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Going to places of interest is a fun-filled adventure that does involve amusement, but sometimes it can become a burden also when it comes to food; especially if the traveler is a hardcore vegetarian. Many times business trips, transfers or mere tourist visits lead an individual to take up a tour to a distant country. Just imagine what will happen to such a person if he/she lands up in a highly sophisticated tourist city like Dubai, popularly known for its hospitality, where the Arabian food available is mostly non-vegetarian.

In view of this backdrop, here is an attempt and just a guideline to help all the green-stuff lovers like me who can plan well in advance and accordingly do their bookings in a hotel for accommodation so as to avoid the end moment hunt for food of their choice.

There are some real good vegetarian outlets in Dubai, but most of them have been opened by Indians and that’s why chances are that you might end up over eateries where they serve Indian cuisines only. Also the number of such special restaurants isn’t much but around 50-60 good vegetarians restaurants are there in the Dubai that definitely cater to the foods needs of veggies. Especially the Bur Dubai area i.e. the old Dubai is a nice hub for vegetarian food where one can find pleasant and a variety of cuisine mostly due to the large number of the subcontinent population who keeps visiting the land of beaches.

Moreover Dubai has a large number of cafes that do serve great vegetarian food, say for e.g. The Lime Tree Café, THE One and Celebrities where one can relish fine dining over a completely separate vegetarian menu. High-class organic vegetarian food is also available in Magnolia, a restaurant in Madinat Jumeirah.

With the below mentioned vegetarian restaurants in Dubai, you can actually Go green:

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1) Akshaya Karama:

Add: Near Families Supermarket
Opp. Day to Day
Available: South- Indian, Vegetarian
Tel: +971(4) 3371596, +971(4) 3365339
Open: Sat – Thu: 7:00am – 3:00pm, 7:30pm – 11:30pm
Fri: 7:00am – 11:30am, 1:00pm – 3:00pm, 7:30pm – 11:30pm
Price category: Cheap

2) Balaji Bhavan (Karama):

Add: Al Maskan Building
Near M.M.I.
Available: Indian, South-Indian, Vegetarian, Vegan-friendly, Fast food, Take-out, Catering, Delivery
Tel: +971(4) 3368455, +971(4) 3368540
Open: Sat – Thu: 7:00am – 3:30pm, 5:30pm – 11:30pm
Fri: 7:00am – 11:30am, 1:30pm – 3:30pm, 5:30pm – 11:30pm
Price category: Cheap

3) Bhima’s Karama:

Add: Opp. Day to Day
Available: Indian, South-Indian, Vegetarian
Tel: +971(4) 3356353, +971(4) 3359757
Open: Sat-Thu: 6:00am – 3:30pm, 5:30pm – 11:30pm
Fri: 7am – 12:30pm, 1:00pm – 3:30pm, 5:30pm – 11:30pm
Price category: Cheap

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4) Bikanervala Karama:

Add: Behind Trade Centre Road
Available: Indian, Vegetarian, Fast food, Buffet, Juice-bar, Take-out, Delivery
Tel: +971(4) 3968813
Open: All Days: 9:00am – 12:00am
Price category: Cheap

5) Bombay Woodlands (Karama):

Add: Near Lulu / Families Supermarket
Opposite Day to Day Centre
Available: Indian, South-Indian, Vegetarian
Tel: +971(4) 3371041, +971(4) 3371046
Open: Sat – Thu: 7:00am – 3:30pm, 5:00pm – 11:30pm
Fri: 7:00am – 11:30am, 1:30pm – 3:30pm, 5:00pm – 12:00am
Price category: Cheap

6) Emirates House:

Add: Bur Dubai
Available: South-Indian, Vegetarian
Tel: +971(4) 3522597, +971(4) 3517886
Open: Sat – Thu: 7:00am – 3:00pm, 5:00pm – 11:00pm
Fri: 7:00am – 11:30am, 1:30pm – 3:00pm, 5:00pm – 11:30pm
Price category: Cheap

7) Govinda’s (Karama):

Add: Behind Regent Palace Hotel, Bur Dubai, UAE
Available: Indian, Vegetarian, Buffet
Tel: +971(4) 3960088
Open: Sat – Thu: 12:00pm – 3:30pm, 7:00pm – 1:00am
Fri: 1:30 pm – 3:30pm, 7:00pm – 1:00am
Price category: Inexpensive

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8 ) Haji Ali Juice Centre, (Karama):

