Is There a Dubai Bar Near Me?

If you’re a food enthusiast, you've probably seen Dubai bars—a milk chocolate bar filled with pistachio cream and kataifi (shredded phyllo dough)—all over your social media feeds. This viral trend, which was originally created by Dubai's Fix Dessert Chocolatier, has spawned many imitations and inspired even bigger chains to roll out their own versions.

1. The Shortbread Society

The new viral food trend that's sweeping the city is a chocolate bar filled with pistachio cream, tahini, and kataifi (shredded phyllo dough). Inspired by Middle Eastern dessert knafeh, it combines all of the most beloved flavors in one delicious bite. It was invented by a Dubai-based dessert company and quickly gained momentum in New York City thanks to TikTok stars who made it their favorite. The new treat has even landed on the menus of many NYC restaurants and bars, including Laderach (which has three NYC locations in the Theater District, midtown, and the East Village), Sweet Graffiti (known for artistic takes on dessert like pad thai cookies) and YO! Sushi (which serves a pistachio-tahini chocolate bar on their dessert menu) in the heart of Manhattan.

But the real star of this pistachio-tahini confection is its unique filling, which features a mixture of roasted pistachios and kataifi filo encased in Swiss milk chocolate. The whole thing is sprayed with color, often green, and sometimes sprinkled with gold luster dust, making it the most visually stunning of all the popular dubai bars. And while the artisanal creation may seem a little pricey for a simple chocolate bar, it hits all the right notes of creamy, savory, crunchy, and sweet.

Chef Francis Legge—better known to food fans as Scottish Francis from MasterChef Season 5 and a former winner of Beat Bobby Flay—and his wife Christine are the brains behind this magical chocolate bar in Jersey City's Powerhouse Arts District. Their shared creative vision and Scottish roots allow them to dream up innovative and decadent flavor combinations that elevate classic shortbread into a unique culinary experience.

The result is a line of 400-plus unique flavors—including savory options like peanut butter and jelly, birthday cake, and rainbow cookie, as well as seasonal and imaginative new releases. Their most iconic item, the Shortbread Society Millionaire's Shortbread, features a buttery rich shortbread base with thick Scottish Highland caramel and a smooth dark chocolate top.

For more on the story of how this new dessert came to be, check out USA TODAY's recent profile of the husband-and-wife team behind it. And if you can't make it to their shop, they can ship your own personalized Dubai bar to you or a loved one!

2. The Nuts Factory

By now, you've probably seen all shades of green saturate your social media feeds, and not just from Charli XCX's new album cover. But this summer has also been the season of the viral Dubai chocolate bar, a milk chocolate confection filled with pistachio cream and shredded phyllo dough. The trend took off after a TikTok influencer named Maria Vehera posted an ASMR-style video of her trying the dessert from Dubai, and since then copycats have been popping up everywhere, with local shops in Hudson County now serving their own take on the Middle Eastern treat.

The Nuts Factory, a new chain in Hoboken, is one of them. The shop sells a variety of snacks, including specialty nuts, granola, dried fruits, halva, chocolate and sweets, and coffee. It's the perfect place to pick up a quick bite to eat for lunch, or a sweet snack for your next movie date.

While the shop's staff makes most of its treats in-house, they get their Dubai bars from a third-generation Brooklyn chocolatier whose products are sold at the likes of Whole Foods. The result is a bar that's both creamy and crunchy, with just the right amount of salty crunch to balance out its sweetness.

Its popularity hasn't gone unnoticed by larger chains, either: The frozen-yogurt chain 16 Handles added a Dubai chocolate flavor to its menu this week, and Starbucks has rolled out a matcha-dipped version of the treat as part of its fall seasonal lineup. It's even available at Costco.

If you're looking for a more traditional take on the Dubai chocolate bar, check out the Swiss chocolatier Laderach (which has three locations in NYC, including the Theater District and midtown). Their version of the dessert, which runs around $19, is a bit thinner than most, but is still encased in a layer of kataifi filo smothered in rich, creamy milk chocolate.

Another option is to visit NY Bakery & Desserts on 3rd Avenue, which has a variety of Dubai-inspired dishes for around $23. The dessert is made with the same ingredients as the original, but is encased in a thicker, more solid layer of milk chocolate and topped with crushed pistachios.

3. The Chocolate Bar

If you’re an Instagrammer, chances are you’ve seen Dubai bars—or rather chocolate bars stuffed with pistachio cream and kataifi (shredded phyllo dough)—popping up on your feed. The trend originated in Dubai, but it exploded after TikTok influencer Maria Veherea posted an ASMR video of herself unwrapping and eating one last year. Since then, the pistachio-filled chocolate has been spotted all over the world and has spawned its own cult following.

A few Westchester bakeries have caught on to the craze, with each taking their own approach. The Chocolate Bar, in White Plains, offers a mini version that comes with a kataifi crumble and a glass of milk for a total dessert experience. It sells out quickly, but if you can’t make it in before closing time, they’ll keep your order for the next day.

Grey’s Kitchen in Westchester also offers a Dubai chocolate-stuffed doughnut with the same savory-sweet combination of kataifi and pistachio cream as the chocolate bar. The doughnuts are dipped in warm Belgian chocolate and sprinkled with crushed pistachios for a truly decadent treat. They’re sold at both the Grey’s Kitchen and Grey’s Bakery locations, but they’re usually gone by the afternoon, so be sure to get there early.

Sugar Hi in Westchester’s Scarsdale Village makes its own artisanal Dubai chocolate bars, which are stocked at the bakery, and they can barely keep up with demand. These chocolate bars are a bit larger than the ones you’ll find at the other shops, but they boast the same luscious flavor and texture.

Other options for a pistachio-filled chocolate fix include the gelato at Trader Joe’s and the Dubai-style pistachio dark chocolate bark at NY Bakery & Desserts. The latter is super creamy and made with kataifi, pistachio cream, milk chocolate, and pistachios.

If you’re feeling really indulgent, check out the Swiss chocolate store Laderach in NYC, which has a 2.6-lb. version available for a whopping $154. It features a layer of kataifi, pistachios, and tahini paste encased in a thin layer of Swiss milk chocolate. This version is more similar to the original Dubai chocolate that blew up online, but it’s still pretty pricey.

4. NY Bakery & Desserts

If you follow any food trends, you’ve seen Dubai chocolate—a milk chocolate bar stuffed with a mixture of pistachio cream and shredded phyllo dough—in your feed. It’s become so popular that even Westchester bakeries have started creating their own versions of the treat, from cookies and doughnuts to cheesecakes and egg-shaped dark Dubai bars.

A family-run bakery in White Plains, NY Bakery and Desserts offers a number of desserts, including the original Dubai chocolate as well as the creamy pistachio cookie. Their scrumptious creation is a popular choice for parties and events, where customers can sample the dessert as they go around the room. The dessert also serves as a great gift to give your loved ones.

Another Westchester favorite is the Sticky Rice Ball, which is similar to the Mochi ice cream you might find in Japan. However, instead of being made with a sweet potato-based filling, the sticky rice ball is usually filled with things like red bean paste or peanuts, and has a softer texture than its Japanese counterpart.

The Sticky Rice Ball is often served during the Mid-Autumn Festival and other Chinese holidays. It’s not as common in New York, but you can still find a few places that offer the dessert, including Bake Culture and Tai Pan Bakery.

Another local option is Sweet Graffiti, which is known for its artistic takes on desserts such as pad thai cookies. The shop is selling a spray-painted version of the Dubai chocolate, which is a little larger than the average bar at $26 and features pistachio, tahini, white chocolate and kataifi.