Want to know where to find the best cups of coffee in Abu Dhabi? You’ve come to the right place.
There’s nothing we don’t love about coffee. The warmth of the cup, the amazing aroma, the sound of beans grinding, shots pouring and milk steaming. We love it all.
It’s true we’re a bit snobby when it comes to our cup too, then again, isn’t life too short for bad coffee?
We’re all about espresso, Americanos, lattes and flat whites, plus we’re no strangers to Aeropress, V60, Chemex and cold brew, either.
Here are some of the best spots in the city to check out.
% Arabica
With locations on the Corniche at Al Jazira Tower and Al Bateen, this brilliant spot has quickly become a favourite among caffeine fans in the capital. It’s chic, bright white and has its own branded espresso machines and blends that you can take home with you. Plus with milk alternatives for those who don’t do lactose, you can get the perfect cup of just about whatever you’re after.
Al Jazira Tower, Corniche Road: Sun-Thu 6.30am-midnight; Fri-Sat 6.30am-1am. Al Bateen: Open Sun-Thu 7am-midnight; Fri-Sat 7am-1am (02 634 1333).
42 Coffee Roasters
You would never, ever, find this place unless you were going out of your way to, or you’re a regular at this side of Mina Zayed. 42 Coffee Roasters is so much of a hidden gem we don’t really want to tell you about it because then it won’t be our little secret any more. As the name suggests, this place roasts their own beans, which you can also buy and take home. You’ll thank us later.
Open daily noon-9pm. Al Marabi’ Street, Mina Zayed (050 531 6503).
Aptitude
When it comes to location, Aptitude might just be the pick of the bunch. Enjoying pride of place overlooking the stunning Louvre Abu Dhabi, this cool café is a great spot for topping up with some caffeine and getting some amazing pictures of Abu Dhabi’s iconic landmark. All of our favourite coffees are on offer plus a few left-field additions like pistachio lattes, rose lattes and Spanish lattes if you’ve got more of a sweet tooth. There’s also a location in Al Nahyan to check out, too.
Louvre Abu Dhabi: Sat-Wed 10am-8pm; Thu-Fri 10am-10pm. al Nahyan: Sat-Wed 7am-11pm; Thu 7am-midnight, Fri 10am-midnight. www.instagram.com/aptitude.ae
Blacksmith Coffee Company
It might be located at NYU Abu Dhabi, but it’s not just student and lecturers who love this place. The cool venue serves up a wide range of coffees brewed by various methods including Aeropress, V60 and Chemex. If none of that means anything to you then maybe it’s time to catch up with the latest coffee apparatus before you spend an hour staring at the menu. Or, play it safe and order an Americano.
Sun-Thu 8am-10pm; Fri 9am-8pm; Sat 9am-10pm. NYU Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island (02 6501881).
BN Café
It’s minimalist, yet modern and stylish at BN Café and the coffee is worth shouting about, too. All the classics are on the menu but there’s also a speciality section, with options including a salted caramel latte, pistachio latte and more. Plus this place is a good breakfast, lunch or snack spot with eggs benedict, peanut butter toast and more on the menu, too.
Sun-Thu 6.30am-11pm; Fri-Sat 9am-11pm. Al Kurama Street, Al Nahyan, www.instagram.com/bncafe.ae.
Coffee Architecture
Putting the name to one side, this little gem on Reem Island knows how to make a great coffee. With an array of guest beans meaning you can try different things every time you visit, you’ll be highly unlikely to tire of this place. It’s not too tricky to find, thanks to signposts dotted around the island. It’s understated yet hipster-cool and well worth seeking out, in our humble opinion.
Daily 7am-10.30pm. Mangrove Place, Reem Island (02 554 4467).
Crane Specialty Coffee
With one of the most picturesque views in the entire city, Crane overlooks the stunning Mangrove Walk on Jubail Island. You can enjoy one of the speciality coffees including Americanos, lattes, cold brew and more while taking in the views and building up the energy to walk along one of Abu Dhabi’s most popular destinations. Just remember you can’t take your coffee with you when you go for a stroll, but the scene is so picturesque you probably won’t want to go anywhere anyway. There’s also a location in Mohammed Bin Zayed City to check out, too.
Daily 1pm-10pm. Jubail Island, daily 2pm-10pm, Mohammed Bin Zayed City www.instagram.com/crane.ae
District 10
This small venue isn’t too far from our offices in Khalifa Park so naturally we’ve popped in to see what’s on offer. It’s laid-back, minimalist and with preparation methods including the Aeropress, Chemex and cold brew (again, look them up…) you’ll get your caffeine fix the way you like it. Parking can be tricky with so many offices around so if you’re going with someone, maybe stay in the car and send them in, or fight for a space and walk round to chill inside.
Sun-Thu 7.30am-11pm; Fri-Sat 9.30am-11pm. Amec Building, twofour54, Khalifa Park area (02 444 1283).
Double Shot
With the tagline ‘hits the spot’ it’s true to say that this homegrown chain is confident about giving you a great cup of coffee. With locations across the emirate including Shahama, Mohammed Bin Zayed City and more, there’s a lot to love. All your favourites are present and correct plus there’s a range of desserts that look amazing so you can satisfy your sweet tooth, too.
Various locations and timings. www.instagram.com/double_shot_cafe.
Dose
This local chain is popular here in the capital as well as at its locations in Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah. Styled to look like a hipster-laboratory (no, really) you can get some great cups of coffee and some sugar-laden cold drinks loaded with Lotus biscuits and cereal, too. There are a lot of options (seriously, look at the menu) but all the classics are covered as well so you’re in safe hands if a cornflake latte isn’t you thing (we’re not sure it’s ours, either).