Add: Opposite Burjuman Centre
Behind Ministry of Health
Available: Indian, Vegetarian
Tel: +971(4) 3978844
Open: Sat – Wed: 9:00am – 1:30am
Thu: 9:00am – 2:30am
Fri: 4:00pm – 1:30am
Price category: Inexpensive

9) Kamat, Bur Dubai:

Add: Opposite Meena Plaza
Bur Dubai
Available: Indian, South-Indian, Vegetarian
Tel: +971(4) 3598444, +971(4) 3595441
Open: Sat – Thu: 10:30am – 3:15pm, 7:00pm – 11:45pm
Fri: 10:30am – 11:30am, 1:15pm – 3:15pm, 7:00pm – 11:45pm
Price category: Inexpensive

10) Kamat (Qusais):

Add: Next to Grand Hotel
Available: Indian, South-Indian, Vegetarian
Tel: +971(4) 2634066
Open: Sat – Thu: 10:30am – 3:15pm, 7:00pm – 11:45pm
Fri: 10:30am – 11:30am, 1:15pm – 3:15pm, 7:00pm – 11:45pm
Price category: Inexpensive

11) Mognolia Jumeirah:

Add: Dar Al Madinat Jumeirah
The Arabian Resort
Al Sufouh Road
Jumeirah
Available: Vegetarian
Tel:+971(4) 3668888
Open: Sun – Thu: 12:00pm – 3:00pm, 7:00pm – 11:30pm
Fri – Sat: 7:00pm – 11:30pm
Price category: Inexpensive

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12) Paratha King Karama:

Add: Next to Baskin Robbins
Opp. Karama Post Office
Available: Indian, Vegetarian
Tel: +971(4) 3979110, +971(4) 3976899
Open: Sat – Thu: 8:00am – 3:00pm, 6:30pm – 11:00pm
Fri: 11:30am – 3:00pm, 7:00pm – 11:00pm
Price category: Cheap

13) Royal Garden (Karama):

Add: Opposite Dubai Pyramid
Near Burjuman
Available: Indian, South-Indian, Vegetarian
Tel: +971(4) 3969191
Open: Sat – Thu: 7:30am – 3:30pm, 7:00pm – 11:00pm
Fri: 7:30am – 11:30am, 1:30pm – 3:30pm, 7:00pm – 12:00am
Price category: Inexpensive

14) Sangeetha (Karama):

Add: Beside Lulu Centre
Available: Indian, South-Indian, Vegetarian
Tel: +971(4) 3367111
Open: Sat – Thu: 7:30am – 3:30pm, 5:00pm – 11:00pm
Fri: 7:30am – 11:30am, 1:30pm – 3:30pm, 5:00pm – 11:00pm
Price category: Inexpensive

15) Sangeetha Vegetarian, Bur Dubai:

Add: Near Astoria Hotel
Bur Dubai
Available: Indian, South-Indian, Vegetarian
Tel: +971(4) 3511145
Open: Sat – Thu: 7:30am – 3:30pm, 5:00pm – 11:00pm
Fri: 7:30am – 11:30am, 1:30pm – 3:30pm, 5:00pm – 11:30pm
Price category: Inexpensive

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16) Shiv Sagar Bur Dubai:

Add: Meena Bazaar
Bur Dubai
Available: Indian, South-Indian, Vegetarian
Tel: +971(4) 3522020, +971(4) 3595453
Open: Sat – Thu: 8:00am – 3:00pm, 5:00pm – 12:00am
Fri: 8:00am – 11:30am, 1:00pm – 3:00pm, 5:00pm – 12:00am
Price category: Inexpensive

17) Sivestar Bhavan (Karama):

Add: Star of Karama Building
Next to Choithram supermarket
Available: Indian, South-Indian, Vegetarian
Tel: +971(4) 3362566, +971(4) 3357844
Open: Sat – Thu: 7:40am – 3:30pm, 5:30pm – 11:30pm
Fri: 7:40am – 11:30am, 1:30pm – 3:30pm, 5:30pm – 11:30pm
Price category: Cheap

18) Simran’s Aappa Kadai:

Add: Mattar Al Tayer Building
Opposite Lulu Centre
Available: Indian, South-Indian (Especially known for its ‘Appams’)
Tel: +971(4) 3348030, +971(50) 6240685
Open: Sat – Thu: 11:30am – 3:30pm, 6:30pm-12:30am
Fri: 1:15pm – 3:30pm, 6:30pm – 12:30am
Price category: Inexpensive

19) Sukh Sagar (Karama):

Add: Trade Centre Road
Available: Indian, South-Indian, Vegetarian, Fast food, Take out, Delivery
Tel: +971(4) 3967222
Open: Sat – Wed: 8:00am – 12:00am
Thu – Fri: 8:00am – 1:30am
Price category: Cheap

