From bunny chow to kimchi, you can eat your way around the world at Dubai’s World Expo

Set to run until April 2022, Dubai’s World Expo features pavilions from more than 190 countries, showcasing the latest in innovation and technology. But it’s also a dining destination, featuring a dazzling array of street food, fine dining, sustainable eating and concept restaurants.

With over 200 dining options for visitors to choose from, here is your guide to the some of the most delicious and intriguing eating experiences at Expo 2020.

Alkebulan

The Alkebulan dining hall is a gateway to African food, culture, art and music. Curated by American celebrity chef Alexander Smalls, it aims to spotlight the flavors of the diaspora in a modern and authentic way. Smalls recently announced that he plans to take the concept to London and New York.

Executive chef Davisha Burrowes has been at the forefront of bringing Alkebulan to life. “These eating concepts do much more than sell food, they tell a story. They connect minds, which is what Expo is all about,” she says.

Distinguishing between the many cuisines from the African continent is part of Alkebulan’s mission. “Just as you can’t mix Italian and Spanish cuisine, even though they are on the same landmass, the same applies for cuisines from Africa,” says Burrowes.

With 10 restaurants under one roof – offering everything from seafood and street food to fusion fare and gourmet dishes – visitors can sample a range of the flavors the continent has to offer.

Burrowes recommends:

Penja's red red green stew.

Kojaki

Home-style Korean flavors meet high-culture Japanese cuisine at Kojaki. Korean head chef Jin Chul Kim has cooked Japanese cuisine for 25 years and is now combining his roots with his skills at this fine-dining restaurant. “Food is culture,” he says, “and Expo spreads culture.” Kim takes his role at Kojaki very seriously. “My job is to appease the human tongue by serving course after course,” he adds.

Before you have your tongue appeased, you’ll first step into a space decorated with cherry blossom branches arching over tables, Korean artwork on the walls and low hanging street-style lamps.

Family is at the heart of Korean culture and the restaurant serves up home-style favorites. Start your Kojaki journey with its bestselling appetizer – sweet, spicy and crispy Korean fried chicken. Next, try the kimchi stew with tofu, shiitake mushrooms and just the right amount of spice.

For the grand finale and a delicious palette cleanser, try Kojaki’s modern take on a traditional dessert – bingsu. Imported Japanese ice (chosen for its purity, apparently) is finely shredded to a cotton candy consistency and then flavored and plated as if it were a work of art. The strawberry flavored bingsu is paired with glazed strawberry chips and soft strawberry mousse.

Kojaki's mango bingsu.

Alif Cafe

Located on the ground level of the Alif (Mobility) Pavilion is this farm-to-table eatery headed by wife and husband duo Jessica Queitsch and Humaid Alremeithi, which prides itself on sourcing its food locally.

Here you can take a culinary journey along the Silk Road – the ancient trade route that ran from China, through the Middle East, to the Mediterranean. Dishes include Afghani dumpling soup, Western Chinese noodles, South Indian stew and Persian eggplant.

Monthly “Chef’s Table” events focus on different regional cuisines and give diners a more immersive culinary experience. For these, Alif Cafe collaborates with country pavilions to ensure its dishes are authentic.

The flavors of India and Pakistan were highlighted in January, while February’s focus is on the Arabian Peninsula, starring dishes from the United Arab Emirates and others. The grand finale in March will highlight the taste of Italy, Queitsch’s personal favorite.

Queitsch and Alremeithi Recommend:

UAE pavilion —

Expo 2020 Dubai is now open, revealing a spectacular array of pavilions, many designed by world-famous architects. The UAE pavilion, designed by Santiago Calatrava, is a sight to behold, shaped like a falcon -- the country's national bird -- in flight. The structure is topped by falcon-wing shapes made of carbon fiber and fitted with solar panels.

Iran pavilion —

A series of blue boxes draped in fired clay balls make up the Iran pavilion. Each box showcases different elements of the country's culture, tradition and handicrafts. Streams of water accompany visitors down walkways and into the pavilion, designed by architects Shift Process Practice.

"Innovating for a shared future" is the theme of the UK pavilion. Designed by Es Devlin Studio, it offers to take visitors on a digital journey through the UK's role in space and artificial intelligence. The theme is reflected in the facade, which features continuously changing collective message generated by AI and visitors' contributions.

Australia pavilion —

The network of vertical aluminum panels that hangs like a cloud over timber structures is a key element of the Australia pavilion, designed by bureau^proberts. The "cloud" even lights up in the evening to mimic "the ancient and rugged landscape of Australia." Inside, the pavilion explores 60,000 years of Australian innovation, culture and creativity.

Pakistan pavilion —

Designed by Al Jabal Engineering, the Pakistan pavilion offers multi-sensory installations encapsulated in walls of color. The colorful façade is a "reflection of the beautiful changing seasons the country experiences, one of the most diverse on Earth," according to its designer, Rashid Rana. Inside, Pakistan's "hidden treasures" are showcased, including its spiritual traditions, history and sustainability initiatives.

The Russia pavilion, designed by Tchoban SPEECH, is a huge dome covered by strings of giant multi-colored tubes. It's meant to symbolize the question: How do we find our place in an interconnected world? Inside, it explores scientific advancements and creative innovations past and present.

