Old Dubai Cultural Food Walk
Dubai is becoming most famous for its skyscrapers and fast-paced, modern way of life; but it hasn't always been like this. If you are looking for things to do or places to visit in Dubai other than the mall and beaches, then this food tour is for you. We combine great cultural eats with a historic walk of old Dubai.
Dubai has a rich cultural and trade history that has been preserved to become what is known to be 'Old Dubai'. Walk through the old spice souks, cross the creek with the traditional 'abras', and discover old neighborhoods and Emirati heritage.
This was a really fantastic tour; I highly recommend it! When thinking of Dubai, people usually focus on modern skyscrapers, but there is also interesting culture, history, and food. This tour allows one to sample a wide variety of interesting dishes from all of the regional cultures that define Dubai and the UAE. All of the different foods selected were great - it was hard to choose a favorite! Additionally, walking through Old Dubai is very picturesque. We very much enjoyed the narrow alleyways, crossing the Dubai creek, and touring the old souks. Again, the tour is great and so is the guide. I highly recommend both!
We ended up doing the Old Dubai Walking Tour, as the Bike Tour wasn't running. The tour with May was hands down the highlight of our trip to Dubai. I do a lot of research before my trips and when I read the reviews about Tastecapade, I went ahead and booked. While my partner and I consider ourselves well traveled, adventurous eaters, May still introduced us to foods we hadn't tried before! She was awesome - smart, friendly, interesting and funny! We waited to explore Old Dubai with her and it worked out well - much better to be surprised and have her expertise and knowledge to guide us through the back alleys, art spots, neighborhoods, landmarks, spice markets, cafes and more! You see so much in the four hours you would never have been able to fit in by yourself. And with great company, which was the best part! (The next day we went by Old Dubai again just to see more stuff that wasn't possible on the tour, but now with a better understanding of the area). The tour really is about food AND culture, a definite must-do if you want a well rounded experience of Dubai and its people besides the beaches, nightlife, resorts, malls, dune bashing, etc. At times we may have peppered May with our questions but she was always engaging, candid, and open and we learned so much from her and the time just flew by! While enjoying yummy food and seeing so much. If their bike tour had been operating I would have done that too right away! (Hopefully it will get going again once the city's bikes get restored in the area). Thank you to the Freij sisters - hope your tour business just gets better and better!
I took the Old Dubai Cultural walking tour today. May was a delight. She is full of energy, information and makes you feel comfortable--like you are with a friend. The food selections were full of flavor and a great variety to experience the many diverse cultures Dubai. She has not only current information to share, but covers a lot of the history that led the area to present day. We covered quite a variety of places in addition to the food sampling...the spice market where each of the bins was explained as well as the textile and gold souks. She provides a great scan of the area for those that want to return for shopping, more exploration or visits to one of the museums or art galleries. I highly recommend this tour and spending time enjoying the area through May's imagery and narratives!
We have done 1 bike tour and 2 walking tours here in Duabi. We love these sisters! They and the tours are incredible. Im posting what my brother wrote after the Old Dubai Cultural Tour. What a GREAT way to spend the afternoon!!!! I have to admit, this was my first food-tour and the bar has now been set exceptionally high for future tours. We were lucky enough to have May guide us for this tour (her sister Mary stopped at one of the spots as well). Although their knowledge of the food of the region was excellent, their knowledge of the local culture was amazing. Many in our group had never visited the Mideast and had questions ranging from food, to religion, to attire. May not only able to answer the questions based on her “book” knowledge of the area, but she was also able to provide her personal experiences from growing up in the region. One very important aspect to point out is that Old Dubai is a mix of many different cultures, and May did a great job making sure we experienced them all. From local caramelized onion and red pepper hummus, to Pani Puri (a typical snack from Mumbai), to burgers made from local meats, to Iranian kebabs at bait al Kadeem, we had the chance to experience it all. The pace of the tour was perfect for all ages and the food choices and selections were well thought out and were agreeable to even the pickiest of pallets. This tour is perfect for those who want to experience the diversity of Old Dubai. 5-Star for sure! Gary March 8th. After we took my brother, mother, and sister on this tour, my 5 adult children came to visit. Once again, May was incredible. My kids said it was one of the highlights of their trip. They had never been on a food tour either. My husband and I try to go on one every where we visit, and Tastecapade's is the best one we've experienced. The sisters put their hearts and souls (and stomachs) into every aspect. This is a must for EVERYONE!!!
A friend and I did the Old Dubai Cultural Tour last night. I've been a resident of Dubai for 5 years and was interested to find some "out of the way" eating venues in the historic part of the town. I wasn't disappointed! The tour takes 4 hours and leads you through the alleys of Bastakiya, The Textile Souk, The Old Souq, across the Creek on an abra and through the Spice Souq. All the while with pitstops to try different foods representing the different cultures that exist today in Dubai; and hearing about Dubai's cultural and social history as told by our delightful guide, May, who has grown up here over 30-odd years. Photo opportunities are plentiful - beautiful windtowers, courtyards of heritage villas, colourful offerings to the Hindu Gods, kaleidoscopes of pashminas and spices, abras and gulls on the Creek at sunset, ancient schools. The list is endless. And, of course, let's not forget the food and the characters who cook and serve it. Modern fusions of caramelised onion hummus, french toast with coffee syrup, date jam and pistachio cream, pani puri and various Indian sweets. Camel burgers cooked to perfection, pakora as a street food, camel milk gelatos and succulent Persian meats. This tour had it all! Come with comfy shoes, an empty stomach and plenty of room on your memory card. You won't be let down!
This was my first food tour experience, and when it was done, all I could think about was how much i had been missing. I booked 2 more tours on Tastecapade during my trips in the last two months. The name Tastecapade captures the experience perfectly; as you venture into exploring a culture while eating the local food and interacting with local people. Initially, we went on the tour with some family members that had just moved to Dubai and though it was a great way to introduce them to Dubai. We tried a range of different cuisines that make up the Dubaian culture; a mix of Emirati, South-east Asian and Levant-ian as we explored the two sides of the Creek that make up what is known as Old Dubai. We also got to enjoy the Abra ride across the creek with breathtaking scenery at sunset, all the while eating delicious food in authentic restaurants and getting acquainted with the local culture (things i never properly experienced all throughout my 5 years of living in Dubai). We will definitely be taking all visitors to this tour and highly recommend it for anyone living in Dubai as well.