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20)Udupi Karama:

Add: Sh. Mohd. Building No.2
Shop No.4, Opposite Sind Punjab Karama
Available: Vegetarian, Chinese, Indian, International, Buffet, Take-out
Tel: +971(4) 3345208, +971(4) 3365563
Open: All Days: 7:00am – 11:00pm
Price category: Cheap

21) Veg World Bur Dubai:

Add: Meena Bazaar
Bur Dubai
Available: Indian, South-Indian,Vegetarian,Western, Fast food, Juice bar
Tel: +971(4) 3517070
Open: Sat – Thu: 9:00am – 11:45pm
Fri: 9:00am – 11:30am, 1:00pm – 11:45pm
Price category: Cheap

22) Venus (Karama):

Add: Opposite Lulu Center
Available: Indian, South-Indian,Vegetarian
Tel: +971(4) 3352113
Open: All Days: 7:00am – 11:30pm
Price category: Cheap

24) Wagamama:

Add: Crowne Plaza Hotel
Sheikh Zayed Rd
Available: Asian, Vegetarian
Tel: +971(4) 3311111
Open: All Days: 12:00pm – 12:00am
Price Category: Moderate

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25) Rangoli Vegetarian Restaurant:

Add: Rangoli Restaurant
P.O.Box 51375, Cosmos Lane,
Opp. ITL Bldg, Meena Bazaar,
Bur Dubai, UAE
Tel: 04 – 3515873 / 3554462
Available: Vegetarian, Traditional Gujarati

Precaution: Strict vegetarians kindly make sure that whatever you order is completely meat free as chances are that some restaurants might cook it with animal fat or on the same grill as the meat dishes and also about the ingredients of the dishes as well.

Ashiana

Opening Hours: Daily 7:30 PM to 11:30 PM; Friday Lunch 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM

Aangan
Aangan at Dhow Palace Hotel is an award winning restaurant with its specialty being Indian platter. The food is perfect to the T, and you really don’t need much help in choosing from the menu as everything is as delicious. Number of Indian families as well as outside tourists flock the restaurants for its ambience with a live band and taste that has everybody licking their plate. Something that you should lay your hands on is tomato curry lamb shank and tandoori.

Opening Hours: Lunch 12.00 PM  to 3.30 PM, Dinner 7.00 PM to 01.00 AM

Antique Bazaar
Brown tone hues welcome you to Antique Bazaar; a restaurant attached to Four Points by Sheraton Bur Dubai. The walls are adorned with images of famous Indian personalities recommending the restaurant which caters to Indian specialties with a live music background. Hydrebadi dishes are its forte at reasonable pricing and taste.

Opening Hours: Saturday to Thursday 12:30 PM to 3:00 PM; Daily 7:30 PM to 2:00 AM

Calicut Paragon
Part of the Paragon chain of restaurants from India, Calicut Paragon is an independent and inexpensive restaurant located on street side food bazaar of Karama Dubai. Serving Malabar specialties, non vegetarian servings obviously form a major part of its menu. Fish curry (fish pieces cooked in South Indian spiced sauce) and chicken biryani (spicy chicken and rice dish cooked in layers which includes lots of raw spices) are its lunch specialties. Accompaniments with the courses include chutneys, sauces, and curries. There’s also a tall glass of buttermilk to be gulped after the meal.

Opening Hours: Saturday to Thursday 11.30 AM to 4.30 PM, Friday 1.00 PM to 4.30 PM

Address: Opposite Lulu Centre, Karama, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Tel No: +971 4 3358700

Fax No: +971 4 3368629

Website: http://www.paragonrestaurant.net/

Dakshin
Dakshin at Lotus Hotel helps you discover South Indian flavor with live classical music streaming in the background. Among favorites are Masala Dosa (pancake stuffed with sautéed potatoes and onion), koondal porichathu (calamari rings dipped in batter and deep fried), onion pakora (onion rings dipped in batter and deep fried) and egg masala appam (pancake made from egg batter and vegetables). Hard core non vegetarians could try out murg tikka masala and mutton biryani with kulcha.

Opening Hours:  Saturday to Thursday 12 AM to 3 PM, 7 PM to1 AM; Friday 11 AM to 4 PM, 7 PM to 1AM

Delhi Darbar
Something so inexpensive yet to tantalizing is the best way to describe Delhi Darbar. Located on the Karama food streets in the Deira district of Dubai, this place is not the one to attract you for its interiors for they are very simple. But its food is simply delicious, very Indian and very aromatic. You could go with dishes like Palak Paneer, Chicken Tikka Masala and Malai Kofta.