A combination of traditional Arabesque and Japanese Asanoha patterns form the façade of the Japan pavilion, meant to symbolize the crossover of culture between Japan and the Middle East. Inside the structure, designed by Yuko Nagayama and Associates, visitors can see 3D art installations.

The Swiss Pavilion, "Reflections," represents the country's traditions and spectacular landscapes. Designed by architects OOS, its giant interactive mirror façade reflects the red carpet that leads to it, to show the national flag. Inside, a "crystal cave" showcases technology, innovation and scientific achievements through immersive displays, before visitors are led through a "sea of fog."

Built from reusable materials -- fabric, iron and wood -- the Spain pavilion is intended to promote sustainability. The structure, designed by Amann-Canovas-Maruri, is made of cone shaped "solar chimneys" that cool the pavilion and highlight Spain's links with the Arab world.

Designed by Italian architect Marco Pestalozza, the Kuwait pavilion is a digital showpiece, displaying images of the country's landscapes on its façade, and showcasing a vision for the country's future. Water towers stretch upwards through each level of the structure, symbolizing Kuwait's "commitment to sustainability and water security."

The German pavilion, themed as "Campus Germany," invites visitors to explore a "curriculum" covering energy, cities of the future and biodiversity within its "labs." The Graduation Hall features swinging seats and during a "graduation ceremony," visitors are encouraged to swing in unison to reflect how great achievements come from working together. The building, a vertical ensemble of cuboids, was designed by Facts And Fiction and LAVA.

Baden-Württemberg is a state in southwest Germany, and is the only national state to have its own pavilion in Dubai. Built by NÜSSLI Adunic, with a distinctive timber frame, visitors can activate digital flowers in the landscape using their smartphones and explore different topics through augmented reality.

Egypt's ancient civilization meets its vision for the future in its pavilion. Designed by Egyptian Hazem Hamada, the pavilion is decorated in hieroglyphs, while inside, giant screens explore the country's legacy and progress. The Great Pyramid of Giza is represented by the triangular gate through which visitors enter. Once inside, visitors are met with archaeological artifacts and interactive displays.

The six-story Saudi Arabia Pavilion, designed by Boris Micka, is the second-largest pavilion after that of the UAE, and has a sloping, rectangular structure. The "Heritage" escalator takes visitors up to experience the country's history and culture, while the "Future" escalator takes them down to explore modern Saudi Arabia through an LED mirror screen and an interactive water feature. The pavilion has been awarded the LEED Platinum Certificate for sustainability.

Not a pavilion, but a remarkable design nonetheless, the Al Wasl Plaza is the heart of Expo 2020, connecting the three thematic districts, Sustainability, Mobility and Opportunity. Al Wasl is the historic name for Dubai and also means "connection." The plaza holds the world's largest 360-degree projection dome. Made of 13.6 kilometers of steel, and designed by Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture, the trellis steelwork forms the Expo logo.

Expo 2020 Dubai unveils its eye-catching pavilions

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Sard

The Saudi Arabia Pavilion has been a firm favorite among Expo visitors and it might have something to do with its concept eatery Sard, located on the bottom level. Here, you can taste your way through the country’s 13 provinces by sampling 13 different types of “qahwa” – Arabic coffee. Each coffee is made using the bean and method that is most popular in a province.

If you don’t like coffee, Sard has an ice cream station serving flavors inspired by spices traditionally used in Saudi Arabian cuisine. Rose, chili, saffron, pistachio, black sesame seed and others are scooped into waffle cones or served in ice cream sandwiches.

If that doesn’t sound enticing enough, you can try the lokma ice cream, a popular Middle Eastern dessert that consists of fried dough and sweet syrup.

Sard serves delicious coffee and sweet treats.

Mokha 1450

Ever wanted to try one of the world’s most expensive coffee beans? Well, you can at Mokha 1450. Located in the Jamaica Pavilion, this boutique cafe uses Jamaica Blue Mountain beans, which produce a “perfectly smooth” coffee with “no bitterness.”

“Of course, tasting is believing,” Jamaican owner Garfield Kerr says. “Guests of the Jamaica Pavilion can taste for themselves the smooth, fruity, chocolaty flavor profile that sets this world-renowned coffee apart.”

As well as delivering caffeine, the café and pavilion offer visitors a glimpse into the history and rich coffee tradition that has existed in Jamaica for over 100 years.

Jamaica Blue Mountain beans at Mokha 1450.

Mudra and more

Hailed as the man who helped make plant-based eating trendy in Los Angeles, celebrity chef Matthew Kenney is behind three plant-based restaurants at the Terra (Sustainability) pavilion.

At Veg’d, diners can try burgers and bowls made with a range of fresh vegetables and tofu. XYST offers modern Mediterranean cuisine, including cold and hot mezze, while Mudra provides pizza and an elevated take on plant-based sushi.

Linger over plant-based drinks and shared plates whilst enjoying the panoramic view of Expo from Mudra’s rooftop dining space. Or let the DJ set the scene as you enjoy an evening of delicious plant-based food while sipping on sundowners.

Expo 2020 Dubai runs until March 31 2022.