Where to Find the Viral Dubai Knefeh Chocolate in Houston

“Dubai Chocolate” has made its debut in Houston, and people are lining up in droves to get their hands on the crunchy, gooey treat.

In the form of bars, truffles, and other forms, chocolate knafeh is the appropriate name. Knafeh is the popular Middle Eastern dessert made with phyllo dough, cheese, and pistachios. Chocolate knafeh involves covering the phyllo dough and pistachio butter dough mixture with chocolate. The result is a chocolate shell with a crunchy, gooey pistachio-flavored interior.

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It all started when Maria Vahera, a UAE-based TikToker who tests cooking, posted herself trying chocolate from Dubai-based FIX Dessert Chocolatier; the video has now been viewed 64 million times. The videos have since gone viral, with people searching for it and making it at home.

Houston stores only picked up the trend a few weeks ago, but have seen a surge in interest in the chocolate, leading to long lines or out-of-stock items at stores. Here’s where you can find Dubai’s viral chocolate locally.

ChocolatZeina has been making chocolate treats for four generations in the Middle East. It opened its only U.S. store in Houston in 2018. Owner Zeina Silk said ChocolatZeina stores in Jordan, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon started making the knafeh chocolate about a month ago, when the product went viral. They started making them fresh in the Houston store about two weeks ago. She said the product has been wildly popular, selling a few pounds a day, as people have said they want to try it after seeing it on TikTok. The shop also sells a Biscoff cookie version.

Currently, they sell pyramid-shaped chocolate knafeh truffles for about $2 each. The chocolates are sold by weight at ChocolatZeina.

6100 Westheimer, Suite 136; chocolatzeina.com

Mariam Lakha has been making desserts for a while, but she launched her business Coco Melt Box when she started making Dubai’s famous chocolate about a month ago. It offers three flavours: pistachio, Nutella and Biscoff, in a round shape.

Customers can order by direct messaging the business on Instagram and it will meet them at a pickup location in Cypress or Richmond. They cost $30 for six (the minimum that can be ordered).

Cypress and Richmond; instagram.com/thecocomeltbox

Cupcake Novelties has a commercial factory in Richmond, where it makes desserts and treats specifically for large events. It started making three flavors of Dubai candy bars (pistachio, Nutella and Biscoff) last month. Regular-sized thick bars can be ordered on its website, while crescent moon and truffle shapes can also be requested. Owner Farozan Jivraj said she packages them beautifully, making them great gifts.

The bars can be ordered for $20 each. Customers can pick them up at a Richmond location or opt for nationwide delivery.

Richmond; cupcakenovelties.com

Recently opened, Golden Roastery has been steadily selling out of its knafeh chocolates shipped from Dubai. The shop should be getting more in about a week. Additionally, the owners recently started making the bars in-house. Instead of using pistachio butter, they opt for cookie butter made from the same phyllo dough they use for their knafeh. The treats can be enjoyed in the shop’s café area.

Each of the freshly made bars costs $6.99. All shipped chocolates cost $22.99 per pound.

3111 Fondren; instagram.com/goldenroastery.store

Just over a week after offering Dubai chocolate, Royal Roastery became the most visited Houston store on TikTok. Influencers directed people to Royal Roastery if they were looking for Dubai chocolate, leading to long lines. Owner Mohamad Iweinat said they make 1,500 to 2,000 bars a day. He said they wake up at 5 a.m. to make the chocolate in an attempt to cut down on wait times. On TikTok, customers reported waiting anywhere from 45 minutes to three hours for the bars because they kept selling out.

6467 Westheimer; royalroastery.com