Opening a restaurant in Dubai involves more approvals than a standard trade licence — food businesses sit under additional regulatory oversight from Dubai Municipality's Food Safety Department, on top of the trade licence itself, and the process is meaningfully different depending on whether you go mainland or free zone.
Licensing route: mainland vs free zone
A restaurant intended to serve walk-in customers at a physical Dubai location generally needs a mainland licence through Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), since free zone companies are typically restricted from operating retail-facing premises outside their own free zone. A free zone licence can work for a central-kitchen or delivery-only model that does not need a walk-in storefront location outside the zone.
Food safety and additional approvals
Beyond the trade licence, a restaurant needs Dubai Municipality food safety approval for the premises, which includes kitchen design and hygiene compliance checks, plus food handler health certificates for staff. Depending on the location, additional approvals from the landlord, civil defence (fire safety) and potentially the relevant free zone or mall authority may also apply.
Costs and timeline
Restaurant setup costs vary enormously based on premises size, fit-out and location — a small café and a full-service restaurant are entirely different budgets, well beyond a standard trading licence. Model your base licensing cost with this site's Business Setup Cost Calculator, and budget separately for fit-out, kitchen equipment and food safety compliance, which typically exceed the licensing cost itself for a physical restaurant.