.png?width=1200&auto=webp&trim=0%2C0%2C0%2C0)
Whether you’ve seen the videos all over social media, noticed cleared-out shelves in the supermarket, or spotted pistachio flavours all over the dessert menu at your favourite restaurants, chances are that you’ve heard about the Dubai-style chocolate craze.
We have Dubai-based Fix Chocolatier to thank for the surging popularity of pistachio. Although the Emirati chocolatiers launched their popular chocolate bar, “can't get knafeh of it”, back in 2022, news of its indulgent, must-try flavour has travelled across the world this year, and demand is only growing. Currently, the phrase Dubai chocolate has surpassed 120 million views on TikTok, creating a taste for pistachio across the world.
The original bar, which cost $18, combines the gorgeous flavours of pistachio, chocolate and tahini with filo pastry, taking inspiration from the Middle Eastern dessert knafeh. This popular sweet treat is made with spun dubai pastry dough layered with cheese, soaked in a sweet, sugary syrup and finished with crushed pistachios.
While fans of Fix Chocolatier’s Dubai chocolate may say that nothing quite measures up to the original, it’s only on sale in Dubai. Even there, demand is limited; the original bars are only available for a few hours each day before selling out.
To satisfy a global craving, Dubai-style chocolate products can now be found in supermarkets, chocolate shops, cafes and markets. There’s M&S’s viral big daddy pistachio bar, and The Ivy restaurant collection has even launched a new pistachio take on their famous chocolate bombe dessert.
But that supply still isn’t meeting demand. Waitrose had to limit customer purchases of the Lindt Dubai-style chocolate, there have been multiple restocks of M&S’s chocolate, and we’ve even seen international nut shortages.
Dubai-style chocolate is famously expensive, with its ingredients all coming with a premium price tag. There are also a handful of imported Dubai chocolates which do not meet Food Standards Agency requirements. On top of all of that, it’s a fad. Much like the Labubu bag charm craze, there is a lot of marketing trying to sell people on this viral chocolate.
In a bid to bring you honest, side-by-side takes, I tried the best Dubai-style chocolate goodies on the market (I know, it’s a hard job). Here’s everything you need to know.
How I tested
Lucky for me, I'm a self-proclaimed chocoholic, so eating a lot of chocolate in the name of good journalism wasn’t an issue.
.png)
I love nutty flavours, and had tried many pistachio-flavoured chocolates before conducting this review. After covering Godiva’s Dubai chocolate bar, I already knew that great pistachio flavour is mildly sweet, creamy and buttery, with an earthiness, and sometimes saltiness, to it. But, for this particular test, I was looking for products that incorporate that additional crisp and crunch that Dubai-style chocolate is famous for, along with silky and smooth chocolate.
To assess each product’s worth, I considered the size, quality of ingredients, and, of course, the taste.
The best Dubai-style chocolates for 2025 are:
- Best overall – Patislove kadayif Dubai chocolate style bar: £3.99, Aldi
- Best authentic option – Läderach frischschoggi Dubai milk: £32, Laderach.com
- Best bite sized option – Hotel Chocolat pistachio chocolate selector: £5.45, Hotelchocolat.com
- Best unique take – Marks & Spencer the big daddy pistachio bar: £8, Ocado.com
- Best Dubai-style chocolate dessert – Dubai chocolate biskies: £28.99, Cutterandsquidge.com
- Best mid-range option – Godiva pistachio and kadayif milk chocolate: £10, Tesco.com
- Best rich chocolate – Lindt Dubai style milk chocolate bar: £10, Ocado.com
I just tried M&S’s strawberry sandwich – but do I recommend it?
Best rosé wines for every palate, tasted-tested
11 best pizza ovens for indoor and outdoor cooking, tested by experts
Best cool bags and ice boxes 2025, tested on picnics, beach trips and hikes
Ninja slushi created one of the best drinks I’ve ever made, but is it worth the money?
