Great coffee is something we can all agree on. Forget Starbucks, TOAD spills the beans on the best baristas in town.
The capital’s emerging landscape of cafés is so vast it’s hard to know which to fraternise. It’s enough to drive you to the back of that interminable queue of teenage girls in Starbucks all ordering pink frozen drinks.
Don’t do that! TOAD jumped in a fleet of Careem taxis and cut through the noise of espresso machines to produce our ultimate guide to the best coffee shops in Abu Dhabi. From killer cappuccinos at Leopolds of London, to cosy espresso bars like The Living Room Café, here are 19 (tweet us @TimeOutAbuDhabi if you have the magic 20th) of our favourite spots to sip java across the capital.
The ‘Bucket List’ coffee
Pull on your purse strings for the most expensive cup of coffee not only in Abu Dhabi, but the entire world. The Kopi Luwak coffee is produced by the most, shall we say, ‘unusual methods’. The reason it’s so costly is that Indonesians feed the ripest coffee fruit – known as ‘cherries’ – to wild cat-like animals called civets (luwak), collect their faeces and then pick out the beans. It is argued that the beans taste better because of the unique digestive process inside the civet, or possibly because civets pick only the plummiest fruit. Being wild and hard to collect, only about half a tonne of the coffee is produced each year – so rare that it was featured in Hollywood film, The Bucket List, as something Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman must try before they die. The cost of a small cup is a dear Dhs180.
Open daily 8am-midnight. Vertigo Café, Liwa Street (under the Eclipse Hotel), Al Markaziyah (02 626 1884).
Best no-Frills coffee
Don’t expect coffee syrups or flavourings at Lavazza – in fact, you won’t even spot an iced mocha on this menu. What you will find is flawlessly executed espresso. Lavazza is for the coffee purists among us.
Open Sun-Thu 7am-midnight; Fri-Sat 8am-midnight. Lavazza Espression, Nation Galleria Mall, Nation Towers (02 665 5021).
Best breakfast coffee
Nolu’s Café in Al Bandar has the perfect organic coffee to complement its range of clean and lean breakfast staples, not to mention a stunning view. If you are keen on having a quiet cappuccino and a Spanish omelette without being rushed, this is a great place to park yourself for the morning.
Open 8am-11pm. Nolu’s Café, Al Bandar, Al Raha Beach, Khalifa City (02 557 9500).
Most unusual brewing methods
How do you like your coffee? Machine brewed, pour over, Chemex, siphon, cold brew? For the uninitiated, these are just a few ways to brew the perfect cup of coffee and Jones the Grocer has others, too. Discover new ways to fall in love with the dark stuff at Jones and grab a wholesome sandwich, soup or salad on the side.
Open Mon-Sat 8am-11pm. Jones the Grocer, Pearl Plaza, Al Khalidiyah (Next to Oryx Hotel) (02 639 5883).
Girliest coffee
If you’re feeling girly and want to sample the most attractive cup of coffee in town, head over to the Crystal Lounge to try their new layered strawberry flavoured latte served with colourful macaroons.
Open 5pm-2am. Crystal Lounge, Nation Towers, St. Regis Abu Dhabi, Corniche West (02 694 4444).
Best latte art
Break the bank and take your friends to Emirates Palace for the 24-carat gold cappuccino. The Palace is an institution and a visit to its famed Le Café is de rigueur. While you dab away at your cappuccino moustache, check out the elegant latte art. The baristas’ rendition of the Grand Mosque in chocolate syrup, sprinkled with real gold leaf flakes is a work of art. After the Kopi Luwak, a Dhs45 gold coffee won’t seem too dear.
Open daily 6.30am-1am. Le Café, Emirates Palace, Ras Al Akhdar (02 690 7999).
Best bagels + brew
It’s easy to find decent cups of coffee or bagels independent of one another in the capital, but finding the two together can be a challenge. Enter Bees Knees in Nation Galleria Mall, which serves up fine cups of coffee and espresso drinks alongside toasted toothsome delights delivered fresh from New York City.
Open Sun-Wed 8am-midnight; Thu-Sat 8am-1am. Bees Knees, Nation Galleria Mall, Nation Towers (02 447 9102).
Geekiest coffee
Leopolds of London’s (LOL) Coffee Lab looks more like a chemistry lab, but each delicious sip satisfies the inner coffee geek in us all. LOL’s baristas are dressed to the nines and know a lot about your favourite caffeinated beverage with its stylish display of antique coffee brewing, grinding and roasting methods. But the Coffee Lab display at LOL is not only for show. The fedora and braces-wearing baristas can be counted upon to create a tasty cup of coffee that is made to suit your palate. They have even been known to convert the non-coffee drinkers. Give the Coffee Lab a try for an informative coffee date and a perfect cuppa Joe every time.
Open 9am-midnight. Leopolds of London, Nation Galleria Mall (02 665 4776).
