Vote in the UAE’s most honest coffee awards

When I started FLTR Magazine, it was because I believed specialty coffee deserved honest conversations. Over the years, I have met baristas who work quietly, roasters who obsess over every detail, and cafés that give so much to their communities. Yet too often, recognition depends on marketing budgets or social media followers instead of real excellence. That is why I created Criterium.

Criterium is an independent platform I built to unearth the best in specialty coffee across the UAE. I designed it with three guiding principles: transparency, community, and respect for the craft. These awards are decided by public votes alone. Sponsors do not decide outcomes and no brands buy placements. Every nomination and every vote comes directly from people who care about coffee.

Criterium is here to celebrate cafés that get it right day after day, baristas who lift every interaction, roasters who set higher standards, and equipment that helps everyone make better coffee. It puts power in the hands of the community, not advertisers. The only thing that matters is what you, the people who live and breathe coffee, believe deserves to be recognized.

A guide with a long-term mission

I built Criterium with a clear mission: to become a trusted resource for everyone who loves great coffee. In time, Criterium will add a deeper layer of evaluation to highlight excellence in more rigorous ways. But right now, my goal is simple. I want every person in the UAE coffee community to have a voice. Whether you are a barista, café owner, home brewer, or someone who loves discovering new places, your vote can help shine a light on those who truly deserve recognition.

Why community must lead the future of coffee

Bringing the Home Barista Show to life taught me just how powerful community can be in specialty coffee. I saw people who had never met come together over shared passions, and I realized specialty coffee thrives when it brings people closer. A barista who remembers your order, a café that makes you feel welcome, a roaster who pays attention to sourcing and quality — these details matter more than any marketing campaign.

Specialty coffee cannot be defined only by certificates or expensive branding. It must be built on the relationships between people who care deeply about every cup. That is why Criterium is starting with the voice of the community. This first edition is designed entirely around your votes. It is your chance to celebrate spaces, people, and products making coffee better, not because a sponsor says so, but because the community does.

The voting process

Criterium will unfold in three clear steps, giving everyone a fair chance to participate.

First is the nomination window. From today until Saturday, 5 July at 23.59, you can nominate the people, cafés, or products you believe deserve recognition. The five nominees with the most nominations in each category will move on.

Second comes the voting period. From Monday, 7 July at 09.00 until Saturday, 12 July at 23.59, everyone can vote among the Top 5 nominees in each category. This step will determine the winners.

Finally, I will announce the winners for every category right here on FLTR Magazine, giving recognition to those you believe have earned it.

For regular updates, important dates, and the competition FAQ, visit the Criterium Instagram page.

Sponsorships and integrity

I am open to welcoming sponsors who want to support Criterium and the community. But I want it to be absolutely clear that no sponsor will ever influence nominations, voting, or results. Criterium will never sell placements or manipulate outcomes. Every award will be decided by community votes alone, keeping the guide transparent and trustworthy.

The categories you can vote for

Each award category was chosen to reflect what truly matters in specialty coffee today. These are not categories created to please sponsors or fill a list. They are designed to spotlight the people, places, and experiences that make coffee better in the UAE. As Criterium grows, expect more categories to come — all focused on celebrating what the community values most.

Best coffee shop

Vote for the café that consistently delivers quality coffee, professional service, and an experience worth returning for. Think about places where both the drinks and the team make you feel at home.

Best barista

Vote for the barista whose skill, professionalism, and warmth make every coffee memorable.

Best technician

Choose the technician who keeps coffee equipment running smoothly and saves cafés from service disruptions through dedication and expertise.

Best roastery

Select the roasting company that consistently produces exceptional coffee, sources transparently, and contributes positively to the local coffee community.

Best coffee educator

Pick the person who makes coffee easier to understand and more enjoyable to learn, whether through workshops, online content, or in-person teaching.

Best online coffee experience

Vote for the e-commerce website delivering a complete and satisfying coffee experience online. Consider sites with intuitive navigation, engaging content, detailed information, transparent pricing, and responsive support. Recognize businesses that make exploring, learning, and shopping for coffee enjoyable for everyone.

Vote here.

Why your vote matters

Every vote you cast is a step toward building a guide that reflects what the community truly values. Without your voice, awards risk becoming tools for marketing departments or popularity contests. With your voice, Criterium becomes a platform for real recognition, celebrating the people, places, and products that make coffee better for everyone.

Your vote will shine a light on cafés and professionals working every day to raise standards. It will help others discover quality they might not have known existed. It will show the world that excellence in coffee is defined by those who do the work, not those with the biggest advertising budgets.

Where to cast your vote

Nominate and vote now on the dedicated Criterium voting page on FLTR. This is your chance to highlight what you believe is exceptional, support those who make a difference, and guide others to better coffee. For ongoing updates and announcements, follow the Criterium Instagram page.

I created Criterium to give the UAE coffee community a fair, transparent, and lasting guide. I invite you to be part of it by making your voice heard today.

We’ll start by gathering your nominations of who and/or what equipment belongs on the Top 5 shortlist. Click here to vote.