Dubai night market food vendors lament fewer visitors as live cooking stalls remain closed

  DUBAI – Filipino food vendors at the night market along Dubai’s Al Muraqqabat Street have lamented the reduced number of visitors to the pop-up market in recent weeks. This comes after pop-up stores with live cooking stations at the open-air market closed in mid-March reportedly due to new rules. The night market, which features more than a dozen food stalls, retail shops, a billiards zone and a large al fresco dining area, had been a favorite haunt for Filipinos living in the area. When Expatmedia.net visited the market on Sunday (March 27), at least eight food stores with live cooking stations remained closed, including those selling fried bananas on a stick and puto bumbong, a steamed delicacy. A few others were still open, including tea shops and a specialty store for French fries. But apparently this was not enough to pull in the usual crowd. “A lot of customers stopped coming after the live cooking stores selling Filipino street food like fried bananas and isaw closed,” a Filipino vendor told Expatmedia.net. Another vendor selling bubble tea confirmed that footfall at the venue has dropped considerably. “This place used to be very busy from 6pm onwards. Now, there’s just a small crowd,” she said in Filipino. “We are hoping our neighbouring stores will be allowed to reopen and this place will be packed again,” she added. The vendor, who requested anonymity, said they have been told by the organizer that the Night Market will remain open throughout Ramadan. She hopes more people will come. Speaking to Expatmedia.net, Filipino diners at the venue said they missed the grilled Filipino street food, but that the rising summer temperature is a deterrent. “I feel nostalgic having Filipino street food, but I won’t miss eating out here as much when it becomes too hot in the summer,” said Lisa (full name withheld). Another diner said he will still visit the venue whenever he can. “The food is affordable, and I don’t have to cook at home,” he said. ICA/PIA/Expat Media
For all the latest news from the UAE and the world, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube 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