20 top Middle Eastern foods -- which is the best?

2. Manakeesh

It's pizza, captain, but not as we know it.

The pizza of the Arabic world, manakeesh is a round bread sprinkled with either cheese, ground meat or herbs (zaatar). It's ideal for breakfast or lunch. Varieties come from both fancy Levantine restaurants or street vendors.

Where to try it: Al Hallab, Guarhoud Road, Garhoud, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Tel: +971 4 282 3388

3. Grilled halloumi

Halloumi: not your typical grilled cheese.

These mini-slabs of chewy goodness are made from goat and sheep milk. Unlike other cheeses, no acid or bacteria is used during processing.

Where to try it: Abdel Wahab, El Inglizi Street, Monot, Achrafleh, Beirut, Lebanon. Tel: +961 1 200 550

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