Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a major global health concern, with increasing prevalence worldwide. Dietary modification is the cornerstone and initial recommendation for management. Adherence to recommended dietary practice significantly affects diabetic control but is not uniformly practiced. Objectives: To assess perceived adherence and barriers to following recommended diet among T2DM patients. Methods: A descriptive study was conducted on 40 diabetic patients in the family practice clinic at Suez Canal University (SCU) hospital. T2DM participants were above 20 years of age. Patients were interviewed using El-Gilany questionnaire to assess socio-demographic characteristics. Perceived Dietary Adherence Questionnaire (PDAQ) was used for dietary adherence and Schlundt's taxonomy for obstacles against dietary adherence. Results: A significant percentage (97.5%) of the participants had poor adherence to dietary recommendations. The highest mean score was obtained for the question regarding consuming foods high in sugar and fat with a mean of 4.16 ± 2.19 and 4.70 ± 2.23 times a week respectively. In addition, participants had poor adherence to spacing carbohydrates evenly throughout the day and low consumption of foods prepared with olive oil with a mean of 0.21 ± 0.47 and 0.48 ± 0.55 times a week respectively. Lack of dietary knowledge (84%), inability to afford the cost of the recommended diet (61%) and stress (60%) were perceived barriers to practicing dietary recommendations. Conclusion: The rate of non-adherence to dietary recommendations among T2DM patients is high. Healthcare providers should be proactive in tackling barriers to non-adherence and promote adherence to dietary recommendations in T2DM patients.