The applause inside the auditorium had been warm and appreciative throughout Abu Dhabi’s fifth Urban Treasures Award Ceremony. But when one winner — the renowned Sea Shell Cafeteria that for decades has served residents of all ages was announced, the reaction shifted noticeably. The cheers grew louder; the clapping lasted longer.
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It was a reminder that the businesses being honoured on Tuesday were more than shops, salons or restaurants. For many residents, they are places woven into the fabric of everyday life, tied to childhood memories, family traditions and decades-long relationships.
This year’s edition of the Urban Treasures initiative, organised by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), recognised 15 long-standing establishments that have helped shape the emirate’s social and cultural landscape over generations.
With the latest additions, the total number of businesses celebrated under the initiative has reached 75.
Speaking during the ceremony, Saud Al Hosani, Undersecretary of DCT Abu Dhabi, said the institutions being recognised represented “living landmarks” that had become part of Abu Dhabi’s collective memory.
“These institutions are not merely commercial establishments, nor are they recognised simply because they have existed for more than two decades,” he said. “They are vibrant human landmarks connected to people’s memories.”
He noted that despite changes, challenges and the passing of generations, the honoured establishments had remained steadfast.
“They became an authentic part of the emirate’s memory. Families returned to them year after year, genuine human relationships were formed within them, and they embodied the details of everyday life with all its warmth, simplicity and authenticity.”
Unlike many award programmes, Urban Treasures relies heavily on public nominations, allowing residents themselves to identify the places that have left a lasting mark on their lives.
“The initiative belongs, at its core, to the people and the community,” Al Hosani said.
Among the winners honoured this year were businesses whose stories stretch back decades and whose customers often span three or even four generations.
‘My father, grandfather were tailors’
Few winners illustrated that intergenerational connection more vividly than Zubaid Tailoring and Embroidery.
As Khaleej Times interviewed founder Zubaid Hussain following the ceremony, the conversation was repeatedly interrupted by women approaching to congratulate him, enquire about pending orders, or simply express their affection for the business.
One senior DCT official stopped to request a photograph with Hussain and his sons, explaining that both she and her mother had been long-time customers. Earlier, another event organiser had shared that she, her mother and grandmother had all relied on the tailoring house’s services.
The impromptu encounters said as much about the business’s legacy as the award itself. Hussain’s story began far from Abu Dhabi. Originally from Pakistan, he learned the craft through a family tradition. “My father was a tailor. My grandfather was a tailor.” He moved first to Kuwait before arriving in Abu Dhabi in 1977, when he was just 16 or 17 years old. “I have been in the UAE for 48 years now,” he said.
The business specialises in traditional Emirati attire and has remained dedicated to preserving heritage craftsmanship. “It’s all heritage,” Hussain said. “Everything is heritage.” Operating from Airport Road, the tailoring house has built such a loyal following that customers sometimes face months-long waiting periods. “Six months,” Hussain said when asked about his waiting list. “I cannot finish before that.”
Asked what distinguished the business, he pointed to principles established decades ago. “First of all, principles,” he said, emphasising quality and introducing new designs while maintaining traditional standards. Today, the next generation has joined the enterprise, ensuring the family’s tailoring legacy continues.
From translating for Sheikh Zayed to introducing falafel to Al Ain
For Mohammed Hussam, the Urban Treasures recognition honoured not just a cafeteria, but his father’s extraordinary journey. Hussam Cafeteria, established in Al Ain in 1973, traces its roots back to Jordan. His father arrived in the UAE in the early 1970s and initially worked in agriculture.
At the time, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan was deeply invested in Al Ain’s greening efforts. “There were many agricultural companies coming from Britain for the planting projects,” Mohammed Hussam explained. “My father worked there and used to accompany Sheikh Zayed during site visits as a translator.”
Eventually, his father decided to open a cafeteria. The establishment has remained in the same general area near the roundabout in Al Ain, even after redevelopment required rebuilding nearby. One of the cafeteria’s earliest claims to fame was introducing residents to falafel.
