In pictures: Where to get your raw food fix in Abu Dhabi and Dubai

The Farm: The Farm in Dubai’s Al Barari retreat has responded to the increasing demand from customers for raw dishes since opening two years ago, as well as gluten-free, vegan, low-carb and paleo options. Options include golden beetroot carpaccio, Vietnamese vegetable lettuce rolls, an unpasteurised cheese platter, juices and almond and coconut milk drinks.” Jaime Puebla / The National Newspaper

Omnia Gourmet: Omnia Gourmet, the Turkish-Bulgarian chef Silvena Rowe’s first modern Middle Eastern and Arabian cafe, opened in Dubai over Ramadan. Rowe’s personal mantra is “raw to glow”, of which she is the living, shining proof, having lost eight kilos in four months. A passionate believer in “you are what you eat”, she has decreased her reliance on sugar, increasing plant and nut content, and limited meat — all changes that are reflected in her menu. It’s mainly her desserts that are raw as well as gluten, dairy and sugar-free, while also following vegan and paleo philosophies. Try the quirky Coral Sheikha tartlet with lime and avocado on a cashew nut crust. Courtesy Omnia Gourmet

Bestro: Hayley Mac first launched her superfoods wholesale and retail brand Be Super Natural in Dubai in 2010 with her business partner Riath Hamed. She followed up with the raw and vegan pop-up cafe, Bestro, in January at The Dubai Mall’s Lafayette Gourmet. All drinks and dishes are made from scratch, including cold-pressed juices, smoothies and nut milks cultured with probiotics, plus main courses and desserts. If there’s one dish to try, it’s the spiralised courgette “spaghetti” with local heirloom tomatoes. A new menu arrives this month adding lasagne, tacos, gazpacho and a superfoods salad. The desserts — including chocolate fondant — are unexpectedly delicious. Antonie Robertson / The National

Coconut Kitchen: A complication with her pregnancy led the Jordanian Maha Fitnani to switch to a vegan diet and in June to launch a business from her home in Abu Dhabi. She sells no-bake desserts via Instagram that are not only raw, but vegan and gluten-free, with dates and seeds as key ingredients. Many of her clients don’t have any allergy issues, but simply enjoy clean eating and healthy food. Her two best-sellers are the no-bake brownies and chocolate date bliss balls — so rich and dense that, as Maha enthuses, “a bite-sized piece is all you need. Less calories, loads of nutrients and guilt-free”. Courtesy Coconut Kitchen

Here are six restaurants and cafes in Abu Dhabi and Dubai that are catered for those who want a raw food option on their menus.

More information about the restaurants and cafes:

• Raw Foods, World Trade Center Souk, Khalifa Bin Zayed the 1st Street, Al Markaziyah, Abu Dhabi. Open daily from Saturday to Thursday, 7am to 10.30pm and Friday from 10am to 10.30pm. Call 02 633 4677. Email [e-mail], www.rawjuices.com

• Bestro, Lafayette Gourmet, Galeries Lafayette, The Dubai Mall. Open daily from 10am to 10pm. Call 04 339 9933. www.facebook.com/BestroUAE. Head over to our Bites blog for a mini-review of a meal at Bestro

• Orders via www.instagram.com/coconutkitchenad or call 050 641 0617. Collection from Fitnani's home on Reem Island, Abu Dhabi. UAE delivery coming soon

• Al Souq (Gourmet Souk), Jumeirah Fishing Harbour, Jumeirah 2, Dubai. Open daily from 9am to 11pm. Call 04 343 7181

• Jumeirah Beach Road (opposite The Beach Centre mall), Dubai. Open daily from 8.30am to 7pm. Call 04 385 4555. www.comptoir102.com

• The Farm, Al Barari (off Emirates Road, opposite Falcon City), Dubai. Open daily from 7.30am to 11pm. Call 04 392 5660. Email [e-mail], www.thefarmdubai.com