Explore Dubai's food scenes with these culinary gems

There is absolutely no denying to the fact that Dubai has attracted many globally-renowned restaurant brands and celebrity chefs in the past few years.

Boasting rich emirate's homegrown concepts, the country has evolved in its taste and style of food, which reflected in the recently held Dubai Food Festival (DFF), an annual citywide culinary celebration that shines a spotlight on the range of cuisines available throughout the city.

From the most elite dining experiences to hidden eateries off the beaten track, the Dubai Food Festival 2018 highlighted the Dubai Restaurant Week, Beach Canteen, Taste of Dubai and an impressive variety of places to dine.

Here are some of the city's best food guides for travelers:

The Etisalat Beach Canteen

A sunset beach transformed into a culinary hotspot, this venue showcases the best cooking that Dubai has to offer. From home-grown food trucks to restaurants and cafes, visitors are in for a treat at this one-of-a-kind event.

Offering sample dishes from around the world, from street food to authentic Emirati-inspired meals, The Beach Canteen is not all about food. It offers a packed entertainment line-up for everyone, from fitness classes and markets to live music and family-friendly activities.

Dubai's Hidden Gems

To celebrate the culinary celebration, the city took a poll to choose their favourite offbeat restaurants from a list of 35 "hidden gems" in old and new Dubai. As per the choices, top 10 venues offered diners a one-time meal for Dh25 for the duration of DFF.

Amongst a few to join the league were seafood joint Fish Hut at Oud Metha, known for its butterfly prawns in garlic sauce; followed by JLT's fusion cafe The Place, Sri Lankan joint Ayubowan. The list also added Goan Grub Shack at Umm Hurair and Emirati tea cafe Chai and Co at Al Warqa.

Dubai Restaurant Week

As part of Dubai Restaurant Week during DFF, an exclusive three course menus at 15 of the city's most sought-after restaurants were the main highlight.

Amongst a few restaurants included Peruvian LIMA Dubai, Jodhpur for high end Indian dining, Folly by Nick & Scott with views over the Madinat Waterways and Gordon Ramsay's Bread Street Kitchen.

Food options from Global Village

A carnival like destination, the Global Village is amongst the most popular attractions and a hit with the foodies. Thousands each day flock to these locations to relish the gastronomic experiences, savour dishes from dozens of Dubai's best fine-dining restaurants.

Filled with entertainment for the whole family, the Global village offers in between shopping and watching the many cultural performances, to various eating options from across the globe.

Each pavilion represents a country and is elaborately decorated and designed according to the culture, heritage and food of that particular place.