If you’ve spent more than five minutes on TikTok or Instagram lately, you’ve seen it. That aggressive, satisfying crunch. The thick, green, gooey center spilling out of a chunky chocolate bar. It’s the Fix Dessert Chocolatier "Can’t Get Knafeh It" bar, and it has basically broken the internet. But here is the thing: getting your hands on the real deal is a nightmare. Honestly, it’s easier to get front-row concert tickets sometimes than it is to secure a bar of the authentic stuff from the source.
So, where can you find dubai chocolate that actually lives up to the hype?
Most people think they can just stroll into a shop in Dubai and grab ten bars. Nope. Not how it works. The original creator, Sarah Hamouda, started this as a side hustle that went nuclear. Because they produce everything in small batches to keep the quality high, the "real" bars are sold almost exclusively through Deliveroo in Dubai during very specific, high-pressure windows. If you aren't in the UAE, you’re looking at a world of shipping fees, resellers, and—let's be real—a lot of disappointing imitations.
The hunt for the authentic Fix Dessert Chocolatier
Let's talk about the OG. Fix Dessert Chocolatier is the brand that started the craze. Their signature bar uses a mix of toasted knafeh pastry, pistachio spread, and tahini, all encased in tempered milk chocolate with those colorful splatters on the outside.
If you are physically in Dubai, your only real shot is the Deliveroo app. They usually open for orders at 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM local time. You have to be fast. Like, "Black Friday at a tech store" fast. They sell out in minutes. Because they don't have a permanent physical storefront where you can just walk in and browse, the scarcity has created this massive secondary market.
What about shipping? Fix doesn't officially ship internationally yet. It’s too fragile. The chocolate would bloom, the knafeh would lose its crunch, and the whole experience would be ruined. This brings us to the "mules." There are entire businesses now where people buy the bars in Dubai, pack them in insulated dry ice bags, and fly them to London, New York, or Singapore to resell them for triple the price. It's wild.
✨ Don't miss: Boynton Beach Boat Parade: What You Actually Need to Know Before You Go
How to spot a fake
Because the demand is so high, "Dubai Style" chocolate is everywhere. You’ll see it in local candy shops and on Etsy. A lot of them are actually great, but they aren't the original. Look at the texture. The real one has a very specific ratio—it's almost more filling than chocolate. If the pistachio cream looks like neon green syrup, stay away. The real stuff uses high-quality pistachio paste that has a slightly earthy, nutty grit to it.
Reliable places to buy Dubai chocolate in the US and Europe
Since most of us aren't hopping on a flight to the Emirates just for a snack, we have to look closer to home. Several high-end chocolatiers have started making their own versions that are, dare I say, sometimes better than the original because they use local, fresh ingredients.
In the United States, Nuts.com actually launched a "Dubai Style" bar that gained a lot of traction. It’s accessible. It’s reliable. It’s not the OG, but it hits the flavor profile perfectly. Then you have boutique shops like Chocolatier Constance Ho or various vendors on Etsy.
Etsy is a gamble, though. You have to check the reviews. Specifically, look for reviews that mention the "crunch factor." If people are saying the knafeh arrived soggy, skip it. The knafeh (thin strands of fried phyllo dough) is the heart of the bar. If it sits in the cream for too long during shipping, it turns into mush.
In the UK, shops like ** some luxury department stores** have toyed with carrying similar profiles, but your best bet is often independent pastry chefs in London who are recreating the recipe daily. Search for "Pistachio Knafeh Chocolate" on Instagram and filter by your city. Local makers are usually your best bet for freshness.
🔗 Read more: Bootcut Pants for Men: Why the 70s Silhouette is Making a Massive Comeback
Why you might want to skip the shipping and go local
Shipping chocolate across oceans is a recipe for heartbreak.
Temperature fluctuations are the enemy of cocoa butter. If the bar gets too warm and then cools down, you get "bloom"—that white, chalky film on the surface. It’s safe to eat, but the texture becomes grainy. For a bar that costs $20 to $50 after shipping, you want it to be perfect.
This is why the "where can you find dubai chocolate" question often leads back to your own kitchen or a local Middle Eastern bakery. Many Lebanese or Syrian bakeries already have the two hardest ingredients to find: high-quality pistachio cream and knafeh pastry.
