Backpacking is all about living frugally so when it comes to food, you can’t be blowing your budget on posh nosh at a five-star hotel. That doesn’t mean you can’t eat well for less in Abu Dhabi, far from it in fact. Time Out has long championed the capital’s best budget restaurants (we have a coveted award just for them) and these affordable eats in Abu Dhabi make the ideal way for thrifty travellers to get some sustenance before the next leg of their big tour. (And those who decide to stay in Abu Dhabi.) Here’s our choice of the best places for backpackers to eat in Abu Dhabi…
Aroy Dee
Any backpacker worth their salt will have trekked through Thailand on their way to the UAE. For those who are pining for some Thai street food, Aroy Dee is the place to be. This downtown joint prides itself on producing authentic dishes that wouldn’t feel out of place at a Phuket street market. Most of the mouth-watering mains come in around Dhs35. For that you can grab a red curry with roasted duck, a fiery Thai massaman curry or the national dish, pad Thai, all of which come in hearty portions and served with a warm smile from waiters. This place is an absolute Dee-light.
Click here for where to buy affordable food in the UAE.
Open daily 11am-midnight. Electra St (behind the ADCB head office), facebook.com/aroy.dee.thai.restaurent (02 666 5461).
Bonna Annee
Arguably one of Abu Dhabi’s most niche restaurants, this Ethiopian eatery has been a favourite of ours for longer than we care to remember. Don’t be confused by the signage that calls it “Bonna Anne”, we’ve always called it Bonna Annee and are yet to be corrected by any of the delightful staff who have helped it win Time Out awards in the past. Stews and curries are what Bonna Annee excels at, although over the years we’ve worked our way through the whole menu and nothing misses the mark. And like a good stew, this place seems to get better with time. Try the Bonna Annee special to sample some of its greatest hits – all for a mere Dhs40.
For Time Out’s full review of Bonna Annee click here.
Open daily 10am-midnight. Behind Salam Street, Al Zahiyah, facebook.com/bonnaanne/ (02 491 2128).
Hankook
Bustling, brilliant and a bargain to boot, Hankook is always a hive of activity. The atmosphere here is almost unmatched in the capital and the chefs rustle up a dazzling array of Korean dishes served with minimum fuss but maximum flavour. The menu is made for sharing. When the stews, soups and seafood are this sublime, it would be rude not to. Backpacking solo? There’s no reason why you can’t get a takeaway bag. If you’re feeling adventurous, order the gopchang bokum. Beef intestines have never tasted so good.
For Time Out’s full review of Hankook click here.
Open daily 11am-2.30pm and 5pm-11pm. Opposite the Central Bus Station, Al Nahyan (02 642 3399).
PJ O’Reilly’s
Those of you who hail from the British Isles or Antipodes will most likely have a craving for some proper pub grub after all that time away from home. Thankfully, a place like PJ’s exists – somewhere that doesn’t take itself too seriously but is very serious about offering guests a warm welcome. Its keenly priced menu includes all the old favourites – bangers and mash, fish and chips, shepherd’s pie, burgers, steaks, pizza – and each will offer a pleasant reminder of that taste of home. Solo travellers won’t be short of company as the regulars here are always up for a bit of chat preferably not with a mouthful of food, though.
For Time Out’s full review of PJ O’Reilly’s click here.
Open Sun-Wed noon-2am, Thu noon-3am, Fri 9am-3am, Sat 9am-2am. Le Royal Méridien Abu Dhabi, Khalifa Street, pjspubabudhabi.com/ (02 695 0515).
Punjab Highway
The Suri Brothers know how to do hospitality and any trip down the Punjab Highway will fast-track your taste buds to a culinary feast that’s really hard to beat. The food here is truly excellent and surprisingly cheap, proving that you don’t have to inflate prices just because your chefs are worth their weight in gold. Each and every dish is absolutely bang on here, whether you plump for a curry, daal, chaat, biryani or any of the other enticing options. At Dhs22, the lunch combos are a real snip. For a little something out of the ordinary, try a pizza parantha – sounds odd, tastes amazing. After filling up on fine food, you can then walk it off with a stroll round Electra Park afterwards.
For Abu Dhabi’s best Indian restaurants click here.
Open Sun-Thu 11am-1am, Fri-Sat 9am-1am. Opposite Electra Park, Al Zahiyah, facebook.com/Punjab-Highway-Restaurant-Abu-Dhabi-416439132478990/ (02 641 1165).
SALT
This Emirati burger brand started life as a food truck up in Dubai but quickly built up a fervent following of people who certainly don’t have a beef with queueing for some of the SALT sisters’ perfect patties. Since heading down Abu Dhabi, SALT has continued to impress and while it will never forget its humble roots, its wagyu burgers have even been given the royal seal of approval. The options are simple – original beef burger or spicy hook, single or double, crispy chicken or the Cheetos creation. We’d argue that this place could easily charge more than it does for its food, especially in the beautiful surroundings of Umm Al Emarat Park. The fact it doesn’t just proves these ladies really are worth their SALT (sorry, not sorry).
For off-the-beaten-path restaurants in Abu Dhabi click here.
Open daily 10am-10.30pm. Umm Al Emarat Park, www.find-salt.com (055 996 7381).
Seven Hotpot
Proving that you don’t have to fly all the way to China’s Sichuan Province for a genuinely great hotpot, Seven (Hotpot) is the magic number when it comes to catering to backpackers. How so? Well, mainly because it is one of the rare restaurants in Abu Dhabi that offers an All You Can Eat option, with prices starting at a mere Dhs49. That means you can fill up for the entire day for less than you’d pay for an entrée at some places. Plus, you’ll get to participate in the fun and games that the hotpot entails – dropping slices of steak, veg, seafood etc. into steaming bowls of spicy broth (a non-spicy option is available). We’ve been to Chengdu and can safely say they put chilli in most things. So if you like it hot, head for Seven Hotpot.
For the best hotpots in Abu Dhabi click here.
Open daily 11am-1am. Opposite Al Wahda Mall, facebook.com/sevenhotpot (02 443 0771).
Third Place Café
For a wonderfully relaxing afternoon with great coffee, lovely food and service with a genuine smile, you’ll find Third Place is difficult to top. While plenty of people come here purely for a caffeine hit, backpackers in the capital should rest awhile, recharging your own batteries and phones with one of the many charging points dotted around. Order yourself a breakfast, sandwich, salad or one of the mains and take your time to enjoy each and every mouthful. Unlike other venues, the staff here will leave you be, unhurried and unharried. Third Place at the Olympics might only get you a bronze, but this cracking café is truly gold standard.
For Time Out’s full review of Third Place Café click here.
Open daily 8am-11pm. Corniche Road, www.thethirdplaceuae.com (02 681 1877).
West to West Kitchen
Another of the most unique restaurants in Abu Dhabi, West to West Kitchen lovingly combines the flavours of Jamaica, Sierra Leone and Trinidad & Tobago to bring you some of the tastiest dishes you’ll find anywhere in the capital. Whether you’re into jerk chicken, curried goat, groundnut stew or awojoh binch (a superb Sierra Leonean black-eyed bean stew), this place knocks out some wonderfully authentic stuff without handing you a hefty bill at the end of it. Grab some saltfish fritters as your wait for your mains – the ones at West to West are simply the best.
For Time Out’s full review of West to West Kitchen click here.
Open Mon-Wed noon-9pm, Thu noon-10pm, Fri 3pm-10pm, Sat noon-10pm. Electra St (behind the ADCB head office), instagram.com/westtowestkitchen/ (02 671 9119).
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