Bib Gourmand · Mumbai-Style Indian Brasserie · Jumeirah 2
By Monty Khas, Anonymous Critic. Pays every bill.
Khadak is named after a road in Mumbai, and it feels like a love letter to that city's restless, delicious energy. The restaurant comes from Naved Nasir, who spent years as chef director at Dishoom, the London group famous for its Bombay cafes. Here he has turned a villa on Al Wasl Road in Jumeirah into a vibrant Indian brasserie, and the Michelin Guide awarded it a Bib Gourmand for good cooking at fair prices.
The vibe
Khadak is bright, buzzy and relaxed, with indoor tables and a terrace for cooler months. It works for a quick lunch, a long dinner with friends or a lazy weekend breakfast.
What to eat
The menu is made for sharing, so order widely. Start with the morel cheese kulcha, a stuffed flatbread brushed with truffle butter. It's rich, decadent and a perfect example of how Khadak plays with classics. The karari kale chaat swaps the usual spinach for crispy kale, with the familiar sweet, sour and spicy hit of yogurt and chutneys.
Tangra prawns nod to Kolkata's Chinese community and its tangy, fiery Indo-Chinese cooking. The murgh malai Sichuan is another playful crossover, creamy chicken with a tingle of Sichuan pepper. For something hearty, the patthar ka gosht, meat cooked on a hot stone in the Hyderabadi tradition, is a standout, and the Khadak daal is the comfort dish to pair with it.
On weekends, Khadak opens for breakfast. That's the time for keema pao: spiced minced meat with soft, buttery bread rolls, a Mumbai morning staple.
Dessert
The kulfi falooda is a classic, but the milk cakes are the real treat. The Malabar coffee milk cake and the mango milk cake are soft, sweet and impossible to share.
Before you go
Khadak is open daily from lunch until late, with breakfast from 9 a.m. on weekends. Book ahead for dinner and weekend breakfast, when it fills up fast.
Why it matters
Dubai has no shortage of glamorous Indian restaurants. Khadak proves that playful, well-priced Indian food can be just as exciting, and it captures Mumbai's spirit better than almost anywhere in the city.
The Quick Fix
What to order: Morel cheese kulcha with truffle butter; karari kale chaat; Tangra prawns; murgh malai Sichuan; patthar ka gosht; Khadak daal; keema pao; kulfi falooda; Malabar coffee milk cake
Pricing: Mid-range, and real Bib Gourmand value.
Best for: Groups of friends, families, weekend breakfasts, first-timers to Indian food and anyone who loves Mumbai flavors
How it compares: Dubai's best-value Michelin-recognized Indian restaurant; more playful than Indya by Vineet; the closest thing in Dubai to a great Mumbai cafe
See where Khadak ranks: The Best Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi Restaurants in Dubai: Our Top 10 for 2026
The food was always this good. We're just paying attention.