From boutique brews to world-class roasters…

Dubai’s coffee scene has come a long way. Whether you’re a magic fanatic, or a home-brewer in search of the finest beans, you’ll find a homegrown cafe or boutique roaster within easy reach.

Here, we’ve rounded up some of the best coffee shops and roasters in Dubai.

Alchemy

Expect a futuristic setting and state-of-the-art brews at this sleek café, housed within a stylish villa opposite Dar Wasl Mall.

Alchemy Dubai, Al Wasl Rd, Jumeirah, Mon to Fri 8am to 10pm, Sat & Sun 8am to 11pm. Tel: (0)4 344 2466. alchemydubai.com

Black Coffee by Cafe Younes

With origins in Beirut that date back to the 1930s, this third-generation coffee business recently set up shop in Dubai. They roast their own beans on-site, producing a range of styles and strengths to suit every taste, from French or Lebanese to the heart-starting Power Breakfast blend.

Black Coffee by Cafe Younes, Duja Tower, Sheikh Zayed Road, Sun to Wed 7.30am to 10.30pm, Thu to Sat 7.30am to 11.30pm. Tel: (0)56 175 0480. @blackcoffee.ae

Boon

Founder Orit Mohammed’s family has been involved in the Ethiopian coffee trade for generations. Sample her organic, single-origin brews at this JLT roaster-café.

Boon Coffee, various locations, weekdays 8am to 10pm, weekends 8am to 11pm. Tel: (0)4 421 4500. booncoffee.com

Boston Lane

Get a taste of Melbourne café culture at this Instagrammable cafe in The Courtyard, Al Quoz, with a pitch-perfect Magic coffee and Aussie staples such as smashed avocado and comforting toasties.

Boston Lane, The Courtyard, 6A St, Al Quoz, daily 7.30am to 7pm. @bostonlane.dubai

Brew Cafe

The queues have been known to snake around the block at this popular haunt, which serves light and fruity filter coffees and mochas made with Valrhona chocolate.

Brew Cafe, Jumeirah Beach Rd, Umm Suqeim 2, daily 7.30am to 10.30pm. @brewcafeuae

The Climbing Goat Roastery

Another welcome addition to the Depachika Food Hall, in Palm Jumeirah’s Nakheel Mall, The Climbing Goat Roastery dishes out freshly roasted beans to go, plus expertly pulled espressos, V60s and filter brews.

The Climbing Goat Roastery, Nakheel Mall, daily 11am to 6pm. Tel: (0)56 548 6127. @the_climbing_goat_roastery

Drop

Top-rated baristas, excellent cold brews, and a contemporary, light-filled space are the hallmarks of this cool café.

Drop Dubai, various locations, daily 10am to 10pm. @wearedropcoffee

Emirati Coffee Co

Quality trumps quantity at Emirati Coffee Co, with a focus on using the world’s top two per cent of beans, and a coffee menu that’s split into black, white, manual and cold.

Emirati Coffee, 14 9B Al Quoz Industrial Estate 3, Sun to Thu 9am to 5pm, and Dar Wasl Mall. Tel: (0)4 339 5814. emiraticoffee.com

The Espresso Lab

This smart café-roaster in the Dubai Design District comes from Emirati entrepreneur Ibrahim Al Mallouhi. Try a citrus-infused espresso or low-acidity cold drip.

The Espresso Lab, Unit 8, Building 7, Dubai Design District, daily 7.30am to 8pm. theespressolab.com

Gold Box Roastery

Order freshly roasted brews crafted by award-winning baristas Lyndon Recera and Mark Uy.

Gold Box Roastery, Warehouse 7, Umm Suqeim Rd East, Industrial 3, Al Quoz, Sat to Thu 9am to 6pm. Tel: (0)4 341 4320. goldboxroastery.com

Kaffe Bloom

You’ll find this cute cafe tucked inside the 1004 Gourmet Asian grocer in The Greens. The beans come from Berlin and Korea, with a range of extraction methods available.

 Kaffe Bloom, 1004 Gourmet, Onyx Tower, The Greens, Mon to Sat 9am to 10pm, Sun 11am to 9pm. Tel: (0)4 394 3973. @kaffebloom

Mokha 1450

Coffee is elevated to an art form at Garfield Kerr’s boutiques, which offer a range of brewing methods and scrupulously sourced beans.

Mokha 1450, Aswaaq Centre, Al Badaa, Al Wasl Road and Building 8, Golden Mile Galleria, Palm Jumeirah, daily 7am to 10pm. mokha1450.com

NightJar

At this hip coffee bar in Al Quoz, take a seat at the copper bar and order a glass of nitro cold brew infused with cherry, orange or maple, then buy bags of artisanal beans to go.

Nightjar, 8^th St, Industrial 1 Warehouse G62, Al Quoz, daily 10am to 9pm. Tel: (0)50 365 1120. nightjar.coffee

Raw Coffee Company

Visit this pioneering Al Quoz roaster and cafe to sample single origin coffees sourced direct from farmers, tour the roastery or take a barista class.

Raw Coffee Company, Corner of Street 7a and 4a, Warehouse #10, Al Quoz 1, daily 7.30am to 10pm. Tel: (0)4 339 5474. rawcoffeecompany.com

Rx Coffee Apothecary

This hidden gem in Jumeirah 3 uses light-roast Fuglen beans from Japan and Norway in its range of filter and espresso coffees. It’s worth a visit for the expertly poured coffees, served in handcrafted ceramics alone – but you’ll want to stay for the luscious Parklane cheesecake, wickedly good truffle khachapuri, and the Instagrammable interiors.

Rx Coffee Apothecary, Al Athar St, Jumeirah 3, Sat to Wed 8am to 11pm, Thu and Fri 8am to midnight, @rxcoffeedubai

Seven Fortunes Coffee Roasters

For freshly roasted beans to use at home, shop the range of single origins and blends from Seven Fortunes – you can even pick up the latest brewing equipment to up your coffee game.

Seven Fortunes, Warehouse 12, Al Asayel St, Al Quoz Industrial 2, 9am to 6pm. Tel: (0)4 338 5587. sevenfortunes.com

Stomping Grounds

This Aussie-run cafe in Jumeirah 1 has one of the most extensive coffee menus we’ve seen, with myriad extraction methods, beans and milks to choose from, plus signature creations such as the iced ginger coffee, and blackberry cold brew. The Stomping Grounds owners also run Specialty Batch Roastery, which was one of the first boutique roasters in Dubai.

Stomping Grounds, Villa 98, 12D St, Jumeirah 1, daily, 7.30am to 11pm. stompinggrounds.ae

Surge Coffee Roasters

Pick up bags of freshly roasted beans or a bottle of smooth Emirati Blend from this edgy roastery-café.

Surge Coffee Roasters, 26B Street, Al Quoz Industrial 4, daily 8am to 10pm. Tel: (0)58 953 5337. surgecoffeeroasters.com

The Sum of Us

While you linger over an expertly poured flat white in this industrial-chic café, watch all the action of the adjoining Encounter Coffee Roasters.

The Sum of Us, Burj Al Salam Trade Centre, 6^th St, daily 8am to 10pm. Tel: (0)56 445 7526. thesumofusdubai.com

Images: Social/Unsplash