I’ve seen a massive surge in local bakeries in cities like Dearborn, Michigan, or the Edgeware Road area in London making their own bars. These are often superior to the mass-shipped ones because they haven't been sitting in a cargo hold for three days. They use the same ingredients—Valrhona chocolate, toasted pastry, and authentic tahini—to create the same experience without the "influencer tax."
The DIY route: Is it actually worth it?
Honestly? Yes.
💡 You might also like: Bondage and Being Tied Up: A Realistic Look at Safety, Psychology, and Why People Do It
If you can’t find a local seller and you don't want to spend $60 on a resold bar from Dubai, making it at home is surprisingly easy. The hardest part is sourcing the Kadir or Kataifi pastry. You can find this in the freezer section of almost any Mediterranean or Middle Eastern grocery store.
- Toast the pastry: You shred the kataifi and fry it in plenty of butter until it is golden brown. This is the "crunch" everyone talks about.
- Mix the filling: Combine the toasted pastry with pistachio butter (look for the brands without added palm oil) and a splash of tahini. The tahini is crucial; it cuts the sweetness.
- Melt the chocolate: Use a high-quality milk chocolate with at least 30% cocoa solids.
- Assemble: Layer it up, let it set in the fridge, and you’re done.
The DIY version solves the biggest problem with finding Dubai chocolate: the price. You can make five bars for the cost of ordering one online. Plus, you can control the sugar levels. A lot of the commercial bars are aggressively sweet. When you make it yourself, you can let the saltiness of the pistachio shine through.
Exploring the Middle Eastern chocolate scene beyond the trend
Dubai has a massive chocolate culture that existed long before TikTok. If you are looking for the "vibe" of Dubai chocolate but want something more sophisticated, brands like Mirzam are the real deal. They are a craft, bean-to-bar chocolatier located in the Al Quoz district.
Mirzam doesn't do the viral "crunch" bars as their main thing, but they do incredible bars infused with dates, fennel, and Arabic coffee. If you’re a true chocolate nerd, this is actually what you should be looking for. They do ship internationally, and their packaging is basically art.
It’s interesting how one specific bar from Fix eclipsed the entire region's confectionery reputation. There is so much more to it. But hey, if you want the crunch, you want the crunch. Just be careful with "re-shippers" on Instagram who ask for payment via Zelle or Wire Transfer. There are a lot of scams out there targeting people who are desperate to try this chocolate. If the deal looks too good to be true—like five bars for $20—it’s a scam.
Actionable steps for your chocolate search
If you are determined to taste the trend, follow this hierarchy of searching to ensure you don't get ripped off or end up with a melted mess.
- Check Local Middle Eastern Bakeries first: Call them and ask if they are doing a "Knafeh Chocolate Bar." Many have started doing these as weekend specials because they already have the ingredients on hand. This is the freshest option.
- Search "Dubai Chocolate [Your City]" on Instagram: Look for local pastry chefs or "ghost kitchens." Check their tagged photos to see what the internal cross-section looks like before buying.
- Use Reputable Online Aggregators: If you are in the US, look at Nuts.com or Etsy sellers with over 1,000 reviews and a "Star Seller" badge. Ensure they ship with cold packs if you live in a warm climate.
- The Official Way: If you are actually in Dubai, download Deliveroo and set an alarm for 1:55 PM GST. Have your payment info pre-loaded. It is the only way to get the authentic Fix Dessert Chocolatier bar without paying a middleman.
- Verify the Ingredients: Authentic-tasting bars must contain kataifi (knafeh pastry) and tahini. If a seller just says "pistachio cream," it will likely be too sweet and lack the signature savory depth.
The craze might eventually die down, but the combination of toasted pastry and nut butter is a classic Middle Eastern flavor profile that has been around for centuries. You're basically eating a deconstructed, chocolate-covered knafeh. Whether you find it in a mall in Dubai or make it in your own kitchen, the key is that contrast between the snap of the chocolate and the gritty, buttery crunch of the center. Stick to verified sellers, watch out for shipping costs that exceed the price of the food, and always check the "best by" date, as the pastry inside starts to lose its texture after about two weeks.