Dream City Cafe

"The word “cafeteria” in Dubai usually refers to a hole in the wall, and Dream City Cafeteria lives up to its name. Located in the heart of Sheikh Zayed Road (a highway that connects the UAE’s coastal cities), the restaurant serves an array of Dubai’s best street food, including shawarma, paratha, and desi burgers — American-style hamburgers with such South Asian toppings as homemade green chile tamarind sauce. A lot of the food is pretty spicy and best paired with fresh fruit juices, which are key for cooling down on hot summer days. Many of the cooks come from India and Bangladesh, as do many of their customers, who crowd in from nearby offices on weekdays during lunch and just after work. [$]" - Rahma Khan