I traveled 20 hours across the world to get my hands on the viral Dubai chocolate bar. OK, maybe I didn’t travel to Dubai exclusively for a candy bar, but when I recently vacationed at Dubai’s Atlantis, The Palm, I knew I had to track one down.
In addition to Nara Smith and this pastina soup recipe, the Dubai chocolate bar is all anyone can talk about on FoodTok. Referred to as the “Pistachio Kunafa Bar” in Dubai, it consists of chocolate, pistachio cream, and kunafa, a traditional Middle Eastern dessert made out of shredded pastry dough. The pistachio cream is the reason the inside of the bar is green, and the crispy kunafa is the reason you hear a crunch every time an ASMR influencer on TikTok takes a bite.
Some people have recently been able to get their hands on the candy bar in the United States, but it’s either at an extremely expensive price point or because American brands are catching up to the buzz and trying to mimic the flavor in their own products. So, when in Dubai, tasting the OG elusive chocolate bar is a must.
It didn’t take me too long to obtain this indulgent treat, as the vendors inside Atlantis, The Palm had their chocolate bars fully stocked for 80 AED (around $22) each. I decided to opt for the milk chocolate kunafa bar instead of the dark chocolate one, mainly because the store attendant said it was better.
When I took the bar up to my hotel room, I wasn’t expecting anything magical. It’s a chocolate bar, after all – and I’m much more of a gummy girl myself. I’m also a firm believer that people who order pistachio-flavored things just want attention. (You won’t convince me it’s better than peanut butter.)
But here’s the thing: when you don’t set high expectations, it’s easy to be wowed by something. And let me just say, one bite of the Dubai chocolate bar gave me the mouthgasm of my dreams.
My Experience Trying the Viral Dubai Chocolate Bar
My first impression was that the viral Dubai chocolate bar felt extremely dense. One bar weighs around 100 grams, which is the equivalent of a large apple, so it’s pretty heavy. I also noticed that, just like everything else in Dubai, the design on the bar was beautiful. Pressed into thick squares, the front side of the chocolate bar was drizzled with white chocolate that gave I’m-not-your-average-Hershey-bar energy.
The brand that I tried also had a thick silver wrapping protecting the chocolate. I’ve never felt luxurious opening up a chocolate bar before, but for some reason this wrapper made me feel like I was about to indulge in something that only royals consume.
Now, I’m not one to be fooled by pretty things. I see the thorns in roses and know the Hailey Bieber smoothie at Erewhon cannot taste as good as it looks. But one bite out of the Dubai chocolate bar had me already wanting another.
The familiar chocolate flavor was the first thing I tasted when I bit into the kunafa bar. I assumed it was going to be like any other chocolate bar until my tastebuds familiarized themselves with the pistachio flavor, which was deliciously creamy and nutty.
Before I could think, “Hmm, this could use a little bit of sweetness,” my tastebuds moved on to the crispy kunafa, and it was the perfectly crisp blend to balance out the flavor. Truly the perfect chocolate bar. As I took bite after bite, it continued to taste just as good as the first.
The Verdict
I’m not one to buy into TikTok trends and I don’t think everything that’s viral should be, but if there’s one thing influencers got right this year, it’s getting the Dubai chocolate bar onto my For You Page.
That said, the Dubai chocolate bar is expensive. When I bought one from the hotel vendor, it cost me the equivalent of almost $22. Sure, the price was definitely inflated at the hotel, but even when I checked grocery store prices, the cost still runs around $12-$15.
Another con: the chocolate bar is in Dubai, which took me about 20 hours to get to from the United States. Fortunately, it seems like there are some online vendors that will ship the product from Dubai if you are willing to sell your kidney for it. But if you aren’t, don’t be too disappointed – it’s probably too addicting to try in the first place. (Joking . . . kind of.)
Taylor Andrews (she/her) is the balance editor at PS, specializing in topics relating to sex, relationships, dating, sexual health, mental health, travel, and more. With seven years of editorial experience, Taylor has a strong background in content creation and storytelling. Prior to joining PS in 2021, she worked at Cosmopolitan.
