▲ Part of: Top 20 Cheap Eats in Dubai
Why does breakfast in Dubai so often mean a AED 180 hotel buffet you didn't finish? It doesn't have to. Some of the city's best mornings cost less than a fancy coffee — an Emirati balaleet plate, a tray of pastries, a pancake stack big enough to share. The best cheap breakfast in Dubai for 2026 spans Emirati heritage tables, all-day Australian-style cafes and old-school bakeries, and almost all of it comes in under AED 60 a head.
Ranked for value and how good the first meal of the day actually is, not how photogenic the latte art looks.
The Ranking
Ranked for value first, then how good the breakfast actually is and how welcoming each spot is for a slow weekend morning.
#1 Al Fanar
Al Fanar serves a traditional Emirati breakfast in a 1960s-style setting.
Why it makes the list. The most rewarding cheap breakfast in the city. Al Fanar recreates 1960s Dubai and plates proper Emirati morning food — balaleet, chebab pancakes with date syrup, and karak — for the price of a hotel coffee. A genuine taste of the place, cheaply.
What to order: Balaleet (around AED 28) and chebab with cheese and honey (around AED 32), with karak chai. Book a Table →
#2 Arabian Tea House
Arabian Tea House's breakfast spread is a value feast for two.
Why it makes the list. The famous Emirati breakfast spread under the turquoise lattice of Al Fahidi: a tray of balaleet, cheese, eggs, dates, jams and breads that genuinely feeds two. Split it and a memorable breakfast costs under AED 45 a head.
What to order: The Emirati breakfast platter to share (around AED 75 for two) with karak. Book a Table →
#3 Tom & Serg
Tom & Serg in Al Quoz set the template for Dubai's cafe breakfast.
Why it makes the list. The Al Quoz warehouse cafe that started Dubai's specialty-coffee breakfast scene. The eggs, the smashed avo and the banana bread are consistently good, and a single hearty plate with a coffee stays comfortably under AED 70.
What to order: The breakfast bowl or eggs (around AED 48) with a flat white (around AED 20). Book a Table →
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#4 Harrie's Pancakes
Harrie's Pancakes does generous stacks big enough to share.
Why it makes the list. Dutch-style pancakes so big one order feeds two. Sweet or savoury, they're a cheap, fun breakfast — a loaded stack and a coffee split between two people works out at well under AED 40 each.
What to order: A loaded sweet pancake stack (around AED 45) to share, with coffee. Book a Table →
#5 Common Grounds
Common Grounds does a dependable all-day breakfast at fair prices.
Why it makes the list. A dependable all-day breakfast in the malls, which means air-conditioning and no booking. The eggs, the breakfast plates and the pastries are consistent, and you can have a full breakfast with coffee for under AED 70 any time of day.
What to order: The big breakfast (around AED 58) with a cappuccino. Book a Table →
#6 Baker & Spice
Baker & Spice does an organic, market-led breakfast.
Why it makes the list. A wholesome, market-led breakfast of organic eggs, fresh pastries and good bread. Not the cheapest, but the quality-per-dirham is high, and a pastry-and-coffee start keeps it well under AED 40 if you're keeping the bill down.
What to order: A fresh pastry (around AED 18) and coffee, or the eggs plate (around AED 55). Book a Table →
#7 PAUL
PAUL's French bakery breakfast is reliable value across the city.
Why it makes the list. The reliable French-bakery breakfast you'll find across the city. A warm croissant or pain au chocolat with a coffee is a cheap, civilised start under AED 35, and the breakfast sets give you eggs and pastries without a hotel bill.
What to order: A croissant (around AED 14) and a café crème, or a breakfast set (around AED 55). Book a Table →
#8 Logma
Logma does modern Emirati breakfast and karak at City Walk and Box Park.
Why it makes the list. Modern Emirati comfort food and the city's most moreish karak chai. The khameer bread, chebab and breakfast plates are cheap and characterful, and a couple of items with a karak makes a satisfying, distinctly local start under AED 50.
What to order: Chebab (around AED 30), a khameer slider and a karak chai (around AED 9). Book a Table →
How We Ranked This List
We rank Dubai's cheap breakfasts on value, food quality, and how pleasant they are to linger in. Every spot was visited and paid for by us in 2025–26, across heritage districts, Al Quoz and the cafe belt.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where's the cheapest good breakfast in Dubai?
A croissant and coffee at PAUL (under AED 35), a manakish breakfast, or balaleet at Al Fanar (around AED 28) are the best-value proper breakfasts. The Emirati heritage spots give you the most character for the money.
Where can I get a traditional Emirati breakfast cheaply?
Al Fanar and Arabian Tea House both do excellent Emirati breakfasts — balaleet, chebab and karak — from around AED 28 a plate, or share Arabian Tea House's spread for about AED 45 a head.
Where's the best cheap weekend breakfast in Dubai?
Tom & Serg and Common Grounds for cafe-style eggs and coffee under AED 70, or Harrie's Pancakes for a shareable stack. Arrive before 9:30am at weekends to beat the rush.
Can two people share a cheap breakfast in Dubai?
Yes — Arabian Tea House's Emirati spread and Harrie's pancake stacks are both built to share, bringing a memorable breakfast down to well under AED 45 each.
Keep Exploring
More from this cluster: Best Cheap Eats for Lunch · Best Cheap Eats in Jumeirah · Best Halal Cheap Eats · Best Cheap Eats for Family
Guides: Emirati food in Dubai · Dubai cafes & coffee · Budget dining in Dubai
Full reviews: Best budget brunch in Dubai · Best manakish in Dubai · Best meals under AED 50