Daily 7am-midnight. Delma Street, Al Wahda (02 441 9888).
Drip’s Café
With two locations, this speciality coffee shop is serious about coffee and also about cake. There are loads of options for a drink from the humble latte and Americano to more adventurous cups like an iced tiramisu and dynamite coffee, a title that makes us kind of curious if we’re honest. Plus there are a host of sweet treats like red velvet cookies and more to sink your teeth into.
Various locations and timings, including Mohammed Bin Zayed City and Khalidiyah www.instagram.com/dripscafe.
DRVN Coffee
If you’re looking for something truly unique then you can’t really go wrong with DRVN. It’s part coffee store, part classic car exhibition and also cooks up some the most delicious-looking pizzas you could hope to find. Car enthusiasts can see vintage motors on display including a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300Sl Gullwing. Coffee snobs can enjoy artisanal house roasted coffee served using Aeropress, V60 and chemex as well as lattes, cappuccinos and the rest. And then there’s the pizzas… There’s a lot to like about it.
Daily 8pm-midnight. Saif Ghubash Street, next to the Jeep showroom (02 441 7774).
Flat Out
When it comes to themes this coffee shop is all about cars. After all it’s located inside Dorbi Auto Care, so you can see a few motors as you enjoy a cup on your visit. A petrolhead’s dream, this cool café serves up a host of coffee type including all the classics as well as a few signature options and bottled cold brew. Plus there are a few pastries and sweet bites on hand to satisfy your hunger.
Sat-Thu 9am-9pm. Mussafah www.instagram.com/flatout.ae.
Kopi Ketjil
Offering something a little bit different, this cool Indonesian coffee spot is a great place for a cup, just don’t ask us to pronounce the name. It’s located in the middle of Marina Mall but it’s definitely one of the more interesting places to grab a cup in the city. The stall has a curious selection of books and ornaments including an old television, mobile phone and more, making it good for your Instagram feed as well as your go-to coffee place.
Sat-Wed 6.30pm-1am; Thu-Fri 6.30am-2am. Marina Mall Abu Dhabi www.instagram.com/kopiketjil.uae.
Local
You’d be hard pushed to find a more hip place to grab a coffee in this country than Local. It’s part barber shop, part coffee spot and part streetware store, selling trainers and clothing. But it’s the coffee we’re interested in. Every cup is great and you can choose from the usual suspects including lattes and Americanos. The relaxed venue is a great spot to stop in for a cuppa, a haircut, or pricey pair of collectable shoes, but it’s the coffee that keeps us going back.
Open daily 7am-10pm. Al Zeina (02 555 3339).
Notes Café
Another venue close to Time Out Towers and we’re glad to have it in such close proximity. Serving up some great coffee from classic Americanos and lattes to more adventurous brews including cold brew and Nitro coffee, all the bases are covered when it comes to the morning pick-me-ups. And with beans imported from experts around the world including Germany’s Man vs Machine Coffee Roasters, you can try out some great variations in flavours, too.
Open Sun-Thu 1am-11pm; Fri-Sat 9am-11pm. Amec Building, twofour54, Khalifa Park area (050 904 4795).
Rain Café
There are brightly coloured cold coffee drinks that would make traditionalists shriek but there’s plenty of the normal stuff, too. There are a variety of brewing methods on offer, too, which appeals to our inner coffee connoisseur, like V50, Chemex, Aeropress and Syphon, so whatever you’re after they’ve got you covered.
Open Sun-Thu 7am-11pm; Fri-Sat 9am-11pm. Mohamed Bin Khalifa Street, Al Wahda (058 161 4461).
Shot
This cool local chain has locations across the city including Etihad Towers, Yas Mall, Hudayriat Island and The Galleria Al Maryah Island. Giving you your coffee fix, on the menu you’ll find all the usual suspects including hot and cold coffees, as well as bullet coffee, rose lattes and more. So whatever you fancy there’s a good chance you’ll get it here.
Various locations and timings www.instagram.com/shot.ae.
The ECHO Machine
Super-cool roaster and coffee spot The ECHO Café, is serious about coffee. The team roast their own beans in-house that are sourced from selected suppliers around the world in small batches. Head along and you can try classic drinks like Americano, latte and espresso, as well as speciality drinks such as nitro coffee, cold brew and more. You can also pick up some ECHO whole beans that are available to buy and brew at home. It’s very cool.
Daily 7.30am-10pm. The ECHO Café, Khalifa Park area (02 448 8550).
The Espresso Lab
If you’re looking for another cool place to grab a cup of joe in Abu Dhabi then The Espresso Lab could be the place to be. Taking pride of place as part of the Cultural Foudnation at Qasr al Hosn, the specialist coffee company, serves up cups of coffee and food every day. Plus, the venue roasts its own beans to ensure the best possible taste and allowing you try locally-made produce instead of imported beans from around the world. Coffee lovers can choose from classics such as filter coffee and espresso-based drinks as well as affogato (which comes served with a scoop of gelato), citrus-infused shots and more. Perfect.
Open daily 7.20am-10pm. Qasr Al Hosn, Zayed the First Street www.theespressolab.com
Wake Up Cafe
We love the name because coffee is exactly what we need as soon as we wake up. This trendy coffee spot has all the bases covered including some super sweet options including red velvet latte and sea salt caramel coffee. If nothing else, getting an Instaworthy shot with the cool neon sign is worth the visit.
Sat-Thu 8am-11pm, Fri 10am-midnight. Sultan Bin Zayed the First Street, Al Nahyan, www.instagram.com/wake.up.cafe (02 553 3355).