Patislove kadayif Dubai chocolate style bar
Best: Overall
Size: 100g
Crisp filling: Yes – kadayif pastry
Why we love it
- Excellent price
- Beautiful texture
- Creamy and smooth taste
Take note
- Missing earthy depth to the pistachio flavour
One of Aldi’s recent specialbuys, the Patislove bar is incredibly well priced at less than £5 a pop. The bar is filled with a smooth and mild pistachio cream, that’s so creamy it tastes almost like a Kinder Bueno. Unlike other so-called Dubai-style chocolates, which are really just chocolates with pistachio cream, this chocolate includes kadayif pieces, making it close to the original Dubai chocolate. It’s a delicious addition that puts this chocolate into the top spot - the filling has a perfect crispness to balance the indulgent chocolate cream.
The milky chocolate was thick enough to add a layer of sweetness, without overpowering the pistachio flavours, and had a rich and creamy flavour. The only thing that the bar was lacking was a bit more of an authentic, earthy taste to the pistachio. But unless you’re a nut connoisseur, you’re unlikely to miss it.
I was really impressed with the Patislove bar’s value for money, offering a taste of Dubai-style chocolate for the lowest price I’ve seen yet. Best of all, unlike other supermarkets, there’s no limit on how many you can buy. The only issue is that it’s an Aldi specialbuy, so it may not hang around for long, and you can’t buy it online.
Buy now £4.00, Aldi
Läderach frischschoggi Dubai milk
Best: Authentic option
Size: 295g
Crisp filling: Yes – kataifi threads
Why we love it
- Authentic
- Well balanced flavour
- Luxurious
Take note
- Pricey
When I reviewed all the Dubai-style chocolate products with some happy family members, several immediate reactions were that the Läderach slab was the most authentic option, and beautifully reminiscent of the famous Dubai chocolate.
Combining Läderach’s creamy milk chocolate, a pistachio filling blended with crispy baked kataifi, roasted pistachio pieces and almond gianduja, each bite is a feast for the senses. There's a slight saltiness to the flavour, which cuts through the sweetness well. The chocolate has a perfect crack, and its thin layer is just enough. It’s a perfectly delicious chocolate.
The only issue is that Läderach is a luxury chocolatier. Though the price per gram works out to more or less the same for supermarket Dubai chocolate, you can’t buy it by the gram. This bar costs a whopping £32, so it’s not one you grab in a supermarket alongside a meal deal. If you fancy treating yourself to a little luxury, this is the best buy. If you’re feeling particularly indulgent and just can’t get enough of the chocolate, Läderach sells a mighty 1200g slab (£126, Laderach.com), but again, that won’t work for everyone.
Buy now £32.00, Laderach.com
Godiva pistachio and kadayif milk chocolate
Best: Mid-range option
Size: 122g
Crisp filling: Yes – kadayif
Why we love it
- Velvety and rich
- High quality ingredients
Take note
- Not as crispy as other bars
Godiva’s take on Dubai-style chocolate is just what you’d think of when imagining any treat from the well-known chocolatier – creamy, velvety and rich. The pistachio filling contains a small amount of kadayif, which offers a delicate crunch.
.png)
Made in Turkey, Godiva uses pistachios from the Antep region in each bar, which have a more noticeable sweetness compared to the other options I tried. There’s not quite as much crispness as other bars, such as the Patislove, but when chilled, the bar is perfectly crunchy, and has a great snap.
Buy now £10.00, Tesco.com
Marks & Spencer the big daddy pistachio bar
.png)
Best: Unique take
Size: 280g
Crisp filling: No
Why we love it
- Unique filling
- Delicious milk chocolate
- Great value
Take note
- No crispy filling
- Filling is a bit thick
I was really excited to try out M&S’s “the big daddy” bar, as it has been sold out every time I've been into the shop for months. The first thing I noticed was the sheer size of the bar. At 280g, it's a thick, chunky beast. It’s totally indulgent; the pistachio filling is smooth and nutty with a toasted flavour, which adds a nice amount of depth. The filling was thick and more like a paste than other bars with crèmes.
Unique to this bar is the addition of sweet and sticky caramel, which M&S haven’t scrimped on at all. You get a good amount with each bite, and it has a slight saltiness to it, which balances the sweetness of the chocolate. While the bar is missing the crispy pastry that characterises true Dubai-style chocolate, the caramel is a welcome substitution.
