Dubai Food Festival (DFF), the region’s largest annual food festival, will kick off its first week on Friday, 21 April to celebrate its 10th edition with a thrilling line-up of gastronomic events and experiences. Running until Sunday, 7 May , the city will be transformed into a haven for foodies as hundreds of restaurants, cafés, and eateries will be offering a host of culinary experiences and fresh, new concepts during the 17-day festival.
Dubai’s food scene has undergone an incredible transformation over the last decade, establishing the city as a global gastronomy hub demonstrated by the number of restaurants being recognised through global programs including MICHELIN, MENAs 50 Best Restaurants and the UAE edition of Gault & Millau. . The overall number of restaurants in the city has more than doubled during this period, with over 13,000 in 2023, compared to approximately 5,500 in 2013. 

Food trucks and beach-side eateries may not have been a part of Dubai’s gastronomy scene in 2014 when DFF first started, but the destination has since witnessed the emergence of exciting food concepts, pop-up dining events, farm-to-table dining experiences, and quirky food halls as the festival has evolved.  Etisalat e& Beach Canteen made its first appearance at the inaugural DFF and is now a favourite for Dubai residents and visitors alike.

Located at Jumeirah Beach (behind Sunset Mall), the popular Etisalat e& Beach Canteen  is once again a key feature of  the festival, providing guests with live entertainment, beach-side dining and daily activities and pop-ups. Featuring a retro beach theme this free-to-attend event gives friends, families and foodies an exciting opportunity to enjoy the outdoors through unmissable activities at all of its zones, each promising a unique experience. Launching on the Eid Al Fitr weekend, Etisalat by e& Beach Canteen will also be celebrating with mesmerising evening fireworks on the 21st of April, traditional acts on the main stage and the launch of the Food Focus Dubai Exhibition featuring many inspirational photos of the food scene across Dubai.

In celebration of the festival’s 10th edition, the 10 Dirham Dish will make its debut as participating restaurants and cafés will offer their classic and signature dishes for only AED10 throughout the festival. The full list of participating outlets can be found on Zomato for the festival period.
Foodie Experiences will return bigger and better for the 10th edition with close to 100 curated experiences on offer including  special masterclasses hosted by award-winning chefs, exclusive Chef’s Tables, kids’ workshops, culinary collaborations and immersive experiential dining events. Kicking off during the first week, the city’s top restaurants putting on a series of unmissable events including an exclusive eight-course Chef’s Table curated by Kunal Kapoor and 6 hands dinner with chefs Torno Subito, Gucci Osteria, and Giardino 25. All Foodie Experiences can be found on https://www.visitdubai.com/en/whats-on/dubai-food-festival and can be booked through Open Table

Another DFF favourite returning this year is, Dubai Restaurant Week with more than 50 of Dubai’s top restaurants participating. Diners can enjoy 2 Course set lunch menus from AED95 or 3 Course set dinner menus from AED150 from 28 April to 7 May, including 3 Fils, Mimi Kakushi, Twiggy by La Cantine, Pierchic, Torno Subito by Massimo Bottura, Gordan Ramsay’s Bread Street Kitchen, Demon Duck by Alvin Leung, Ariana’s Persian Kitchen, Akira Back, Coya, Clap, Roka, Carnival by Tresind, and Reif Japanese Kushiyaki. Diners are encouraged to make reservations early on Open Table to avoid missing out on this delicious event. https://www.opentable.ca/lists/dubai-restaurant-week

During the first week of DFF, residents and visitors alike can embark on a series of culinary explorations of global cuisines while learning how to make national dishes and signature plates from world-renowned and award-winning chefs. These include Oyster shucking Masterclass at Dibba Bay Oysters, specialty coffee Masterclass at RAW Coffee Company, Masterclass with chefs at Reif Japanese Kushiyaki, a fermented foods Masterclass by 21 Grams, and a COYA signature masterclass. 
Or enjoy once-in-a-lifetime dining experiences as some of the award-winning chefs collaborate to combine their knowledge, expertise and techniques, while curating exclusive set menus that celebrate the culinary heritage of each cuisine, including the highly anticipated Four Hands dinner starring Chef Himanshu and Chef Hussain at Tresind Studio. Other highlights during the first week include, a combined Chef’s Table and Masterclass at City Social’s kitchen, a dining experience and guided kitchen walk-through at 11 Woodfire, an International City noodle tour with Frying Pan Adventures, a Journey of Caviar at Ossiano, and a Guided tasting at Mirzam of special Eid chocolates created by Sahar Al Awadhi. As well as this, visitors can opt to indulge in Chef’s Tables as select chefs showcase their culinary expertise, bringing authentic flavours with each curated tasting menu. This includes multiple course meals from various cuisines paired with a unique dining experience for each visitor, including a Vegetarian Chef’s Table at Avatara, an exclusive eight-course Chef’s Table at Bada Dining, private dining experience at Nobu, a Petrossian caviar Experience by ODEON, and Taste of Kinara with Chef Vikas Khanna.

Dubai Food Festival also offers kids the chance to learn new cooking skills and the culinary culture of various cuisines, as chefs from local restaurants help the little ones make special local dishes from scratch as well as decorate desserts for a sweet finish. The first week of DFF will feature an exciting kids workshop at Arabian Tea House, Black Tap kids CrazyShake Masterclass, and a pizza making workshop at Marina Social. 
The programme details required for bookings can be found on the DFF website, and diners are encouraged to make reservations early on Open Table https://www.opentable.com/dubai-restaurants to avoid missing out on these delicious events.
To learn more about the Dubai Food Festival, please visit www.dubaifoodfestival.com or follow the official social media account @dubaieats on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.