A foodie's guide to Sharjah

A pioneer of Al Muweilah’s burgeoning foodie scene, Paper Fig is a cute café with rustic-chic décor that created an instant (and Insta) buzz with its theatrical desserts. A fave is the Blossom Feast, a flower pot (literally!) filled with chocolate-raspberry sponge cake and ‘watered’ with vanilla sauce. It’s then overturned and served with pistachio mousse decorated with edible flowers. The kitchen also turns out plenty of savoury palate pleasers, including a spirited shakshuka laced with feta and sumac.

If you’re keen on cortado or fanatical about flat white, make a beeline to Sharjah’s first third-wave coffee shop in hip Souq Al Shanasiya. Furnishings made from a salvaged royal dhow pay tribute to tradition in stark contrast to the state-of-the-art coffee-making equipment used by the baristas. All beverages are crafted with single-origin beans sourced from El Salvador, Ethiopia and Indonesia, among others, and roasted to order at Dubai’s Specialty Batch Coffee. Try the signature Spanish latte, a rich blend of regular milk, condensed milk and espresso.

Long before there was Coca Cola and Sprite, Dukan Namlet was the local soft drink of choice, arriving in the UAE via India in the 1920s only to disappear in the ‘80s. A few years ago, the nostalgic brand was revived, and it’s now available in flavours such as berry and pomegranate. Pick up some at their little shop in Souq Al Shanasiya.

In this brilliant been-here-forever cafe, you can still feel the pulse of Souq Al Arsah, Sharjah’s oldest souq. The menu features various biryanis, dal (lentil stew), chana (chickpea stew) and other homey dishes, cooked in giant aluminium pots in a shoebox-sized kitchen behind the cafe. With walls plastered with old photos and bric-a-brac, the pint-sized place is as popular with local workers dropping by to gossip over tea as it is with tourists scarfing down a belly-filling lunch.

Another home-grown venture in Al Muweilah, Black Salt introduces molecular cuisine to Sharjah in a gastropub-meets-science lab setting. Behind a glass wall, the kitchen wizards test new waters by injecting global feel-good fare with boundary-pushing touches. Many dishes are served with billowing dry ice that makes everyone go ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’. Menu stars include the succulent Adana kebab, the butter chicken in a bread bowl, and mozzarella-stuffed meatballs. Great mocktails and desserts to boot. Try the date cake cradled by a caramelised sugar beehive.

In a courtyard surrounded by the gleaming white galleries of the Sharjah Art Foundation, Fen delivers an Arabesque riff on Scandi minimalism with sand-coloured furniture set against coral walls, beamed ceilings and wooden shutters. The menu follows the seasons and makes use of native products whenever possible, like Kalba prawns and wild-caught local hammour. The sugar-free mango sorbet with edible sand and ‘coral’ wafers makes for a fittingly artistic finish. Pair it with a glass of iced coffee enhanced with bobbing cubes of coffee jelly.

Indian restaurants are a dime a dozen in the UAE but Al Muweilah’s Rang adds sparkle to the line-up with its unconventional crossover cuisine. Caesar salad paired with chicken tikka, chapati flatbread tacos, or chicken biryani masquerading as risotto are typical compositions. The décor is just as eclectic, mixing chandeliers and carved pillars with spice-filled copper bowls and box shelves sporting potted plants and porcelain elephants. For drinks, try the citrussy Namaste Mumbai mocktail served in a lightbulb.

Lest you think that Sharjah is all about experimental food, let us introduce you to Al Fanar, an all-day local chain that lays on the Old Emirati theme pretty thick. The Sharjah branch channels the 1960s in its prime Al Majaz location with front-row views of Khalid Lagoon and its dancing fountains. Give your tastebuds a workout while embracing the soulful goodness of classic machboos (chicken or fish with Arabic spices and yellow rice), saloona (tomato-based stew) and harees (a porridge-like dish with meat).

Sushi purists might shudder at the idea of maki rolls featuring Cheetos, mayo or mashed potatoes, but adventurous Sharjah foodies are gobbling them up like M&Ms. Believe it or not, many of these novelty concoctions are worth going out on a culinary limb for – so you might as well leave the staples like ebi tempura or wagyu gyoza for elsewhere.

If there was an Oscar for best falafel in town, this buzzy joint across from Al Majaz Waterfront would be a strong contender. Its little chickpea balls have just the right crunch and snuggle up nicely with tahini that is as tangy as it is creamy. You can’t go wrong with the regular wrap, but clued-in regulars like to kick it up a notch by folding foul (beans), hummus or fried eggplant into the pocket. A fabulous bonus is the free condiment bar with piles of pickled vegetables, parsley, olives and other fresh fare.