While I love my Five Guys burger on occasion, I always feel like one should not ignore these amazing local burger spots that have got a lot going for them! The best part? All of them are started by Emiratis! Of course, these places have things a UAE local loves in their fast food: truffle flavoured everything, a kick of buffalo sauce, Cheetos & Lotus!  If you’re looking for heir location, I’ve linked them all up on this post! Now, let’s go straight to it, shall we? (Please note that these are in no particular order and I haven’t tried all of them either!)

1) 25″55

Burgers and sliders galore @25__55 #byediet This hidden local gem is obscurely located near Mushrif park and has delicious sliders and burgers to boot at half the price you get at other burger places. Loved their chicken Doritos burger and the Edam burger (which has a delish beef patty stuffed with cheese) . . . . . #2555 #mediainvite #delish #eeeeeats #omnomnom #zomatouae #dubaiblogger #dubaifoodblogger #uaefoodblogger #foodography #tasty #f52grams #yum #dubaifoodie #feedfeed #dubaiPR #foodie #thatsdarling #beautifulcuisines #lifeandthyme #uaeblogger #burger #slider # #eatlocal

A post shared by Dubai Blogger – Om Nom Nirvana (@omnomnirvana) on Sep 17, 2017 at 3:19am PDT

Don’t let that odd name throw you off. 25″55′ is a secret local burger favourite in Dubai in the Mirdiff area. It also houses an original branch in Hatta! Besides a chicken doritos burger, they have a mean Dam burger, which is a beef burger stuffed with Edam cheese. Don’t miss this one! They have a lotus shake that’s apparently quite good and decent flame cheez fries. Rumour is that they’re soon opening another branch in the Jumeirah area.

Find them here.

Tried and tested? Yes.

2) Salt

Love this place ❤️ #findsalt #dubaifoodbloggers #uaefoodbloggers #omnomnom #zomatouae #yummeh #lotusftw

A post shared by Dubai Blogger – Om Nom Nirvana (@omnomnirvana) on Dec 5, 2015 at 10:54am PST

Salt is what I’d call a pioneer in the Dubai local food truck scene. Now it holds pride of place in the Kite Beach, Jumeirah area, but now has more than one branch (I spotted one in Ajman recently. They also have one near Marina mall). Though these burgers are small in size, they’re not small in flavour. AT.ALL. Their Cheetos burger is a revelation. Their Lotus softie? Legendary.

Tried and tested? Yes.

3) Parker’s

When you think of #breakfast, I’m already thinking of #lunch My cousins and I totally pigged out at @byparkers on Saturday. We love the jalapeño chicken shawarma slider and the chocoxcoffee slider! (And everything else on their menu!) Follow them on #Snapchat to find a key . . . . #delish #delicious #goodmorning #dubaiblogger #dubaifoodblogger #uaeblogger #uaefoodblogger #dubairestaurants #Parkers #gotakey #omnomnom #forkyeah #nom #omnomnirvana #eeeeeats #f52grams #huffpostetaste #buzzfeedtasty #feedfeed #cheatmeal #zomatouae #Dubaimall #mydubai #foodreviewer #dubaifoodreviewer #restaurantreviewer

A post shared by Dubai Blogger – Om Nom Nirvana (@omnomnirvana) on Jul 24, 2016 at 11:21pm PDT

Good morning peeps! Dreaming about the #lotus drama I had for lunch yesterday @byparkers the pudding cake is warm and everything happy along with crispy lotus, vanilla ice cream and lotus sauce . . . #alllotuseverything #foodporn #foodstagram #delicious #dessert #Omnomnom #dubaifoodie #dubaiblogger #dubaifoodblogger #eeeats #stilldrooling #instadessert #eeeats #uaeblogger #uaefoodblogger

A post shared by Dubai Blogger – Om Nom Nirvana (@omnomnirvana) on Apr 13, 2016 at 10:19pm PDT

I’d like to call this place a disruptor in the F&B scene. Started by the same ladies at Salt, this place in Dubai Mall has taken the city by storm! Why? You can’t enter it unless you have a key. They have key hunts all over Dubai. Follow them on Snapchat @byparkers to get access. They used to be a pop-up in Al Khazzan solar park, but moved to Dubai Mall last summer. Try their choco x coffee slider, which is confusing but delicious! Their classic Parker’s burger is delicious as well. Their Lotus drama dessert is by far the best I’ve had in Dubai. This place has the oh-so-famous truffle fries and burger as well.

Tried and tested? Yes.

