The original Dubai Chocolate Bar went viral on TikTok last year, spawning many imitations and hacks. But in a delayed reaction of sorts, the trend has gotten a strong second wind on restaurant menus in mid-2025.
Chains including Shake Shack, Paris Baguette, Nick the Greek and MilkShake Factory have recently rolled out shakes, sweets and beverages that riff on the classic Middle Eastern treat of chocolate, pistachio and the crisp shreds of phyllo dough known as kataifi.
It’s easy to score what’s marketed as a Dubai Chocolate Bar at specialty retail food stores; in New York City a 7-ounce bar sells for about $19. You can also buy them on Amazon and at some Costco locations. All are patterned after the original “Can’t Get Knafeh Of It” bar, invented and sold at Fix Dessert Chocolatier in Dubai, which features milk chocolate filled with pistachio cream and shredded kataifi.
TikTok influencer Maria Vehera posted a video enjoying one of the Middle Eastern confections over a year ago that eventually garnered 125 million views. She plays up the ASMR appeal of the different textures—crunchy, creamy and silky—as she bites into the bar.
Reimagining the trend
Shake Shack put those components together into a new Dubai Chocolate Pistachio Shake. It features pistachio frozen custard mixed with toasted kataifi in a crackable dark chocolate shell, then topped with chopped pistachios and crunchy kataifi. It was first introduced at locations in the Middle East but in April, launched in three U.S. cities—New York, Los Angeles and Miami.
Shake Shack's Dubai Chocolate Pistachio Shake was revamped before its national launch. | Photo courtesy of Shake Shack.
Although the shake was an instant winner, some operational kinks had to be ironed out before it could roll out systemwide. The major hurdle: Workers were grilling the kataifi to crisp it up. That was unsustainable in a quick-service setting, and in the weeks since, Shake Shack swapped in crisp phyllo that didn’t require grilling. On Tuesday, the Dubai Chocolate Pistachio Shake launches nationwide for a limited time in limited quantities, selling for $9.49.
“As Shake Shack continues to grow globally, we’re always looking for ways to bring exciting, internationally inspired flavors to our menu,” said Jim Frisch, the fast casual’s director of culinary & commercialization, in a statement. “This shake was originally created for the UAE, inspired by the viral chocolate pistachio trend in Dubai. We used premium ingredients to give it a signature Shack spin, and when we introduced it in New York, LA and Miami, the response was incredible. Nearly every Shack sold out each day, and it was clear fans across the country were eager to try it.”
San Jose, California-based Nick the Greek reworked the chocolate bar ingredients a summer frozen dessert: the Pistachio Cream “Dubai Chocolate” Froyo. Frozen Greek yogurt is layered with pistachio butter, crisp kataifi, a chocolate shell and a pistachio cream drizzle.
Nick the Greek's Pistachio Cream “Dubai Chocolate” Froyo. | Photo courtesy of Nick the Greek.
Since the menu at this fast-casual chain is rooted in Mediterranean flavors, this dessert is not a big culinary stretch. “We’re always exploring new ways to deliver flavor, quality and cultural relevance while staying true to our brand heritage,” said COO Komiel Mohsen in a statement. “By tapping into international trends and creating indulgent moments, Nick the Greek continues to evolve in ways that resonate with today’s consumer.”
Bakery café chain Paris Baguette takes a departure from its Korean-French origins to travel to the Middle East with its latest menu additions. Included in a larger summer collection of strawberry and pistachio items are a Dubai Chocolate Mochi Donut, Dubai Chocolate Tart and Dubai Chocolate Matcha Latte—all takeoffs on the Dubai chocolate bar.
The donut starts with the chain’s signature mochi donut that is then topped with chocolate, rich pistachio cream, crunchy kataifi and crushed pistachio pieces, while the tart is filled with pistachio cream and kataifi, topped with chocolate ganache and sprinkled with crushed pistachio pieces.
“We have an incredibly creative R&D team of in-house chefs who are constantly exploring flavors and recipes that are quintessentially Paris Baguette, while tying in the latest innovations and trends,” said Cathy Chavenet, CMO at Paris Baguette North America. “As Dubai Chocolate continues to grow in popularity, we have developed our limited-time menu featuring this delectable profile which fits seamlessly with our new summer flavors of strawberry and pistachio.”
Pastries and a beverage inspired by the Dubai Chocolate Bar at Paris Baguette. | Photo courtesy of Paris Baguette.
The brand’s Dubai Chocolate Matcha Latte has the same chocolate-pistachio flavor profile in sippable form. Pistachio-flavored matcha latte is topped with chocolate mousse soft cream, crisp kataifi, chocolate drizzles and crushed pistachio pieces.
Starbucks’ guests can order a similar off-menu Pistachio Matcha Latte, minus the kataifi. The custom order starts with an iced matcha latte that’s sweetened with pistachio syrup and crowned with chocolate cream cold foam. Dunkin’ customers have discovered a similar hack, asking for a shot or two of mocha syrup in pistachio-flavored coffee; oat milk supposedly brings the experience closer to the real thing.
Instead of spinning off a treat, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based MilkShake Factory created the Dubai-Style Chocolate Bar, its own version of the original candy featuring pistachio cream and toasted kataifi wrapped in milk chocolate. It sells for just $5.95.
“We couldn’t resist jumping on the Dubai chocolate bar trend, and we wanted to give our customers an experience that was just as over-the-top and unforgettable,” said Dana Edwards Manatos, founder and CEO of MilkShake Factory, in a statement. “The Dubai-style chocolate bar craze was a perfect opportunity to take something globally inspired and make it our own. This bar is layered, luxurious and a perfect expression of what MilkShake Factory does best.”
The concept, which has expanded to Florida, Texas and Ohio, is known for its premium, house-made chocolates and handspun milkshakes.
While there’s been a notable surge in Dubai chocolate bar-inspired items on U.S. menus recently, there may be more to come. Large chains with international locations are dipping their toes into chocolate and pistachio cream overseas. Some McDonald’s restaurants in Europe and the UAE have tried a Dubai mini-donut with pistachio filling and kataifi dough. And Baskin-Robbins was offering Dubai chocolate ice cream in some parts of the world.
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