Abu Dhabi cafés serving good vibes and good food

Art House Café

Best for: A creative space that is planet-friendly
If you’re a creative type, this café is attached to the Etihad Art Gallery so you can get your creativity and coffee fix all in one place. Based around a recycling theme, all the furnishings are pre-loved, which further enhances the ambience of the space. If you feel like picking up a fork and a paintbrush, you can create your own piece of artwork. It is Dhs15 to design your own plate, you can display it on the wall or have your own unique takeaway.
Open daily 11am-11pm. Al Huwelat Street, Al Bateen (02 666 0175).

Circle Café

Best for: Breakfast Brunch and a bounty of books

Situated in Al Raha Gardens, this branch has a brunch menu with all you can eat at the weekends. For Dhs60, you can make your way through plenty of tasty plates before you’re fit to burst, but remember balance is key. Start with beetroot hummus and save the caramel pancakes for the home stretch. Feel free to bring along your pre-loved books, you can swap them here so help your-shelf (sorry, not sorry).
Open daily 8am-10pm. Al Raha Gardens (02 556 1550).

Sanderson’s

Best for: Mediterranean vibes and good food for good mood

This colourful café is nestled in dreamy Al Seef village, where, for just a moment, you may feel like you’re strolling along una calle Espanōla. The menu focuses on good quality, seasonal food cooked to enhance the customer’s mood. If you are looking to add a little colour to your life, they have rainbow lattes specifically for that. The YogaOne studio is a short walk away. You could spend a few holistic hours in the area as part of a self-care day. You might think of it as a midday vacay.
Open daily 8am-10pm. Andalus Al Seef Resort, Khalifa Park area (02 222 1142).

Seven Wellness Yoga Studio and Café

Best for: A holistic hug for body and soul

This waterside wellness studio offers the best of both worlds. With a vegan soul café on the ground level and a yoga studio directly above, you can hang out below before or after a swing-yoga class upstairs. The juice bar offers a selection of beverages to soothe your internal world, in addition to a variety of yoga classes that connect body and mind. It also hosts outdoor classes in two parks during cooler months. Yoga translates as union and if you are looking to connect with yourself or others, or maybe even reunite with someone, this place is just right.
Open daily 8am–9pm, Reem Island (054 407 5405).

The Third Place Café

Best for: A neutral corner that is neither your work nor your home

This cosy space was designed with the comfort of the customer in mind. The walls are adorned with delightful décor and there is a quote of the day to greet you upon arrival. The menu is chalked on a blackboard and it is as varied and vibrant as the café itself. It often hosts events ranging from toastmasters to meditation. It’s an ideal spot for reading, with many pre-loved books lying around, and there is a dedicated library upstairs. Should you get hooked, a Dhs50 deposit allows you to borrow any book. You will be reimbursed when you bring it back, but we would be surprised if you even needed this as an excuse to return.
Open daily 8am-11pm. Villa T3, Corniche Road, Al Khalidiya (02 681 1877).