I know I’m not telling you anything new when I say that Dubai is next level. The world’s tallest building. Ski slopes in the middle of the desert. Palm-shaped islands. Seven star hotels.

Next level.

The same goes for coffee. Dubai has some of the best specialty coffee shops in the world, serving some of the best coffee in the world.

Like these ones below.

Julith Coffee

Julith entered the Dubai coffee scene with a bang. Actually, with a bid.

The café became known quickly after its record-setting Best of Panama purchase, which put it in headlines around the world before many people had even sat down there properly. But I don’t think that’s the most interesting part of the shop. What’s more interesting is how serious the coffee program is.

Julith is a roastery, brew lounge, omakase bar, concept store and social space spread across two floors in Al Quoz. The name comes from “just like this,” which tells you a little about the tone of the place. It isn’t trying to make coffee feel more complicated than it needs to be.

The coffee is led by Serkan Sağsöz, a three-time Turkish Barista Champion and former Turkish Coffee Roasting Champion. He’s built a menu that is extensive but still feels curated. Pushing coffee as far as it can go without losing sight of why people enjoy drinking it in the first place.

Don’t leave without trying the Julith Flat White. The Rotovapor milk changes the texture and sweetness in a way I can’t describe and you won’t forget.

The Espresso Lab

Founded by Emirati entrepreneur Ibrahim Al Mallouhi, The Espresso Lab became one of the cafés most closely associated with Dubai’s shift toward serious specialty coffee. It has always approached coffee with a slightly purist mindset, originally refusing to serve sugar or espresso to-go because they wanted customers to experience the coffee properly.  

Today The Espresso Lab is cafés (in Dubai and Abu Dhabi), a roastery (in Al Quoz) and home to the 2025 UAE National Barista Champion, the 2026 UAE National Brewer’s Cup Champion (Ibrahim himself) and the 2026 UAE National Roasting Champion.

Grandmother Coffee

Four years ago I met someone who has since become a good friend. It was his first time in Dubai and he asked me where he should go for the best coffee in the city.

Grandmother was on the list.

He visited every café I recommended. And years later, he still insists Grandmother is the best. Not just because of the coffee itself, although the coffee is consistently excellent.

What stayed with him was the hospitality.

He said Grandmother was one of the few places where he genuinely felt looked after instead of processed through a café. Not surprising when you know the tone is set at top by Frederick Warrens, who, in my opinion, is one of the best people in the UAE specialty coffee industry.

Cypher Urban Roastery

Speak to any serious specialty coffee enthusiast who’s been living in Dubai for a while, Cypher will feature in his/her list of the best coffee in the city. Founded in 2016, Cypher is a working roastery. To give you an idea of scale, the facility can easily can handle more than 30 tons of coffee, with temperature-controlled storage, cupping rooms and a lab.

Don’t expect flashy. Think simple, understated. Cypher has spent less time on interior design and more time on sourcing, roasting and consistency.

Kurasu Dubai

If you’re looking for a space that feels truly removed from the hustle and bustle of Dubai, Kurasu‘s Dar Wasl cafe is it.

It doesn’t feel like a Kyoto brand copied and pasted into the UAE. It feels like someone understood what should travel and what shouldn’t. And what has made the journey is the same calm Kurasu is known for: light wood, soft music, careful brewing, and service that feels natural rather than rehearsed.

The Barn Dubai

The Barn’s Dubai café sits in Al Khazzan Park, which is still one of the best coffee shop locations in the city. You are close to Al Wasl, City Walk and Downtown, but the café itself feels removed from all of that. It’s a standalone bungalow surrounded by greenery, and during the cooler months, sitting outside, under that big tree, with a clean filter coffee is about as good as Dubai café life gets.

The Barn gives Dubai something the city does not always do naturally: restraint.

Subko

The space at Warehouse 15 in Alserkal Avenue is Subko‘s first international location and one you have a to check out. It’s not a café. It’s a 5,000-plus square foot experience centre built around specialty coffee, sourdough, croissants and fine cacao.  