4) Moylo’s

Gonna spend my entire morning and afternoon burning these off at #DoYou with @guavapassme & @pumawomen May I say I love @moylosburgers? Had a wonderful evening yesterday with some great friends! Try the honey bee and truffle shuffle Also, in other fun news, check out today’s @wkndmag to see me, @mycustardpie and @naomi_dsouza in their cover story! A brief look on my #instastories . . . . . #delish #eeeeeats #nom #omnomnom #dubaiblogger #uaeblogger #dubaifoodblogger #uaefoodblogger #iphoneography #foodography #tasty #huffpostetaste #f52grams #yum #dubaifoodie #feedfeed #DubaiPR #foodie #dubairestaurants #thatsdarling #ZomatoUAE #flatlay

A post shared by Dubai Blogger – Om Nom Nirvana (@omnomnirvana) on Oct 13, 2016 at 9:48pm PDT

Another Jumeirah joint, Moylo’s has an amazing honey bee burger. Their truffle shuffle burger is delightful as well. They also happen to have a food truck and turn up at food truck festivals now; but I’ve always preferred their OG joint. Find them here.

Tried and tested? Yes.

5) Sheikh and Shake

A post shared by Sheikh & Shake (@sheikhandshake) on Aug 3, 2017 at 12:47am PDT

Besides the super catchy name, I really enjoy their Smokey Sheikh burger with BBQ sauce. It’s located in JLT. They also have a branch in Business Bay.

Tried and tested? Yes.

6) Smokin’ 9

Another wonderful burger place in JLT, Smokin’ 9 has amazing mini burgers. F.C. loves the Don Gonzola, whereas I love the Frenchie!

Tried and tested? Yes.

7) Wolf & Friends Lounge

#Repost @elly_elvina (@get_repost) ・・・ #goodmorning ☀️ The best organic, fresh, healthy and delicious food only @wflounge 🐺Homemade beetroot tomato flavored burger bun is my favorite ❤️🍔 #wolfandfriendslounge #jlt #mydubai

A post shared by Wolf & Friends Lounge (@wflounge) on Sep 2, 2017 at 9:17am PDT

There’s a reason why JLT is one of my favourite places. Wolf & Friends Lounge make their ingredients fresh in house, even the sauces! Thanks JLT Dining for the tip! Still have to try this one.

Tried and tested? YES.

8) Nomad

Did you try the Royal Zaafran with chicken 😋 🇦🇪🇸🇦#nomadkitchendxb #revolutionkitchen

A post shared by Nomad Dubai (@nomad.uae) on Oct 30, 2017 at 12:57am PDT

A recent addition and a relatively new opening, Nomad in Umm Suqeim has volcanic burgers and various ‘baos’ and burgers. Spotted it on Where my Food at‘s feed originally. Royal Zaafran burger anyone? How about an Extreme buffalo burger? Both are delicious!

Tried and tested? Yes.

9) Midnight cafe – for the vegetarians!

#happy #veggie #customers. Thank you @philominamartin for sharing this picture #spicy #burger #musttry #midnightcafedubai

A post shared by Midnight Cafe Dubai (@midnightcafedubai) on Jul 27, 2016 at 11:59pm PDT

A local favourite, Midnight cafe in Karama apparently has a really good veggie burger! Who would’ve thought?

Tried and tested? No.

10) Chef Express

TRIPLE CHEESE BURGER …………………………………… 

A post shared by Chef Express Restaurant (@chefexpressdubai) on Apr 21, 2015 at 9:14am PDT

This place in Media city has an epic BBQ ranch burger in a potato bun. Totally worth a visit. The owner is so passionate about feedback, so your suggestions will always be welcomed.

Tried and tested? Yes.

11) John Daniel’s

Despite this place being literally across the street, I haven’t tried it yet. Started by a Filipino expat, the burgers went viral by Insider not too long ago and were really popular this year.

 

Try John Daniel’s 5-inch Terabite Burger. Fresh 100% pure beef without additives & preservatives. Never frozen nor pre-cook. We grill them as you order to give you the freshest, highest quality burger you can buy. #mydubai #burgerdubai #homemadepatties #homemadeburger #fresh #yummy #juicy #superb #delicious

A post shared by John Daniel’s (@john_daniels_dubai) on Jun 27, 2016 at 4:08am PDT

Tried and tested? No.

12) She Burger

This place is somewhat of a sensation. Previously, it had far more intrigue as people used to Whatsapp their orders 24 hours in advance for their burgers and the business ran directly through Instagram and out of a Mirdiff villa. Now, it’s available at Dar Al Wasl mall. She Burger is owned and operated by a female Emirati entrepreneur called Shaikha Eissa.

She’s combined Burrata and Angus beef to bring you our ‘Burrata over Beef’ burger with caramelized onions and balsamic. Join us for lunch from 1pm! #She_Burger 🍔

A post shared by She Burger by Shaikha Eissa 🍔 (@she_burger) on Dec 6, 2017 at 11:11pm PST

Tried and tested? No.

So there you have it, the best local burger spots in Dubai! I’m gonna constantly update this list with new places, so make sure you leave me a comment if I left some place out! Always remember to support local businesses rather than the regular fast food places, otherwise they tend to die out!

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