Funkiest coffee
Visit the Arthouse Café adjacent to the Etihad Modern Gallery in Al Bateen. Its standard Americano is unexpectedly mild and smooth. The best part of having a coffee here is the funky, arty décor and friendly service, and you can see some art next door.
Open Sat-Thu 10.30am-11.30pm; Fri 3.30pm-11.30pm. Arthouse Café, Next to Etihad Modern Gallery, Al Bateen (04 440 9322 ext: 125).
Tastiest cappu- cake
Satisfy your sweet tooth at The Living Room Café where you can score smooth espresso drinks and icy frappes alongside scrumptious sweets. Try the famous banoffee pie, millionaire’s shortbread and Oreo chocolate cheesecake, all baked onsite.
Open daily 7.30am-11pm. Various locations incl. Khalidiyah Village, Al Khalidiyah, www.thelivingroomcaféabudhabi.com (02 639 6654).
Best post-dinner coffee
Vasa Vasa is a Sicilian-inspired coffee bar boasting unusual and sweet coffee offerings. The owner, Silvia Martinelli, is often there and she knows her coffee, but what many people don’t know is that she also knows her ice cream and gelato very well. Silvia makes everything by hand in her small shop that has a fantastic view of Yas Island. It is the perfect spot to get a sweet fix and a little energy boost pre or post evening out. Try her affogato, which is a classic doppio ristretto espresso with a dollop of Vasa Vasa’s homemade premium ice-cream and hot fudge. You can thank TOAD later.
Open daily 10am-10.30pm.Vasa Vasa, Al Muneera, Al Raha Beach (02 555 6484).
Best mocha
Teuscher from Switzerland brews its espresso drinks with the most delicious chocolate in the world. Their mocha is made from the finest, rich Swiss chocolate. If the mocha doesn’t satisfy your sweet tooth, the champagne truffle is sure to. Sample it on the side.
Open daily 8am-11.30pm. Teuscher, Nation Galleria Mall, Nation Towers (02 681 1108).
Cleverest cold-brew
Again, this can be found at Leopolds of London. Its cold brew is unique in Abu Dhabi, made using a Kyoto cold-drip technique that takes eight hours to brew with cold water and ice. The result is a cup of smooth and refreshing coffee – if you like your brew cold and simple, this is for you.
Open 9am-midnight. Leopolds of London, Nation Galleria Mall, Nation Towers (02 665 4776).
Best local flavour
Café Arabia has been an institution in the capital for decades. With art exhibitions, a small library and crafts for sale, this café definitely has a laid-back atmosphere. The café has served its coffee to a long list of foreign dignitaries and artists whose pictures paper the walls beside the art. The Arabiaccino is a must-try if you want to sample the local coffee with a slightly spicy cardamom flavour.
Open daily 8am-10.30pm. 15th Street, Al Mushrif (02 643 9699).
Best coffee and people- watching
Grab a Turkish coffee, sit outside and enjoy. Almaz by Momo offers fantastic views of the Arabian Sea and its diverse clientele enjoying coffee and shisha in the manner of their country people. The food is always excellent and the wait staff are courteous, knowledgeable and prompt.
Open 10am-1am. Almaz by Momo. Galleria Mall, Sowwah Square (02 676 7702).
Best flat white
Situated just off the lobby of Le Royal Meridien, whEAT café has a minimalistic and chic décor. Most diners come for the venue’s selection of bread, but what you may not know is that whEAT makes a superior flat white that will satisfy even the most discerning coffee aficionado.
Open daily 6am-10pm. Le Royal Meridien Abu Dhabi, Khalifa Bin Zayed Street (02 674 2020).
Best long black
The Australian chain, The Coffee Club, has a new location in Yas Mall and boasts the best Long Black in town. Their version of the classic long black coffee is made with with The Coffee Club’s Signature Blend. As you’d expect, it’s topped with the smoothest espresso crema around.
Open 8.30am-10pm. The Coffee Club, Yas Mall, Yas Island (800 927 6255).
Best anti- wifi coffee
This is a tie between the Shabby Chic Café and the Third Place Café. Both cafés offer the option of plugging in to Wifi but most customers are distracted by chatting over the yummy coffee instead. You won’t find customers on their phones in these places.
Open 8am-10pm. Shabby Chic Café, Golden Tower Building, Near Al Mamoura Building, Al Muroor Road, Al Nahyan (02 643 7497).
Open 8am-11pm. The Third Place Café, Corniche Road, Villa T3 (02 681 1877).
Best commuter cup
Urban Bites offers a premium blend of coffee called Harrar, which is made of wild and exotic Arabica beans from the South Eastern part of Ethiopia, which is home to the finest coffees in the world. The gourmet coffee is roasted medium with a full-body, blueberry aroma, chocolatey undertones and a smooth, sweet finish. The best part is you can grab a quick cup of quality coffee on the go.
Open daily 8am-11pm. Shining Tower, Al Khalidyah, www.urbanbites.ae (800 87226).