Subko is one of the few (if not the only) Dubai cafés that gives Indian specialty coffee a serious platform without treating it like a novelty.

Dubai has plenty of cafés with global ambition. Subko brings regional ambition.

BKRY

As the name suggests, BKRY is a bakery first. And it’s exceptionally good at being a bakery. The reason why it’s on this list is that the coffee is from the same people behind Archers and Benchmark.

Founded by Kameel Rasyid, an Indonesian pastry chef, baker and chocolatier in Alserkal Avenue (yes, same place as Subko) in 2024, the bakery describes itself as an experimental bakespace.

You will queue to get in. But it’s worth it.

Honorable mention: Benchmark

Benchmark is not in Dubai. But it’s so good, it has to be on this list.

Located in Aljada, Sharjah, it’s a specialty café and micro-roastery, producing very small batches on a Loring S7 Nighthawk. It’s the dictionary definition of a neighbourhood coffee shop built around genuinely good coffee.

And I’m not the only one that thinks so. The World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops ranked Benchmark at number 18 globally.

Range

Ten years ago, finding genuinely good specialty coffee in Dubai required effort. Today, the problem is different. There’s so much exceptionally good coffee here now that it’s impossible to experience it properly in a single trip.

The cafés on this list are a good place to start though.

Julith is expanding what specialty coffee in Dubai can look like. The Espresso Lab is still helping define what serious specialty coffee in Dubai looks like. Grandmother proves you can deliver the best coffee and the best service in equal parts. Cypher keeps delivering while trends keep changing. Kurasu proves the Japanese approach to coffee can travel. The Barn proves restraint still has a place in Dubai. Subko makes South Asian coffee a credible part of the local conversation. BKRY is a reminder that pastry and coffee still belong together. Benchmark is as good a reason as any to leave Dubai.

That range is what makes Dubai interesting.

Five coffee roasters you must visit in Dubai

FAQ

What are the best specialty coffee shops in Dubai right now?

Some of the best specialty coffee shops in Dubai right now include Julith Coffee, The Espresso Lab, Grandmother Coffee, Cypher Urban Roastery, Kurasu Dubai, The Barn Dubai, Subko, and BKRY. Each café has a different approach to coffee, hospitality, roasting, and atmosphere.

Which Dubai coffee shop is best for pour over coffee?

Kurasu Dubai, The Barn Dubai, Julith Coffee, and Cypher Urban Roastery are among the best Dubai cafés for pour over coffee. Kurasu focuses on a quieter Kyoto-style brewing experience, while The Barn and Cypher are known for cleaner, origin-focused roasting styles.

Which coffee shop in Dubai has the best atmosphere?

That depends on what you want from the experience. Grandmother Coffee is known for hospitality and warmth. Kurasu Dubai feels calm and understated. The Barn Dubai offers one of the best outdoor café settings in the city during cooler months. BKRY has a much louder, busier energy built around pastry and coffee culture.

What is the most famous specialty coffee shop in Dubai?

The Espresso Lab is one of the most influential specialty coffee brands in Dubai and helped shape the city’s modern coffee culture. Julith Coffee also became internationally known after its record-setting Best of Panama coffee purchase.

Which Dubai café is best for coffee enthusiasts?

Julith Coffee and Cypher Urban Roastery are especially strong choices for serious coffee enthusiasts. Julith pushes coffee toward more experimental and luxury experiences, while Cypher is respected for its roasting consistency and long-standing reputation within Dubai specialty coffee.

Are there good specialty coffee shops outside Dubai?

Yes. Benchmark Coffee in Sharjah is widely respected within the UAE specialty coffee community. Located in Aljada, it operates as both a café and micro-roastery and was ranked among The World’s 100 Best Coffee Shops.

Which Dubai coffee shop is best for pastries and coffee together?

BKRY is one of the best places in Dubai for pastry and coffee together. Located in Alserkal Avenue, it became known quickly for its pastries, bakery program, and coffee collaboration with the teams behind Archers and Benchmark.