Dubai beats Paris, Sydney to become fourth most popular food destination on social media
Travelbag compiled a list of 50 cities worldwide and analysed their Instagram and TikTok data to identify the most popular food destinations on social media as part of a wider study.
It found that Dubai had over 2 million posts on Instagram and 127,900 TikTok videos showcasing the city's food culture. With these figures, it surpassed other cities like Sydney, Chicago and Paris. London topped the list followed by Toronto and Melbourne with almost 3 million Instagram posts each.
Bhupender Nath, the founder and MD of Passion F&B, the group that manages Michelin-starred concepts like Tresind Studio and Avatara among others, said the result is not surprising.
'Dubai has become a global culinary hotspot,' he said. 'A few years ago, international brands were coming into Dubai from cities like London or Paris. But now, the trend is reversing. As a proud Dubai-based, homegrown group, we're now taking the concepts we launched here — like Trèsind, Carnival, and Avatara — to other parts of the world. It's a sign that Dubai is a food leader and no longer just a food destination.'
According to the Travelbag report, Dubai stands out as a 'culinary giant', with 106 food and drink activities, a number that far surpasses other top cities like Melbourne which has 78 and Toronto, which has 40.
Home to hundreds of restaurants, the emirate's dining scene has been exploding with some of the best concepts in the world choosing to set up shop in the city. In 2022, the Michelin guide was launched in the city, propelled many homegrown concepts in the country to superstardom. Dubai restaurants, like Tresind Studio and Orfali Bros. Bistro have also made it to the World's 50 Best Restaurants list.
'Instagrammability' matters
Dubai-based international blogger Hubert, who posts as Mister Taster on Instagram, has been in this business for 15 years and calls himself the 'dinosaur' of food blogging. He lived in UK and Iran before moving to the emirate in 2022 after being granted a Golden Visa. He said 'virality' and 'social media presence' were integral to a restaurant's success now.
'A restaurant needs to have good food but also a good social media strategy to ensure that people know about it,' he said. 'A chef who is presentable on camera also goes a long way in making your brand well-known. When I was starting out, I used to post only photos. Now, you need videos but of course, the most important thing is good food. You can do all the marketing in the world but if the food is not good, people will not come back.'
He said cultural ties to food and a backstory were the key ingredients to a good viral food video. 'One of my most popular videos was about a place that made Regag bread,' he said. 'We have over 55 million views on it. It was nothing fancy, but it was local cuisine and told the story of the UAE. Another video of mine about eating a whole lamb with rice also did really well with over 28 million views.'
A Dubai gastronomy industry report in 2023 had revealed that the city ranked second worldwide in terms of restaurant density.
Telling the story
According to Nath, telling a story is what has contributed to some of the most popular dishes in their restaurants. 'Take the iconic chaat trolley at Trèsind, or the Gajak dessert at Carnival by Trèsind — both are designed to surprise, and tell a story rooted in nostalgia and flavor,' he said.
'Today, the visual appeal of a dish or a space is often the first thing that captures a guest's attention — especially on social media. But for us, it is not just about looking good. It's about creating an emotional connection. That's what keeps guests coming back and recommending it to their friends and family.'
He credited the power of Dubai's culinary scene to its diversity. 'It's one of the few cities where you can enjoy a progressive Indian tasting menu one night, authentic Emirati cuisine the next, and finish the week with elevated Japanese or Mediterranean fare,' he said.
'There's a hunger for quality and creativity here. Even before the arrival of Michelin, World's 50 Best, or Gault & Millau, the industry was thriving. But the launch of these prestigious platforms has pushed the scene further, setting benchmarks that match or even exceed international standards. Restaurants are now not only creating memorable dishes but also delivering experiences that rival the best in the world.'
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