Specialty coffee in United Arab Emirates

Specialty coffee in the United Arab Emirates builds on centuries of Arabic coffee hospitality, with Raw Coffee launching Dubai's specialty scene in 2007. Gahwa, Arabic coffee poured from a dallah, is central to Emirati hospitality, and the dallah even appears on the dirham. Raw Coffee, founded by New Zealander Kim Thompson in 2007, was the first to focus on ethically sourced specialty beans. Dubai's Al Quoz industrial area has since become the roasting district, home to Raw Coffee and Emirati Coffee, and Drop Coffee roasts on site on Al Wasl Road, where Mokha 1450 highlights coffee from women-owned farms.

The cafés listed here are split between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, whose own specialty scene has grown alongside its neighbour's.

Expect evening, not morning, to be the busiest time in cafés, and around 15% of specialty sales going to V60 and other manual brews.