Buy now £8.50, Ocado.com
Lindt Dubai style milk chocolate bar
Best: Rich chocolate
Size: 145g
Crispy filling: Yes – kadayif
Why we love it
- High quality chocolate
- Great texture
Take note
- Chocolate overpowers the pistachio
I have to admit a certain amount of bias here. I usually avoid of Lindt chocolate and the brand’s Lindor truffles. Though I find the chocolate creamy and smooth, it’s a little too sickly-sweet for me.
The bar has a particularly great snap, which is something I’ve noticed about Lindt chocolate in the past. The overall taste is rather rich, which is ideal for a little treat. Unlike some other bars, the filling is made up of a pistachio paste, rather than crème.
I found it a little too cloying, but my family liked it, so if you love Lindt chocolate already, this might be the bar for you.
We all agreed, however, that there wasn’t enough filling to balance the flavour of the chocolate. If you’re not a huge fan of pistachio, but want to try out what all the fuss is about, it’s got a pleasant, high-quality taste.
Buy now £10.00, Ocado.com
Hotel Chocolat pistachio chocolate selector
Best: Bite sized options
Size: 72g (6 pieces)
Crisp filling: No
Why we love it
- Creamy and smooth
- Beautiful chocolate
Take note
- No crispy filling
- Pistachio flavour can be mild
Hotel Chocolat's selector selection is a great way to try out a variety of flavours at a reasonable price. I frequently pick up a mix of selectors when I'm looking to try something new – cherry and dark chocolate, creamy amaretto biscuits, and now, pistachio-filled chocolates.
Each pack contains six chocolates and is a solid entryway to those who want to dip their toes into the world of pistachio chocolate but prefer a smoother blend. The silky, nutty filling is encased in a caramel-milk chocolate, which, when placed together, almost gives a coconutty flavour.
As Hotel Chocolat’s chocolate is so deliciously rich, creamy and packed full of flavour alone, each piece tastes better when enjoyed in one bite. Otherwise, chocolate is the main flavour. This chocolate is also missing knafeh, kadayif, or kataifi pieces, so while it’s a delicious pistachio chocolate, it’s not quite a Dubai-style chocolate.
Buy now £5.45, Hotelchocolat.com
Cutter & Squidge Dubai chocolate biskies
.png)
Best: Dubai-style chocolate dessert
Size: Box of 6
Crisp filling: Yes – small amount of kadayif
Why we love it
- A delicious way to enjoy Dubai-style chocolate as a dessert
- Rich and creamy
Take note
- Not too much pistachio flavour
- Pricey
It isn't just the chocolate world that has seen the addition of Dubai-style flavours, with even bakeries now incorporating pistachios into biscuits, pastries and cakes. Cutter & Squidge are currently offering tweely-named “biskies” – a cross between a cake and a cookie – sandwiched with a pistachio and kadayif ganache and chocolate buttercream. On top, there's a sprinkling of crispy gold pearls, crushed pistachios and glossy green chocolate.
There's only a small amount of kadayif in the middle, but once you get into it, it’s deliciously creamy and nutty. The buttercream is light and fluffy, and softens the rich chocolate biskie. I particularly enjoyed the addition of chopped pistachios, which was what gave each bite a bit more texture.
The biskies aren’t particularly pistachio-heavy, but then, if each biskie were stuffed with pistachio filling, it would likely be too sickly. At nearly £30 per box (or £32.99 for the giant size), these desserts aren’t cheap, but they’re a lovely treat or gift.
Buy now £28.99, Cutterandsquidge.com
The verdict: Dubai-style chocolate
It would be impossible for me not to love any Dubai-style chocolate bar or dessert – there’s the creamy chocolate, buttery and rich flavours of pistachio, and the crisp texture of kadayif. But, when it comes to the very best, Aldi’s Patislove kadayif Dubai chocolate style bar comes out on top thanks to its incredibly competitive price tag and deliciously creamy and crisp filling. For a slightly more luxurious purchase, and to a slightly more authentic taste of Dubai-style chocolate, I’d choose the Läderach frischschoggi Dubai milk, which gets high praise for its well-balanced flavour and perfectly blended filling.
For more details, check out our full review of M&S’s Dubai-style chocolate bar
