Al Aqssa Sweets

Al Aqssa Sweets is a Palestinian pastry shop on Salam Street in the Tourist Club area of Al Zahiyah, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. It has been open since 1980 and is an Urban Treasures establishment, a programme that recognises long-running independent businesses in the capital. The shop is famed for Nabulsi kunafa, the Palestinian cheese pastry of Nablus origin, made with soft white cheese, fine semolina or vermicelli-like pastry and a sugar syrup, and served hot. Baklava and basbousa, the semolina cake soaked in syrup, are other staples of the counter, so the shop offers a compact tour of Levantine sweets. The format is dine-in and takeaway, and the atmosphere is that of an old-school sweet shop: simple fittings, quick service and a steady flow of customers collecting boxes for family gatherings. The noise level is moderate, and dress is casual. Prices are at the budget end, roughly AED 15 to 35 per person, and one guide estimates about AED 60 for two. No alcohol is involved, and drinks are usually tea or coffee to accompany the sweets. Opening hours differ across guides, from about 09:00 to between 23:00 and midnight, so visitors planning a late visit should confirm on the day. Reservations are not used, and the shop operates on a walk-in basis. The Tourist Club area is central and accessible by taxi or bus, and the shop can be combined with a walk through the surrounding neighbourhood or a visit to the Corniche. Kunafa is best eaten while hot, so dining in rather than taking away gives the best result. No official website is listed for the shop in the data held here.