Dubai is one of the world’s most exciting gastronomic destinations, serving up a mosaic of global flavours that reflect the emirate’s rich multicultural identity shaped by a population representing nearly 200 nationalities. With nearly 1,200 new restaurant licenses issued in 2024 alone, homegrown F&B brands are at the heart of Dubai’s culinary scene. Amplifying the city’s homegrown F&B talent are ongoing citywide initiatives like the Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS), empowering independent players to scale within a competitive landscape while contributing to the economic growth of Dubai’s thriving gastronomy sector.
DSS organisers Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) are championing local F&B concepts this summer through a mix of valued-packed promotions, exclusive campaigns, and citywide community experiences. Signature DSS gastronomy events and brand-new experiences like the recently concluded Summer Restaurant Week,the ongoing inaugural Gahwa Beats, and the first-ever DSS edition of 10 Dirham Dish have been carefully curated to cater to diverse palates, preferences, and price-points.
“At the heart of our vision for Dubai Summer Surprises is a commitment to seamlessly showcase every major pillar of the city’s tourism ecosystem – including homegrown brands born from passion, innovation, and cultural pride,” commented Suhaila Ghubash, Vice President of Events and Festivals at DFRE. “As we continue to deliver our most varied and value-driven DSS programme to date, our strategic focus on local F&B businesses ensures they are not only showcased but also meaningfully supported. We remain committed to helping them succeed, scale, and stand out during one of the city’s most active retail seasons, ultimately strengthening the role of SMEs in shaping the future of our local economy.”
SUMMER RESTAURANT WEEK: AFFORDABLE GOURMET, LOCAL FIRST
The incredibly popular DSS Summer Restaurant Week recently concluded its 2025 season, offering residents and visitors the chance to discover new eateries with pocket-friendly set menus across lunch and dinner. Locally founded restaurants of every size, cuisine, and neighbourhood joined internationally acclaimed dining destinations to showcase Dubai’s diverse entrepreneurial food scene at exceptional value.
The campaign’s focus on local brands like street food concept Asian5 created substantial opportunities for growth, visibility, and expanded reach to newer audiences. Akhilesh Bahl, Director at Asian5, commented, “DSS is a very important event in Dubai’s calendar as it not only showcases homegrown talent, but also empowers emerging concepts and entrepreneurs. Every business that is shortlisted and thereby promoted within the DSS framework naturally gathers excellent visibility, customer engagement, and increased reputation.” Shweta Dave, Director at Asian5, added, “We saw an instant increase in awareness and customer engagement, not to mention the opportunity for our team members to understand the importance of participating in such esteemed campaigns. Indeed, we saw an increase in queries and footfalls from families and residents from new areas coming to Asian5 and experiencing our cuisine and hospitality.”
10 DIRHAM DISH: BIG FLAVOURS, SMALL SPENDS
The first-ever DSS edition of 10 Dirham Dish is taking over Dubai until 31 August, inviting diners to enjoy specially curated dishes priced at just AED 10 across more than 190 unique restaurants and over 700 participating outlets. Of these, more than 100 are small and emerging F&B brands, providing a high-impact opportunity for them to boost visibility and reach new audiences. Homegrown brands House of Pops and Burger Society are leveraging the activation to drive brand visibility, connect with new customer segments, and reinforce their positioning within Dubai’s fast-growing dining space.
Marcela Sancho, Co-founder & Chief Popsicle Officer at House of Pops commented, “Dubai Summer Surprises is a great opportunity for homegrown brands like ours. It gives us a chance to meet new people, increase awareness, and be part of something the whole city gets excited about. The energy around DSS is truly special. It adds excitement to the summer and helps us share our mission of healthier, feel-good treats with a much wider audience.”
Eden Pinto, Owner of Burger Society added, “Citywide events like DSS play a crucial role in giving homegrown brands like Burger Society a powerful platform to connect with a broader audience. DSS has helped us stand out in a competitive market and build a stronger brand presence. What really sets DSS apart is its ability to generate city-wide buzz and excitement. It’s not just a promotion – it’s a movement that brings the community together and celebrates local innovation.”
GAHWA BEATS: CULTURE MEETS CULINARY
At the intersection of food, music, and community, the inaugural DSS Gahwa Beats brings the city’s thriving coffee culture into the spotlight through exclusive pop-ups in unique venues across the city. Continuing throughout the month on 16 August and 23 August, the series creates a new DSS Saturday ritual, blending brews, beats, and surprises across Dubai.
Powering the high-energy pop-ups as the official coffee provider for the entire series is DRVN Coffee, a proudly homegrown Emirati brand. Ahmed Maarouf, Public Relations Manager atDRVN Coffee commented, “Dubai Summer Surprises has brought a fresh buzz to the city and to DRVN Coffee. We’ve seen new faces, from curious tourists to local families, discovering our space for the first time. Gahwa Beats is more than a campaign, it’s a celebration of community, culture, and homegrown brands and we’re proud to be part of it.”
BUILDING LONG-TERM BRAND VALUE
By providing a high-impact platform for small and emerging businesses to grow, connect, and compete, DSS reinforces the emirate’s commitment to fostering a resilient, diverse, and innovation-driven economy. As DSS continues to evolve, so too will its role as a growth engine for Dubai’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Dubai Summer Surprises 2025 is supported by Key Sponsor Commercial Bank of Dubai and Strategic Partners which include: Al Futtaim Malls (Dubai Festival City Mall & Festival Plaza), Al Zarooni Group (Mercato Shopping Mall), AW Rostamani Group, DHAM (Al Seef, Bluewaters, Ibn Battuta Mall, Nakheel Mall, and The Outlet Village), Emirates Airline, ENOC, e&, Majid Al Futtaim (City Centre Deira, City Centre Mirdif, Mall of the Emirates), Merex Investment (City Walk and The Beach, JBR), and talabat.
For more information, visit the Dubai Summer Surprises website and follow @DubaiFestivals on Instagram and TikTok.
