Dubai’s thriving food scene is getting a community-powered spotlight, thanks to a new initiative that puts residents at the heart of discovery. Launched by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) in collaboration with Google, ‘Map Your Dubai’ is inviting UAE residents and visitors to explore curated lists of homegrown eateries and vote for the ones that best capture the flavour of the city.
Unveiled at the Etihad Museum, the initiative sits under DET’s wider ‘From Dubai, For Dubai’ movement, which champions local businesses. From June 22 to July 6, the public will be able to visit the Map Your Dubai website, browse 11 insider-curated Google Maps lists featuring more than 100 eateries and vote for the list they feel most represents Dubai’s dining culture.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
“At Dubai SME, we continuously launch initiatives that support small and medium-sized enterprises,” Ahmad Al Room Almheiri, CEO of Dubai SME at DET, told Khaleej Times. “The goal is to encourage residents and visitors to support homegrown restaurants and cafes that have been built through the efforts of entrepreneurs and the wider community. This initiative aligns with Dubai’s broader vision of supporting local businesses and strengthening the SME ecosystem.”
At the centre of the campaign is Google’s Local Guides community, comprising volunteers who review, photograph and map places across the city. As part of the initiative, 11 independent Local Guides have each created themed lists on Google Maps, spotlighting what they see as the city’s best-kept culinary secrets, from neighbourhood cafes and hidden street-food joints to family-run concepts that rarely make it onto traditional “hot lists”.
“Residents and visitors can explore these lists, discover new dining destinations and support local businesses. This will help these establishments increase their visibility and strengthen their digital presence,” Almheiri added.
For small business owners, that visibility can be transformative. Anthony Nakache, Managing Director at Google MENA, said the initiative is built on clear shifts in how people discover and choose where to eat.
“Imagine you’re the owner of a brand-new local cafe. Being visible on Google Maps can help drive traffic, build your reputation and transform a small business into a thriving enterprise,” he said. “According to our latest Economic Impact Report, 80 per cent of adults in the UAE use Google Maps at least once a month to discover local businesses. More importantly, for business owners, 86 per cent of users check reviews before they even set foot through the door. Today, reputation is currency.”
To bring it to life, the initiative taps into a cross-section of Local Guides, each with their own niche and point of view. Among them is Roberto Chavez, a Level 8 Local Guide who has worked in Dubai’s food and hospitality industry since 2019.
“The reason I started posting reviews was quite funny. My phone’s storage was getting full and I was looking for somewhere to upload photos while still preserving the memories. Google Maps turned out to be the perfect solution,” Chavez recalled.
For Map Your Dubai, Chavez created a list called ‘Ruta de la Tostada’, focused on Mexican cuisine and, in particular, a dish many diners overlook. “When people think of Mexican food, they usually think of tacos, burritos and quesadillas. I wanted to highlight something different,” he said. “The tostada is a fantastic dish that doesn’t get nearly as much attention, so my goal was to show people that Mexican cuisine has so much more to offer than just tacos.”
He’s just one example of how varied the perspectives behind the lists are. “What’s interesting is that each of the 11 guides brings a completely different perspective. No two lists are the same,” Chavez added.
Residents looking to take part can browse the curated lists, visit the featured venues, and, from June 22 to July 6, cast a vote for the list they feel best reflects Dubai’s culinary ethos.
“Through the public vote, we will recognise the Local Guides whose lists resonate most with the community and encourage them to continue creating and sharing more recommendations,” said Almheiri. “Many of them have built extensive knowledge of the city and help connect people with businesses they may not have otherwise discovered.”
Longer term, DET sees ‘Map Your Dubai’ as more than a one-off campaign. “We hope to see more homegrown concepts emerge and scale across the city. As these businesses expand, they will attract more customers, enrich Dubai’s food scene and further strengthen the Emirate’s reputation as a world-class destination for dining and hospitality,” Almheiri added.
For Chavez, the initiative also reflects one of Dubai’s greatest strengths: its extraordinary cultural diversity. “One of the things I love most about Dubai is its multiculturalism. You can find authentic cuisines from almost every corner of the world in one city,” he said. “Initiatives like this help shine a spotlight on smaller, independent restaurants that people might otherwise never discover.”
Source: Khaleej Times