6 best Global Village ice cream and dessert spots to beat the UAE summer heat this weekend

Dessert beckons to you in every corner at Global Village. It's almost a buffet: You walk along churros, ice-cream shops and that includes the Turkish ice-cream seller, or the Mango Sticky Rice in another corner. Sometimes, it's a smell of Tiramisu.

It’s more of a delicious drift, you follow the smells, the crowds, and whatever catches your eye.

And with the weather gradually warming up, there’s arguably no better time to lean into the cooler side of Global Village. If you’re heading there this weekend and wondering how to beat the heat (while still making it fun), the answer is simple: dessert hopping.

So, here's where you can go this week.

Candied fruits (Dh30)

Those strawberries, all dipped in a hard, glassy sugar shell that crackles with every bite. It's just so good, and it's a snack and spectacle, with vendors usually stand surrounded by people trying to get the perfect slow-mo video of that shiny coating.

Turkish ice cream stall: The performance before the scoop

You earn that ice-cream.

At the Turkish ice cream stalls, expect the full performance. The vendors tease, spin, and occasionally refus” to hand over your cone, pulling off the famous stretchy tricks with dondurma. It’s all part of the fun, and half the experience is laughing while trying (and failing) to catch your dessert.

Once you finally win your cone, you’re rewarded with rich, chewy ice cream that tastes like a dream.

Mango Sticky Rice (Dh25): Tropical comfort in a bowl

This Thai-inspired dessert is a standout. Soft, warm sticky rice is drenched in sweet coconut milk and paired with fresh, ripe mango slices. It’s fragrant, creamy, and lightly indulgent without being heavy.

At Dh25, it also feels like one of the better-value treats in the park, especially for something that tastes like a mini tropical getaway. It’s the kind of dessert that slows you down in the middle of Global Village’s chaos and that’s exactly its charm.

Baskin Robbins: The familiar favourite in a global playground

Sometimes, after wandering through dozens of cultural food stalls, comfort wins. And there's Baskin Robbinst.

It’s the perfect stop if you want something predictable yet satisfying: scoops of cookie dough, chocolate fudge, or fruity sorbets while you sit back and recharge. It might not be exotic, but hey, it's ice-cream.

Luqaimat (Dh35): Emirati comfort, fresh and golden

No Global Village dessert trail is complete without luqaimat. These golden Emirati dumplings are fried until crisp on the outside and soft inside, then generously drizzled with date syrup and sesame seeds.

You’ll often find long queues here, and for good reason. The aroma alone pulls you in. Each bite is warm, sticky, and deeply comforting, especially when paired with a cup of karak tea nearby.

Churros spots

The churros, though, deserve their own moment. They hit you first through smell, warm, buttery dough frying fresh on the spot, followed by that wave of cinnamon sugar drifting through the air. By the time you actually reach the stall, you’re already sold. Freshly made and still slightly crisp on the outside, they’re soft and fluffy inside, coated in that sweet, sandy sugar that sticks just enough to make every bite feel so good. Dip them into melted chocolate or enjoy them as-is, but either way, they’re the kind of snack that disappears faster than you planned.