Opening Hours: Saturday to Thursday 9 AM to 1.30 AM; Friday 9 AM to 11.00 AM, 1.30 PM to 12 midnight

Address: Al Naif Rd, Ayal Nasir, Deira, P.O.Box: 6962, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Tel No: +971 4 2733444

Website: http://www.delhi-darbar.com/

Gazebo
Gazebo is an independent restaurant where you can savor some aromatic Indian culinary food. Situated in the Bur Dubai region, its Lucknowi and Hydrebadi curries attract you like a magnet with the achari gosht (lamb curry in sun dried tomato sauce) being the all time favorite. Other equally delectable servings are of Pudina Paneer tikka, Chana masala, and poppadums.

Opening Hours: Lunch 12.00 PM to 3.15 PM, Dinner 7.00 pm to 11.45 pm

Address: Next to Sharaf DG, Al Mankhool Road, Bur Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Tel No:+971 4 3598555 / 3599712

Fax No:+971 4 3599713

Website: http://www.gazebo.ae/

Indego
Grosvenor House Hotel is abode to the Indego restaurant with Chief Chef Vineet Bhatia doling up trademark Indian dishes for its guests. Vineet Bhatia is also the first Indian Chef to receive the Michelin star. The menu is not exactly traditionally Indian but a fusion twisted up with continental and European flare. So dishes like chocolate samosa dessert may sound a little odd but are worth trying. There is also the smoky salmon with dressings of honey, yogurt and chilly.

Opening Hours: Sunday to Friday 7.30 PM to midnight; Thursday 7.30 PM to 1.00 AM

India Palace
Splendidly done up intricate wooden carved interiors with traditional copper tableware as in the old times, India Palace takes you the forgone era of kings and queens. The menu is as elaborate with starters like Hara Bhara Kebabs (spinach cutlets), lasoon machli (garlic and yoghurt mix-coated fish). Main course includes dishes like banjara kofta (balls of cottage cheese rolled in spinach, deep fried and sauted with tomato gravy) while desserts spin up names like Saffron Kulfi; a milk product.

Opening Hours: 12.00 PM to 11.30 PM Daily

Address: PO Box 34861, Garhoud, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Tel No: +971 4 2869600

iZ
iZ is an high-end restaurant located in Grand Hyatt, Dubai. But the delicacies served here will definitely help you forget the prices. With both vegan and non-vegetarian options available, the menu becomes endless, but the dish worth trying is prawn masala. It’s heavenly tasting this dish in these cream lit interiors. Highlights are the tandoori dishes cooked at the live cooking stations and the elite crowd that frequents the restaurants.

Opening Hours: Lunch: 12:30 PM to 3:00 PM Daily
Dinner: 7:00 PM to 12:30 AM Daily (until 1:00 AM on Thursdays and Fridays)

Options
Indian Chef Sanjeev Kapoor of ‘Khana Khazana’ fame has opened his own chain or restaurant of which Dubai has one its branch in Options. Traditional Indian cooking but tastes that linger and attract you back to the restaurant. If you are missing Indian food and wouldn’t want to experiment then Options is the best ‘option’.

Opening Hours: 7 PM to 12 AM Daily

Address: Convention Centre Office Tower, Dubai World Trade Centre, P.O. Box 9668, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Tel No:+97 4 3293293

Spice Lounge
An independent restaurant, the pleasant and warm Spice Lounge comes up with a gastronomic fare that matches its tastefully done up ambience. You will enjoy the whole experience of coming here due to the great food served here which includes lip smacking dishes like biryani, mutton rogan josh and sinful desserts.

Opening Hours: Sunday to Wednesday 12 PM to 12 AM, Thursday to Saturday 12 PM to 1 AM

Address: Al Ghazal Luxury Tower, Ground floor, Al Wasl Road (near Al Ghazal Mall and Iranian Hospital), Jumeirah, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Tel No:+971 4 3453365

Zaika
Zaika is attached to Al Murooj Rotana Hotel and its friendly interiors and hospitable staff welcome to the world of North Indian cuisine. There are 3 private dining rooms having capacity for 8 guests each and the restaurant is separated out on two floors. Every dish on its menu is worth try but a special mention for dhania (coriander) murg and naan (Various types of rice also go well with curries).

Opening Hours:  Sunday to Thursday 12.00 PM to 3.00 PM and 7.00 PM to 11.30 PM,  Friday & Saturday: From 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM and 7.00 PM to 11.30 PM