Best Late-Night Food in Dubai // Bayroot Deli Brings Beiruti Home Cooking to Sheikh Zayed Road

At 12 years old, Fadi Almahaini was working the ovens at his family’s manakish bakery in Beirut. Twenty years later, after a career in hospitality and real estate, he has gone back to his roots. Bayroot Deli, which he opened in September with his mother, Hoda Altaki, serves the dishes they grew up with on Sheikh Zayed Road from 11am until 6am, seven days a week.

That makes it a rare find. It’s late-night food that tastes like home cooking rather than an afterthought. It’s a fast-casual deli, but the recipes are deeply personal. Hoda learned many of them from her grandmother, and she’s still in the kitchen four times a week, tasting every batch.

What to order

Start with the Mloukhieh Bil Zeit, Hoda’s grandmother’s recipe. The leafy greens are sautéed with lemon and garlic and finished with caramelised onions. It’s naturally vegan and quietly comforting.

The shawarma recreates the street food Fadi grew up eating in Beirut. After plenty of testing, the team found a twist: lemon and orange zest in the marinade, for a subtle freshness that stays true to the original.

For the Lahme Meshwiye, the kitchen tested eight cuts before choosing premium lamb loin for its tenderness over charcoal. It’s served with spices on the side, a nod to Fadi’s grandfather, who used to dip each piece before eating it. “Lamb loin costs us more,” Fadi says, “but it’s the only one that tasted like the meat my grandfather used to dip in spices.”

Save room for Moufata’a Beirutiya, a slow-cooked dessert served with roasted nuts. In Hoda’s family, everyone took a turn stirring the pot. “When guests order it here, I want them to feel some of that,” she says.

Bayroot Deli is open daily from 11am to 6am on Sheikh Zayed Road. Follow @bayrootdeli.ae on Instagram.