themiddleeats
FLAVOURS CAPTURING ATTENTION

Hot Right Now

The desserts, dishes and flavour pairings travelling fastest across the region — and why they work.

2 stories
Two pieces of milk chocolate bar stacked and broken open to show a green pistachio filling
DESSERT · DUBAI

How Dubai Chocolate Became More Than a Viral Dessert

What began as a chocolate-and-kunafa bar has become a category of its own, with cookies, croissants and cheesecakes built around kunafa textures. Proof that regional ingredients can travel without losing their identity.

4 min read
A cup of fresh mango being dusted with chilli powder
TREND · FLAVOUR

Sweet Meets Heat: Why Swicy Flavours Are Finding an Audience

Sweet-and-spicy “swicy” pairings and their fruit-led cousin, “fricy”, are working their way from sauces into drinks, desserts and snacks. The appeal is as much about how we taste as about what trends on social media.

4 min read

The Middle Eats Weekly

A weekly briefing for the region’s food industry: openings, awards, deals and the dishes everyone is talking about.