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Emirati food

Dates

Dates are served with gahwa, Arabic coffee, whenever guests are welcomed. Abu Dhabi grows a wide variety, from the oases of Al Ain to the Al Dhafra region, and khalas is the variety locals rate highest: smaller and less sweet than medjool.

Updated October 2026 · Facts checked 22 October 2026

Date palm traditions on UNESCO's current list
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Date palm traditions on UNESCO's current list

Dates

At a glance

At a glance
Item Detail
Name in Arabic التمر
Type Fruit
Main ingredients Dates; also date syrup
When it is eaten With coffee, all day

Source: Visit Abu Dhabi: Emirati dishes and where to try them; Visit Abu Dhabi: Emirati food and coffee culture1,2

Buying dates

Dates are sold everywhere, from supermarkets and date shops to the Dates Market at Mina Zayed in Abu Dhabi. Ask to taste before you buy, as sellers expect it. Dates keep for months and travel well, and a box of khalas or a gift set of dates and gahwa is a common present.1

The date palm

The date palm has been a key source of food in the region for centuries. UNESCO lists the knowledge, skills and traditions around it, with the UAE and 14 other Arab countries.3

Dates are sometimes served with other ingredients such as nuts.4

Sources

  1. Visit Abu Dhabi: Emirati dishes and where to try them
  2. Visit Abu Dhabi: Emirati food and coffee culture
  3. UNESCO: Date palm, knowledge, skills, traditions and practices
  4. Visit Dubai: Local culture and heritage (Arabic)

Facts checked 22 October 2026. Prepared by Invest-Emirates.ae for general information.

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