The buzzworthy “Dubai Chocolate” is a crisp, golden dessert packed with chocolate, pistachio, and tahini (sesame paste), wrapped in layers of phyllo dough. Inspired by the traditional Arab sweet knafeh, this viral treat is taking social media—and the world—by storm.
The original version, named Can’t Get Knafeh of It, was created by boutique brand FIX Chocolatier and has been available exclusively in the UAE since 2022. Its popularity soared so quickly that it now sells out within minutes, and only during a strict two-hour window each day.
But the craze has spread far beyond Dubai. Knock-off versions—affectionately nicknamed “Dubai chocolate”—have begun popping up in supermarkets across the UK, and beyond.
Yazen Alani, who co-founded FIX alongside his wife, Sara Hamouda, told the BBC that the global attention is both “humbling and flattering.”
The idea was first conceived by Sara in 2021, while she was pregnant and craving the nostalgic blend of flavors—nutty tahini, sweet pistachio, and rich chocolate. The couple began developing the product a year later, all while maintaining their day jobs.
The dessert’s appeal lies in its exclusivity—sold only through delivery apps for a limited time each day, at £15 a piece. Its success has sparked copycats marketed as “Dubai chocolate,” which Alani says hurt the brand by offering inferior imitations.
For Sara, the goal was deeply personal. She wanted to recreate the flavors of her mother’s homemade kadaifi, a pastry dough dessert made from shredded filo strands. “The crunch of the phyllo, the texture, the pistachio—it all had to be perfect,” she says.
What started as a pregnancy craving has now evolved into a cultural phenomenon. Can’t Get Knafeh of It isn’t just a dessert—it’s a success story of taste, identity, and viral power.
