How to Start a Restaurant Business in Dubai

If you want to start a restaurant business in Dubai, the short answer is to decide who your customers are, choose a license and location that suit a food business, secure the food approvals that apply to your premises, and then line up your visas and bank account. The details shift with your concept and your location, so a little planning up front pays off.

What to Know Before You Start a Restaurant Business in Dubai

Every restaurant begins as a concept, and the concept shapes the paperwork. A sit-down restaurant, a café, a takeaway counter and a delivery-only kitchen are different operations, and the license activity you apply for can differ between them. That wording matters, because the license activity is what the authority actually approves.

Here are the decisions to think through, and the order can vary, so treat this as a map rather than a checklist:

• Who your customers are and where they will find you
• Which license activity fits your concept
• Whether a mainland license or a free zone license suits you
• Which premises you will operate from
• Which food approvals apply to your location
• How your visas and corporate bank account fit in

Which License Does a Restaurant Need in Dubai?

On the Dubai mainland, trade licenses come from the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism. In a free zone, the license comes from the free zone authority itself. Either way, the activity on the license needs to match what you will actually do.

Food is its own chapter. On the mainland, the Dubai Municipality Food Safety Department issues the food service license, and other bodies such as Civil Defence may also be involved depending on your premises. A free zone location may involve its own authority and rules, so it is worth confirming which body approves a food operation at the address you have in mind.

Mainland or Free Zone for a Restaurant?

Neither option is better in the abstract. The right choice depends on where your customers will find you, which activities the license permits, and which authority approves your premises and your food operation.

A restaurant welcoming walk-in guests has different needs from a kitchen serving orders placed online, and that difference can point toward different structures. We recommend a structure in writing before you pay anything, so you can see the reasoning before you commit.

Where Should You Open Your Restaurant?

Location is a business decision first and a paperwork decision second. You might picture a street-facing spot, a space inside a larger venue, or a kitchen that never seats a single guest. Whichever it is, the premises you choose and the license you hold are linked, and premises requirements vary by authority.

Before you sign a lease, confirm that the license activity you want is permitted at that address. A lease is a commitment, so checking first keeps your options open. Your first-year costs also depend on these choices, including the license, the location and the visas you need, which is why our quotes are itemized and the price you are quoted is the price you pay.

What About Visas and a Bank Account?

Once the license is moving, visas and banking come into view. Residence visas are handled by the immigration authorities, which in Dubai means the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs, and eligibility depends on your license and your setup.

Custom Made helps with company formation, residence visas and corporate bank accounts. Our founder, Joule Sullivan, arrived in Dubai in 2007 and has over 19 years here. We cannot guarantee a license, visa or bank account, because the authority or bank makes that decision. If you like to read up before you decide, our Dubai company setup guides are a good place to explore.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a license to open a restaurant in Dubai?

Yes, a business operating in Dubai holds a license from the authority that governs its location. The license activity and the food approvals attached to it depend on your concept, your premises and whether you are on the mainland or in a free zone.

Can I open a restaurant in a free zone?

It depends on the free zone. Each free zone sets its own rules on permitted activities and where you can operate, so whether it suits a restaurant depends on its rules and on where your customers are. A written recommendation from Custom Made sets out the reasoning for your case.

How much does it cost to start a restaurant in Dubai?

It depends on your license, your location, your premises and the visas you need. The quote from Custom Made is itemized and sets out your first-year costs for your own case, and the price you are quoted is the price you pay.

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