What Zad is and where to find it
Zad is the food-truck park in Madar, the family district at the centre of Aljada, Muwaileh Commercial, Sharjah. The Ruler of Sharjah opened Madar on 27 February 2020 (Arada), and it is free to enter (Visit Sharjah). The trucks sit near Madar Play Park, the skate park and BOUNCE.
Zad’s size has changed over the years, so any count is a snapshot:
| Date | Outlets | Published by |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 2020 | 18 | Arada |
| After an expansion | 24 | Construction Week |
| Undated | 18 brands | Visit Sharjah |
| 2 Sep 2026 | 12+ | The National |
The latest figure, from The National’s Vida Aljada preview, suggests Zad is smaller now than at its peak.
Looking for food trucks elsewhere in Sharjah? Arada runs a second Zad at Masaar, its forest community (Arada). Some truck lists online mix the two parks.
Opening hours: what has actually been published
Arada publishes no current hours for Zad or Madar. Each truck keeps its own hours, and the published figures are old:
| Published by | Hours | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Arada | Zad open 3pm–midnight daily | Sep 2020 |
| Arada | The Mighty Meat noon–1am; Core Café noon–midnight | Jan 2023 |
| Property Finder | Pickl. 12pm–4am; Krush Burger 11am–3pm; Ozzy Burgers 12pm–12am | Feb 2025 |
| Bayut | Zad 11am–midnight | Undated; page now offline |
If you plan to arrive after 10pm, check the truck’s own Instagram or Zad’s accounts (visitzad.com, @wearezad) first.
These nearby venues do publish their own hours (checked 30 September 2026):
| Venue | Hours | Source |
|---|---|---|
| BOUNCE Sharjah | Sun–Wed 10am–10pm; Thu–Sat 10am–midnight | bounce.ae |
| Wellfit Madar gym | Sun–Thu 5:30am–11pm; Fri–Sat 7am–10pm | wellfit.me |
| Manbat, Areej 6 | Daily 8am–midnight | Visit Sharjah |
Which food trucks are at Zad?
There is no official 2026 vendor list. Here is everything with a date on it.
Named by Arada or the press
- September 2020 (Arada): Meet (Meat Studio) became the 18th outlet. The picnic area had Spicy Station, Verger (vegan), Dr Pasta, Amorino, Musl (seafood) and the Shaklan minimart.
- After the expansion to 24 outlets (Construction Week): a drive-thru zone with Slice & Bun, Chick’nCone, Cracked, Krush Burger, Mr Brisket, Retro 7, Cupagahwa, Sushi Station, Doukies and Kullaj Omar.
- January 2023 (Arada): The Mighty Meat and Core Café (Arada).
- Other Arada announcements: Feels and Spicy Station (Arada).
- February 2025 (Property Finder): Pickl., Krush Burger and Ozzy Burgers (Property Finder).
Listed on this page since October 2025, not re-checked
Check these before you visit: Liblib (shawarma), Karaktak (karak tea and coffee), Cult Matcha, Chicago Beach (fried chicken and burgers), Bonbird (fried chicken), Taqado Mexican Kitchen, Oakberry (açaí), Boost Juice, Yog Up, French Fries Love, Yuki No Hana (Japanese desserts) and AllDay Market (convenience store).
Hoof (speciality coffee) and Hoop were also on this list. Both appear in a December 2024 list of new trucks that may belong to Zad at Masaar, so confirm which park they are at.
Earlier versions of this page gave hours for every truck. We removed them because none could be confirmed for 2026, and one conflicted with Property Finder’s listing.
Parking at Zad since 15 July 2026
Parking in Aljada is no longer free. Parkin runs ticketless, number-plate-recognition parking under a deal with Arada (Arada):
| Where | Tariff | Paid hours |
|---|---|---|
| Off-street lots | AED 4.20 an hour | 8am–midnight |
| East Boulevard, on-street | AED 6.30 an hour | 24 hours |
| Retail parking at The Boulevard, Tiraz and Misk | First 2 hours free, then AED 10 an hour | Not stated |
Arada has not said which tariff covers the Madar visitor lots, so read the signs and check the Parkin app. Pay through the app; the helpline is 800 7275. BOUNCE says parking in front of its venue is free.
Getting there without a car
There is no metro and no bus stop inside Aljada; the nearest is the Muwaileh bus stop (Property Finder). Taxis and ride-hailing apps are the practical option. Once inside, Yalla e-scooters and e-bikes are available to riders aged 18 and over.
Tips for a visit
- Come in the evening. Reviewers single out the park at night, when it is lit (Wanderlog).
- For children, Madar Play Park and the skate park are free. BOUNCE charges from AED 90 an hour and AED 80 for miniBOUNCE (bounce.ae list prices, 30 September 2026), and grip socks cost AED 5 (Kidzapp).
- Drive-in cinema: Visit Sharjah says Zad food was delivered to cars at the free drive-in, which screened nightly from 8pm. No 2026 schedule has been published.
- Want a table? Our Aljada restaurants guide covers East Boulevard, the Vida hotel and Madar’s cafés. For the wider area, see the Aljada community guide.