Recipes
One moment you’re scrolling through TikTok, and the next you’re searching for ‘pistachio kunafa chocolate’ on Talabat, an online food delivery app, or Google. The online food community thrives on this pattern—constantly hopping from one viral trend or ingredient to the next.
Viral TikTok recipes are reshaping menus in households worldwide, while also influencing new product launches in restaurants and stores. This summer, a shop in Dubai gained viral fame on TikTok for its distinctive chocolate bar. Dubbed the “Dubai Chocolate Bar” by TikTok users, this milk chocolate delight is filled with pistachios and knafeh (or kunafa), a crispy, shredded phyllo pastry which is traditional in Middle Eastern cuisine.
The chocolate has gained such viral popularity that it is now one of the most searched items on Google in Germany, with even factories in New York importing it. In the western German city of Aachen, hundreds of shoppers lined up for hours on a drizzly day just to try the new chocolate bar.
Last month, Deliveroo, a British online food delivery service in the UK, announced that this Dubai chocolate bar had become the most popular dish globally. But what makes this simple chocolate bar so viral? To satisfy our curiosity, we scoured Talabat and Breadfast for the best local options.
Below are the top three choices we found.
Recipes Abu Auf’s Pistachio and Kunafa Chocolate
The first option we came across was Abu Auf, one of Egypt’s largest specialty food retailers, known for their coffee and protein bars. Their pistachio and kunafa chocolate bar is priced at around EGP 200 (USD 3.95), with packaging that’s just the right size (around 100 grams)—not too big, not too small—perfect for sharing between two people.
Of course, the most viral moment with this kind of chocolate usually happens when you break it open, and the pistachio and kunafa ooze out. While this particular bar didn’t quite deliver that level of spectacle, there was still plenty of kunafa visible when you split it. The initial bite is dominated by the kunafa flavor, which steals the show, but as you continue chewing, the chocolate and pistachio gradually reveal themselves.
For those who aren’t huge fans of overly sweet treats and prefer something more balanced, especially if you lean towards kunafa over chocolate, this is an excellent choice. It’s crunchy, sweet but not overwhelming, with a perfect harmony between the chocolate and kunafa.
Recipes Breadfast’s Kunafa Pistachio
The second option is Breadfast’s Kunafa Pistachio chocolate bar, priced at EGP 128 (USD 2.53), which you can easily find on their app and have delivered straight to your door.
Breadfast is another popular one-stop-shop that provides daily fresh groceries and food to your doorstep. The first thing that catches your eye is definitely the packaging—bright, colorful, and bold, with the word ‘burst’ splashed across it, hinting at that viral Dubai chocolate moment where the chocolate literally bursts. However, the bar itself is too thick, so you’ll need some extra strength to break it in half. Unfortunately, once you do, the kunafa doesn’t quite burst or ooze out as expected.
When it comes to taste, the chocolate takes center stage, overpowering both the kunafa and pistachio, likely because the chocolate layer is much thicker than the kunafa filling. It’s also a bit on the sweet side, making it a good choice for those who aren’t huge fans of kunafa but still want to enjoy a hint of it without being overwhelmed.
You might want to store it in the fridge for a couple of days, as the chocolate’s thickness makes it a bit too much to handle in one sitting. Pairing it with a cup of tea or coffee is ideal, as the warmth will help melt the chocolate, saving you from constantly biting through hefty chunks.
Recipes Nude Bakery’s Pistachio Kunafa Cookie
While it’s not exactly a chocolate bar, we couldn’t resist giving it a try, especially since the image on the Talabat app looked so satisfying—kunafa and chocolate melting together. The cookie is priced at EGP 120 (USD 2.37), and the packaging was quite charming, arriving in a brown paper bag. We’ll give it two extra points for its eco-friendly touch, even if it’s just a small, humble effort.
The cookie itself was the perfect size—ideal for a quick breakfast alongside a cup of coffee—and was packed with the nutty richness of pistachio, kunafa, and wrapped in Belgian milk chocolate. This is the perfect choice for those who aren’t big fans of chocolate bars, but prefer something baked and warm.
We also loved how the kunafa blended seamlessly with the cookie; the flavors didn’t feel out of place—it was like enjoying kunafa with a drizzle of chocolate and pistachio.
For the lazy days when you just want something simple yet comforting, we highly recommend the pistachio kunafa cookie. It’s a great pick for when you’re not feeling your best, but still want a treat to brighten your day.