“Falafel, honestly,” Hussam said when asked about their signature dish. “People didn’t know what it was. They would ask, ‘What is this?’” Alongside falafel, the cafeteria became known for staples such as hummus, foul, fatta, liver dishes and other Levantine favourites.
Over the decades, Hussam Cafeteria expanded to four branches. But its greatest source of pride remains the continuity of its customers. “We have many young people coming in,” Hussam said. “Even the older staff say, ‘I knew this boy when he was little.’” The cafeteria’s story, he added, is one of generations returning to familiar tastes.
How neighbourhood barber became men’s wellness destination
When Kanaan Gents Salon first opened, its services reflected a simpler era. “A man only focused on beard trimming and haircuts,” said partner Omar Siddique.
Thirty-six years later, the business has evolved into something far more comprehensive. “What started as a normal barber shop became a men’s care centre,” he explained.
Today, Kanaan offers services ranging from Moroccan baths and massages to facials, nail care and specialised grooming packages for grooms preparing for their weddings. The business now operates ten branches across Abu Dhabi, including locations in Shahama, Bani Yas and Al Ain. Its first branch opened in Muroor.
Siddique said the transformation reflected changing expectations among male customers. “We don’t want people to think this is just a barber shop,” he said. Among the salon’s distinguishing features is an emphasis on privacy. Rather than relying solely on open-plan layouts, Kanaan provides enclosed treatment spaces for clients seeking discretion. “If someone wants hair colouring or other services, they don’t have to feel embarrassed,” Siddique explained.
The salon has also built a reputation for traditional beard grooming techniques. “Beard trimming is more important than haircuts for many Abu Dhabi residents,” he said. Their barbers specialise in scissor techniques rather than relying entirely on electric clippers. “It’s done hair by hair,” Siddique said.
As grooming trends continue to evolve, the business plans to adapt alongside them, introducing new products and experiences while preserving the personal service that helped establish its reputation.
‘When a customer enters, it’s as if they enter our home’
Dubai Special Kabab’s origins stretch back even further. Although the Abu Dhabi branch has operated in the capital for nearly four decades, the family’s culinary story began in Dubai in the early 1970s.
Current owner Kumran Ali said he and his uncle brought the concept to Abu Dhabi in 1987. “I grew up with it,” he said. “Since I was very young, I was going to the restaurant.”
As a child, he would accompany relatives to the establishment before gradually assuming greater responsibilities. The business eventually relocated within Abu Dhabi following redevelopment, settling near the Ministry of Finance on Al Falah Street.
Among its most famous offerings is ‘tikka bil roub’, marinated meat prepared using yoghurt-based recipes that have remained unchanged over generations. “The taste has never changed,” Ali said. “The same taste from when we opened the restaurant is the same taste today.”
The restaurant sources much of its produce locally and remains known for dishes including saffron chicken, kebabs and its distinctive “sultani kebab”. Ali attributes the restaurant’s longevity to consistency. “When a customer enters the restaurant, it’s as if they enter our home,” he said.
Service and hospitality, he added, matter just as much as the food. “In those days there was no social media and no advertising,” he said. “People would tell their friends. Quality and consistency made people love you.” Some customers still travel considerable distances for meals. “We have people coming from Liwa, driving four hours just to eat here,” Ali said.
The restaurant’s reputation was also shaped by Ali’s late uncle, Amanullah, whose cooking became legendary at weddings and community gatherings. “If he wasn’t the chef, people wouldn’t attend,” Ali recalled with a smile. Today, younger family members continue to work in the business, carrying forward recipes and traditions that have endured for decades.
As Abu Dhabi continues to evolve, initiatives such as Urban Treasures offer recognition not only to businesses that have survived the passage of time, but to those that have helped define it.
In a city often associated with rapid growth and transformation, the award ceremony served as a reminder that some of Abu Dhabi’s most enduring landmarks are not always found in guidebooks or architectural icons.
And judging by the enthusiastic applause that echoed through the theatre, Abu Dhabi’s residents know exactly where to find them.
Source: Khaleej Times