Turkish meze spread with multiple small plates

Turkish Food By Where To Eat Dubai Updated January 2025

Turkish Meze in Dubai: The Definitive Guide to Small Plates Done Right

In Turkey, a meal without meze is like a story without a beginning — it simply doesn't feel complete. The ritual of ordering a dozen small plates, tearing into warm bread, and letting the meal unfold over hours is one of the great pleasures of Turkish dining culture. And in Dubai, that ritual is alive, well, and thriving across the city's Turkish restaurant scene.

Whether you're at a waterfront meyhane in JBR, a wood-fired kaveh in Business Bay, or an upscale Bosphorus-inspired dining room in Al Habtoor City, Turkish meze in Dubai is taken seriously. We've eaten our way through the city's best spreads to bring you this guide — complete with must-order dishes, AED prices, and exactly where to find the finest small plates in town.

What Is Turkish Meze?

Meze (also spelled mezze) refers to a selection of small dishes served as starters, or often as the centrepiece of an entire meal. Turkish meze differs from its Lebanese counterpart — it tends to lean smoky, creamy, and herb-forward, with a preference for roasted vegetables, yoghurt-based dips, and börek pastries.

    Essential Turkish Meze Dishes to Order
    Haydari — thick strained yoghurt with garlic, dill and dried mint
Patlıcan Salatası — smoky roasted aubergine salad, sometimes with tahini
Acılı Ezme — finely chopped tomato and pepper relish with a serious kick
Cacık — chilled yoghurt, cucumber and mint dip (like tzatziki's Turkish twin)
Sigara Böreği — crispy cigar-shaped filo pastry filled with white cheese
Çerkez Tavuğu — Circassian chicken in walnut sauce, cold and incredibly rich
Dolma — vine leaves stuffed with spiced rice, pine nuts and currants
Midye Dolması — stuffed mussels with herbed rice — a street food classic

  

Haydari yoghurt dip and börek pastries at a Turkish restaurant — Haydari and sigara böreği: two non-negotiables at any proper Turkish meze spread

The Best Turkish Meze in Dubai: Our Top Picks

1. Sirali — Al Habtoor City

Sirali

📍 Al Habtoor City, Business Bay

Dubai's current finest Turkish restaurant serves meze that would make an İstanbul meyhane proud. Their patlıcan salatası (AED 45) is silky and deeply smoky — charred over open flame, not blended. The haydari arrives in a hand-thrown ceramic bowl with house olive oil. Go for the full cold meze selection (AED 185 for five dishes) before the grills arrive.

Meze from AED 35 Reservations essential Best for: Date night

2. Bebek — Multiple Locations

Bebek

📍 JBR, Al Seef, Downtown Dubai

Named after the famous Istanbul neighbourhood, Bebek has cracked the code on accessible Turkish dining in Dubai. Their meze menu is extensive and consistent — we always order the acılı ezme (AED 32), sigara böreği (AED 48 for six pieces), and the seasonal çoban salatası. The walnut muhammara here is outstanding and rarely found elsewhere in the city.

Meze from AED 28 Walk-ins welcome Best for: Groups

Turkish meze spread with multiple dips and salads on a wooden table — A proper Turkish meze spread — order more than you think you'll need, then order more

3. Gunaydin — Souk Al Bahar

Gunaydin

📍 Souk Al Bahar, Downtown Dubai

Famous primarily for its dry-aged meat theatre, Gunaydin's meze selection is often overlooked — a mistake. The midye dolması (AED 52 for eight pieces) is the best in Dubai, plump and richly spiced with a squeeze of lemon. Their bone marrow pide with yoghurt starter is extraordinary. Views of the Dubai Fountain from the terrace make this a genuinely special experience.

Meze from AED 40 Book terrace in advance Best for: Occasion dining

4. Bosporus — JBR & The Dubai Mall

Bosporus

📍 JBR Walk, The Dubai Mall, Mirdif

The most widely loved Turkish restaurant in Dubai for good reason — Bosporus is consistent, warm, and serves a meze menu that covers all the classics without fuss. Their Çerkez tavuğu (Circassian chicken, AED 58) is the version to try if you've never had it — rich, walnut-sauced, and served cold as a proper Turkish cold starter should be. Dolma (AED 38) is light and fragrant.

Meze from AED 30 Great for families Best for: Casual dinners

5. Besh Turkish Kitchen — DIFC

Elegant Turkish food at Besh Kitchen DIFC

Besh Turkish Kitchen

📍 Gate Village, DIFC

A slightly upmarket DIFC crowd fills Besh for business lunches and dinner. The meze here is refined — smaller portions, better plating, higher prices. Their braised artichoke with lemon and herbs (AED 68) is distinctly Aegean in character, while the hummus with sucuk (AED 52) bridges the Turkish-Arab meze world brilliantly. Don't skip the tahini-drizzled patlıcan.

Meze from AED 45 Business lunch friendly Best for: Upscale dining

How to Order Turkish Meze Like a Local

The golden rule: always start with cold meze, then move to hot. A proper Turkish meze sequence runs cold dips and salads → hot pastries and seafood → grilled meats. Allow around 15 minutes between courses if you're doing it properly.

Insider Tips for Turkish Meze in Dubai

Order three cold meze per person minimum — they're light, and you'll want variety. Ask the waiter which mezze are made in-house daily (particularly the haydari and patlıcan). Share bread generously — Turkish pide, simit and lavaş are meant to be torn and dunked. For groups of four or more, ask for the full meze spread (usually AED 150–250 for a mixed selection).

Fresh Turkish meze ingredients — herbs, pomegranate, olive oil — Fresh ingredients define great Turkish meze — quality olive oil, locally sourced herbs, and proper charring

Turkish Meze Dishes: A Price Guide

Haydari

AED 32–48

Sigara Böreği

AED 38–55

Patlıcan Salatası

AED 35–52

Dolma

AED 38–56

Acılı Ezme

AED 28–42

Cacık

AED 30–45

Turkish Meze Dubai — Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Turkish and Lebanese meze?

Turkish meze tends to lean towards yoghurt-based dips, smoky roasted vegetables, and börek pastries. Lebanese meze includes more chickpea-forward dishes (hummus, falafel), raw kibbeh, and a wider variety of herb salads. Both are magnificent — they're cousins, not twins.

How much does a full Turkish meze spread cost in Dubai?

Expect to pay AED 150–250 per person for a complete Turkish meze experience with drinks, depending on the restaurant. Budget-friendly options like Bosporus come in lower; upscale venues like Sirali and Besh run higher.

Which Turkish restaurant in Dubai has the best meze?

Sirali in Al Habtoor City currently leads the pack for quality and execution. Bebek is the best all-rounder for variety and value. Gunaydin wins for most theatrical setting (Dubai Fountain views included).

Is Turkish meze halal in Dubai?

Yes — all Turkish restaurants in Dubai serve halal food. Dishes that traditionally contain alcohol (like rakı-marinated dishes) are adapted for the Dubai market.