Ground chickpeas blended with parsley, coriander, cumin, and garlic, formed into discs or balls and fried until the outside is dark and the inside stays green. Served in pita with tahini, pickled turnip, cucumber, and tomato. AED 5–8.

The quality gap between a fresh falafel and a reheated one is significant. Find the place where they're made to order and still hot from the oil — in Satwa, in Karama, along the Deira streets. Old Dubai has always known where to eat. The falafel is the clearest test of whether a place knows what it's doing.