nightlife at reasonable prices.
1- Palm Jumeirah: The price of a villa in Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, usually ranges from 20 million dirhams to 99 million dirhams. However, it has walking areas and restaurants that are much more affordable than the cost of food in Dubai that we introduced in the list above.
2- Emirates Hills: Mostly Arabs and have very stylish and modern villas. It is usually not possible for foreigners to buy a villa in Dubai from this area.
3- Dubai Marina: There are all kinds of restaurants and eateries in Dubai Marina. The Dubai Marina area is very touristy. Buying an apartment in Dubai Marina can be profitable for you.
4- Jumeirah Gulf Estate: It includes beautiful and stylish villa towns, the prices of which are usually lower than the villa towns of Emirates Hills and Palm Jumeirah. One of the most famous villa projects that has recently been launched there is the Tragulf Collection Villas project. To buy a villa in Dubai, receive a payment plan and an electronic brochure of the project, contact us now.
Final words
Considering the prices of these luxury foods offered in some restaurants in Dubai, the purchasing power of Dubai residents or foreign tourists must be enough to be able to eat such exotic and expensive foods. So the cost of food in Dubai depends on the amount of income in Dubai. If you do not have high incomes in Dubai, you should definitely not eat these foods. We have described the cost of ordinary food in Dubai in detail in the article Cost of Living in Dubai.
If you are shocked enough to know the prices of food in famous and luxurious restaurants in Dubai, it is better to give you this good news. Rest assured that in Dubai, there is a wide variety of prices. All kinds of high-quality food products are imported into this city and the country daily. This has caused all kinds of prices in this city for the cost of food in Dubai. So do not worry about the cost of food in Dubai and other cities in the Emirates.
