Dubai is renowned for wealth and beauty, but it also has a reputation for being somewhat soulless. To shake off this image, a buzzing street food culture has popped up alongside the five-star dining scene – to claim our hearts through our stomachs.

Tastes are becoming more experimental in the Middle East, as gourmet desserts with a playful twist are fuelling an appetite for upmarket indulgence. With the launch of the UAE’s first online bakery, Sugarmoo, local Emirati are enjoying their favourite desserts delivered on-demand.

While many American fast food chains have set up shop in India, reinventing themselves in the process in order to appeal to local tastes, Domino’s stands out as a brand that’s gone one step further. Carefully balancing local tastes with the Western flavour that people associate with pizza, Domino’s has engineered a 72% slice of the market.

Eating out is no longer just about food and drink. Innovations from apps that trace ingredients to fast-track ordering are shaping service expectations. But can too much seem gimmicky? And should restaurants concentrate on mastering quality ingredients rather than the latest tech?