Dubai Food Festival to celebrate its 10th edition

Underscoring the city’s position as the food capital of the world, Dubai Food Festival to celebrate its 10th edition with a sizzling line-up of culinary events

The annual Dubai Food Festival returns from April 21 to May 7, showcasing the city’s diverse and evolving culinary landscape through hundreds of restaurants, cafés, and eateries.

Dubai’s food scene has undergone an incredible transformation over the last decade, with the number of its restaurants more than doubling from 5,500 in 2013 to over 13,000 in 2023.

Ahmed Al Khaja: DFF 2023 will be the festival’s biggest edition yet, showcasing the best of Dubai’s gastronomy scene, offering affordable prices and highlighting top culinary talent.

DFF celebrates Dubai’s diverse and unique gastro experiences, including pop-up dining events, farm-to-table dining experiences, hidden gem locations, and quirky food halls.

The festival will feature a mix of old favourites and new features, including culinary workshops, Dubai Restaurant Week, Etisalat Beach Canteen, and the 10 Dirham Dish.

Dubai Food Festival (DFF), the largest annual culinary celebration in the Middle East, is scheduled to return next month to celebrate its 10th edition with a thrilling line-up of gastronomic events and experiences. From 21 April to 7 May 2023, the city will be transformed into a haven for foodies as hundreds of restaurants, cafés, and eateries offer distinctive and captivating culinary experiences and home-grown concepts during the 17-day festival.

Dubai’s food scene has undergone an incredible transformation over the last decade, establishing the city as a leading global gastronomy hub and reinforcing its position as the food capital of the world. The number of restaurants in the city has more than doubled during this period, from approximately 5,500 in 2013 to over 13,000 in 2023, indicating the significant expansion of the food sector.

Food trucks and beach-side eateries may not have been a part of Dubai’s gastronomy scene ten years ago, but the destination has since witnessed the emergence of exciting food concepts, pop-up dining events, hidden gem locations, farm-to-table dining experiences, and quirky food halls. These diverse and unique gastro experiences are celebrated at DFF. In addition, the city’s exceptional culinary talent has been recognised by global awards such as the Michelin Guide Dubai, Gault&Millau UAE guide, and MENA’s 50 Best Restaurants.

Dubai Restaurant Week made its debut during DFF 2016, providing exclusive dining experiences at some of the city’s top restaurants and offering a chance to savour Dubai’s diverse culinary offerings at value prices. The gastronomy sector in Dubai has experienced significant growth, particularly in the thriving homegrown culinary industry that is putting the city on the global culinary map. These developments are evidence of the flourishing gastronomy sector in Dubai, and the upcoming 10th edition of the DFF promises to be an exciting display of the city’s diverse and evolving culinary landscape.

Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), said: “The 2023 edition of the Dubai Food Festival will be the biggest and best yet. As it seeks to highlight Dubai as a global gastronomy hub, the festival showcases the best of Dubai’s gastronomy scene, offering affordable prices and shining a spotlight on the city’s top culinary talent and food capabilities. The 10th edition of the festival will feature a mix of old favourites and new features, providing the perfect opportunity to celebrate its journey over the last decade and explore the city’s diverse culinary scene while highlighting our partners in the F&B industry.”

The 2023 Dubai Food Festival will be the biggest and most exciting yet, with a diverse range of events and activities for food enthusiasts to enjoy.

•    Culinary Workshops: Masterclasses with acclaimed chefs, Caviar and Oyster shucking classes, children’s cooking sessions, foodie tours, top Chefs’ Tables, Degustation Dinners, DFF Food Tours, and much more.
•    Dubai Restaurant Week: The festival favourite returns from 27 April to 8 May, with exclusive set menus and discounted prices at 50 of the city’s top restaurants, including 3 Fils, 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.
•    Etisalat Beach Canteen: Located behind Sunset Mall, the popular canteen makes a comeback during the 17-day event, showcasing homegrown foodie outlets.
•    10 Dirham Dish: To celebrate the festival’s 10th anniversary, participating restaurants and cafés will offer their classic and signature dishes for only AED10 throughout the festival.

Tourists and residents will have the opportunity to explore the city’s diverse range of culinary excellence and exceptional dining locations during the event. The complete schedule for DFF will be disclosed in the coming weeks, with reservations scheduled to open in early April.

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.