Three brothers serve culture on a plate: Orfali Bros
EBRU ERKE
If you ever find yourself wandering the streets of Jumeirah and someone asks, ‘What dish truly reflects the soul of this city?,’ my answer is simple: Orfali Bros.
Orfali Bros strips fine dining of its surgical silence and replaces it with the scent of Aleppo’s spice-laden streets, the wooden spoons of Anatolia, and the patient rhythm of Parisian pâtisseries. This is a cuisine unbound by geography — neither tethered to Middle Eastern tradition nor confined by European restraint. It is, simply, an Orfali interpretation. And yes, it also lays a cornerstone for what may be called a new Emirati culinary identity.
Don’t be fooled by Dubai’s glittering façade. Some revolutions don’t happen behind gold-plated doors or atop skyscrapers; they begin with smoked eggplant and fermented pomegranate molasses. So if you ever find yourself wandering the streets of Jumeirah and someone asks, “What dish truly reflects the soul of this city?,” my answer won’t involve sushi from a rooftop or meat wrapped in gold leaf. My answer is simple: Orfali Bros.
Three brothers. Three different paths. One heartbeat. Mohammad, Wassim, and Omar Orfali are the protagonists of a journey born in Aleppo, paused in Damascus, scattered by war, and then miraculously reunited in Dubai.
Right at the heart of a city obsessed with vertical ambition and polished spectacle, a quiet culinary uprising is taking place—unassuming yet bold, modest in space but mighty in impact. There is no false glamour here, no truffle oil masquerading as elegance. At the core of it all is a table built with memory, imagination, and shared heritage: Orfali Bros Bistro. Michelin-starred, heavily decorated, but beyond the accolades lies something more significant — consecutive top rankings in the Middle East by the 50 Best Restaurants list.
Yes, the name might sound familiar. Their surname does indeed echo back to Urfa, but their formative years were spent in Aleppo. Mohammad Orfali, the eldest and the voice of this story, found his way into the kitchen at 16. Despite his family’s objections, he pursued culinary studies in Lebanon and went on to become a television chef — essentially a culinary storyteller across the Arab world. But he wasn’t content with simply narrating stories. He wanted to live one. So in 2021, he opened Orfali Bros with his brothers Wassim and Omar.
The sign may read bistro, but what’s served is far more than that—it’s a manifesto.
While filming with Mohammad recently, I asked how he dealt with the skepticism often directed at chefs from television. He nodded and smiled: “I’ve executed more recipes and conducted more research than most career chefs. I’ve passed it all on to others for years. Now it’s time to share it with the world on my own terms.”
Many great restaurants are born of strong teams. But Orfali Bros is more than a team — it’s a culinary alliance grounded in brotherhood. Each sibling plays a distinct role in the kitchen, but they’re united by a clear mission: to carry the flavors of the past into the future. Their plates tell stories of lives uprooted by the Syrian war and re-rooted through food. Their cuisine erases borders and embraces layered identities. It is rooted, yet restless. Refined, yet deeply soulful.
At Orfali Bros, Middle Eastern memory meets Western technique. The warmth and humility of a bistro collide with culinary precision. “Come With Me to Aleppo” is a tribute to Aleppo’s cherry kebab, reimagined with wagyu beef and pine nuts. Another dish Mohammad insisted we try was his twist on the classic imam bayıldı. He calls it “Orfali Bayildi” — a charred eggplant base layered with muhammara, tahini sauce, and walnuts. When some traditionalists pushed back, he renamed it with a wink: “Orfali fainted.”
Upstairs, a different story unfolds. It’s Wassim and Omar’s playground—a sweet counterbalance to Mohammad’s savory memory work. Their desserts merge classical French pastry with Arabic flavors, echoing the restaurant’s emotional complexity. But it’s the OB Cheeseburger that became the unexpected icon. Initially tucked away on the menu, it exploded in popularity: wagyu patty, Hokkaido milk bun, OB’s signature sauce, cheddar, and caramelized onions—a humble burger transformed into a luxury experience. Soon, just steps from the bistro, a new concept called 3 Bros will open, dedicated entirely to that burger and a few signature flatbreads.
During my time in Dubai, I also saw another side of Mohammad’s vision—his commitment to shaping the next generation. Great chefs build more than dishes; they build schools of thought. Mohammad excels at identifying raw talent and nurturing it. One example: partnering with 29-year-old Abhiraj Khatwani to open a Thai restaurant, Manao, which earned its first Michelin star within a year. Abhiraj himself was named “Young Chef of the Year.”
To sum it up, Orfali Bros is not just a restaurant. It’s a convergence point for migration, memory, technical mastery, and kinship. It is a place where a Syrian child’s alleyway becomes the runway for a Michelin-starred dream. Here, food is not performance — it is narrative. And luxury isn’t measured by price but by emotion.
Orfali brothers, it was an absolute honor to meet you.
