Dessert in the desert: dirham-saving dinner hacks in Dubai

Food included: Lebanese set menu

Once you’ve worked up an appetite ticking off all your Dubai essentials – knees knocking in mortal terror nearly 3,000 feet up the world’s tallest building, sights seen from ground level on the open-top bus tour, Leap of Faith conquered at Atlantis The Palm – you’ll need a feast. And that’s precisely what you’ll get at Al Hallab, a restaurant group of some repute with a family dessert-making pedigree that dates back to the 19th Century. 

Founded as a bakery in Tripoli way back in the mists of time (well, 1881), Al Hallab’s empire has somewhat expanded down the decades and now includes several restaurants in downtown Dubai, each promising refined Arabian-style decor and Lebanese flavours galore. Choose from outlets at the Mall of the Emirates or Dubai Mall and settle in for a belt-loosening culinary extravaganza that you won’t forget in a hurry. Think hot and cold mezze like stuffed vine leaves, hummus and kofta balls, plus zingy salads and grilled lamb, chicken and fries. Yum.

Walk it all off with a shopping workout at whichever Dubai mall you happen to find yourself. Designer handbags, gold jewelry, Dubai chocolate… the world is your oyster after all the savings you just made on that thrifty Al Hallab dinner.

Feast your eyes on all the Dubai pass options available from Go City.

Food included: traditional Arabian-style breakfast

Eating out in Dubai needn’t always involve shivering beneath the Arctic blast of an industrial air-con unit. You can also get all your essential nutrients (plus a welcome dose of vit D) by dining in the great outdoors. And there’s surely no better way to kickstart your Dubai day than with a full-on sandblasting in the desert, followed by breakfast and a gentle camel ride to take the edge off.

Dune-bashing has become something of a Dubai rite of passage, and involves strapping into a 4x4 as expert drivers whiz their way across pristine desert dunes, leaving tyre tracks and mini sandstorms in their wake. The good news for you is that the vehicle is both a) fully enclosed and b) fully air-conditioned, so you’ll be perfectly comfortable even as your stomach flips every time you crest a sandy peak too quickly, or plunge rollercoaster-style into a valley. All we’re saying is that it’s a good thing this part of the experience comes *before* breakfast.

You might not require a coffee to jolt you awake after all that. But strong Arabian coffee is precisely what you’ll get at the traditional Sahara desert camp, where a breakfast spread will fortify you as the sun casts its golden glow on the sand, and the camels eyeing your pastry will soon take you on another bumpy (although slightly less high-octane) ride across those widescreen desert landscapes.

Rev up your Dubai experience with a sightseeing pass from Go City.

Food included: five-star buffet dinner

Let’s face it: you’re on vacation in Dubai, you’ve got time on your hands, there’s a great big waterway running right through the middle of it; chances are you’re going to fancy a cruise at some point. Our view? If you’re going to do it, do it right. Skip the ubiquitous water taxis and go for the full authentic experience aboard a traditional Arabian wooden sailboat (a dhow), on a two-hour sightseeing cruise that packs in several of the city’s most impressive structures – hello, Burj Khalifa, the Dubai Frame and historic Al Fahidi Fort!

But that’s not all. Alongside all those swoonsome glimpses of the illuminated Dubai skyline, you can also expect a red carpet welcome worthy of any Dubai A-lister. So, don your biggest, glammest Jackie O sunglasses, accept your complimentary drink with a Hollywood smile, pluck an Arabic date from a silver platter, and feel the gentle Creek breeze in your hair as you set sail.

Next up, settle in for your five-star, all-inclusive dinner buffet, starring a variety of hot and cold Arabian specialties and as many soft drinks and teas as you can drink, before cruising gently back to port with cultural, historical and face-filling boxes all satisfactorily ticked.

Put some wind in your sightseeing sails with a Go City Dubai pass.

Food included: BBQ dinner

Ah yes, our old friend the Dubai dune bashing experience. We’ve encountered this one before, so let us not dwell too long on the details of said bashing. Wheels. Sand. Wheeeeeeeeee! Enough said.

The difference this time is that the experience happens around sunset, allowing you tantalising glimpses of the sand as the sun’s fading glow turns it various tones of gold, ochre and dusky pink (don’t worry, there will be scheduled photo-stop ops along the way).

On arrival at the Bedouin camp, you’ll disembark for an altogether different kind of bash: an evening of food, fun, frolics and fantastic Arabian entertainment. Smoke fills the air with intoxicating scents as the BBQ fires up, fortifying guests for the evening ahead with a selection of grilled meats, accompanied by various other Arabian specialties, desserts, fresh fruits, soft drinks and gallons of tea and coffee. It’s a casual affair, with stacks of authentic entertainments to enjoy. We’re talking belly dancing performances (feel free to join in if you have the stomach for it), plus traditional Egyptian dance, henna painting and shisha corners, as well as sand-based favorites including camel rides and sandboarding. Or, y’know, just kick back on the cooling sand and gaze skywards as the stars come out one by one.

Give it a bash with a Dubai sightseeing pass.

Food included: buffet dinner

Want the Bedouin camp dining experience but would rather skip all that dune bashing malarkey? We’ve got your back. This trip out to the Caravanserai Desert Camp gives you all the pretty dune views without the high-speed high jinks. You’ll arrive relaxed, refreshed and with a camera roll full of sharp, Insta-ready desert snaps (rather than, y’know, blurry shots of passing camels or close-ups of your friend’s screaming face).

Your epic Arabian and international buffet spread comes with an unlimited supply of soft drinks (just don’t go overboard, there’s no loo stop scheduled on the return journey). And you’ll get many of the usual types of entertainment you’d expect at an event of this kind: starlit camel rides, falconry demonstrations, henna painting, even a fire show!

Pick from Go City’s buffet of Dubai attractions with the pass.

No one has ever described eating out in Dubai as a budget option but , equally, it needn’t break the bank if you play it right. Our favorite way to experience the city is to kill two birds with one stone: eating and sightseeing at the same time. Which is where Go City comes in. Not only can the Dubai pass save you dozens of dirhams on the biggest ticket attractions in town, it also presents a glut of options for fueling up with the finest grilled meats, dates, coffees and other Arabian specialties in town. Hit the link to choose your pass and start your Dubai sightseeing (and eating, and drinking) adventure!