From latte to cold brew, these are some of the best places to get your morning coffee mamas!
Need a coffee after school drop-off mamas (who doesn’t?!). There’s no shortage of cafés in our desert city (we’re making our way through them all, one cup at a time), so whether you’re a bit of a connoisseur or just desperately short on sleep, grab your friends, power up your laptop or enjoy a quick solo pitstop at the 15 places we’ve rounded up for that much needed morning dose of caffeine.
Bystro’s gorgeous Mediterranean vibe is just the thing after school drop-off. This place is always buzzing with groups of mamas and working types tapping away on laptops. And the coffee is really, really good – from flat whites to cold brew (try their orange infused version) and the most delicious Tuscan Latte, garnished with swirls of chocolate for that extra special boost in the morning! Got little babes in tow? there’s a cute little kiddie corner with a few toys for them to get their little hands on. And if you want to stay on for brekkie, we highly recommend the smashed avocado on toast… yum!
A longtime Sassy fave and the location for many a sassy meeting, BookMunch is a cosy little spot in Wasl Square that serves up a mean latte when you most need it. Located super close to JESS Jumeirah, Horizon School, Jumeirah Primary and a heap of others, it’s a great mama choice after the school-run and the perfect place to catch up with friends or relax with a book!
Bottomless coffee anyone? Circle Café is offering you exactly that when you buy any brekkie item as part of its ‘back to school season’. Valid at all of the Circle locations within the UAE from 8.30am – 10am, weekdays, for the whole month of September. We’re not sure about you mamas, but endless cups of coffee is just what’s needed to get us back into the routine – and with Circle Cafe’s gorgeous decor and yummy menu (that offers an all-day breakfast) there’s no reason not to stay until pick-up!
This City Walk coffee shop is all about coffee – you’ll smell the gorgeous aroma of roasted beans before you step into the door (it’s good enough to lure any sleep-deprived, school run mama right in). With bright, airy interiors and a menu that includes healthy and a little naughtier options (chocolate brioche mamas?) there’s plenty to love here. And the coffee. Oh the coffee – the usual suspects feature but it’s the signature blends that we love the most. Coconut latte, lavender honey latte, various infusions of rosewater, cinnamon and other gorgeous additions – you’ll want to try them all.
There’s nothing that helps an early start and the SZR commute more than being surrounded by lots of lovely greenery while sipping on your cup of jo. The Roseleaf Café is a really sweet vintage style spot in the Dubai Garden Centre – with tables dotted about in a greenhouse and indoors too (when the weather cools they often have tables outside). The RAW coffee is delicious, the homemade cakes irresistible and the setting just lovely. A box of toys will keep any ankle biters occupied AND there are fish to go and see in the little aquarium just around the corner.
We’ve long raved about this cool Al Quoz cafe and for good reason. The industrial warehouse vibe, the cool cars on display, the adjoining workshop and the kiddie corner with mini ride on bikes for little ones to enjoy. This is the kind of place you can set up with your laptop and happily stay for a few hours – especially when fuelled with their awesome coffee. Cafe Rider is on a mission to prove that coffee doesn’t just have to be ‘black’ or ‘with milk’. Their award-winning Barista creates espresso’s with passion, arty lattes and a mean cold-brew and works with a heap of local and international roasters to guarantee the best flavours.
This independent, specialty coffee shop brews single origin coffees and supreme quality blends that are 100% Organic AND 100% Fair Trade. Woohoo! But that’s not all, they also have a lovely selection of low-fat, vegan and dairy free bites for brekkie and lunch plus loads of gluten-free cakes to enjoy. And we love their little corner location upstairs in Sunset Mall – cosy, cute and just the kind of place you want to hang out at for a while.
This Dubai institution needs no introduction mamas – and with locations in Jumeirah, Al Quoz and Sheikh Zayed Road at Al Manara there’s always one within easy reach when you’re desperate for a coffee (and slice of their a-ma-zing carrot cake!). Lime Tree‘s vision? a welcoming environment, great food and great locally roasted coffee – it’s a winner.
There are eateries and cafes on almost every corner in Dubai but only some of them have that extra special something – and Tom&Serg is definitely one of them. There’s nothing about this place that we don’t love – the interiors, the staff, the menu – and obviously, the coffee. If you’re in need of a serious pick-me-up and somewhere to clear your head after the morning rush then this is one of our fave places to get it. The owners (Tom and Serg) opened up shop with a mission to change the way Dubai did coffee – and they’ve done exactly that. The baristas really know their thing and serve up organic blends every-which-way in cute little cups. We love.
This boutique cosmopolitan spot hails from South Africa and has become a firm fave for the café crowd. If you’re hungry then you’re in for a treat – breakfast can be healthy (vegan, raw, gluten free) or comforting (croissants, muffins and French toast) – we’re still to order the ‘pimp my toast’ (we so want to say those words to the waitstaff – yes, we know it’s immature). The interiors are some of the prettiest we’ve found in Dubai and of course the coffee is good!
French owned, super chic, super cool and with a focus on healthy eating, Comptoir 102 is a slice of Paris in the desert – complete with beautiful interiors, delicious bites and effortlessly gorgeous Frenchies. Come for coffee (and choose from regular milk or their homemade almond version) and stay for shopping in the adjoining store – with everything from fashion finds to home accessories your morning cup of jo may end up costing you a little more than you thought (don’t say we didn’t warn you). There’s a lovely outdoor area for when the weather cools and an air-conditioned/covered terrace out back that lets dappled light through bamboo shades – we often hole up here with laptops, coffee and buckwheat pancakes.
We love this super cute little hangout – the coffee is great, breakfast is fab (and portions are huge) and their salads are fresh and delicious so it’s easy to come her first thing and linger until lunchtime! And this cafe is quirky, cosy and homegrown – all the things we love. A lovely place to sit and work or – as the name suggests – hang out with friends.
If interiors are your thing then you’ll love the beautiful bright, contemporary decor at Culinary Boutique – one of the latest foodie hangouts to open in Jumeirah. The cafe area is gorgeous – think turquoise tiles, marble counters, little vases of lavender and a feature ceiling that makes the whole space feel very special. And then there’s the coffee mamas – the beans are roasted by Dubai based roastery Seven Fortunes and the result is totally moreish. We can’t wait for cooler weather and the opportunity to hang out on their outdoor terrace with a latte or two (and a lavender croissant).
Want to feel totally zen in the mornings? Sophie’s Cafe is the cutest little space that’s totally toddler friendly (if you have mini ones not yet in school), unpretentious and relaxed. Ok so it’s in the basement of a building but the fresh interiors mean you won’t even realise – and the healthy brekkie menu (featuring everything from corn fritters to avocado toasties) will set you up for the rest of the day. The coffee comes from our fave Dubai specialists, RAW, so you can guarantee it’s delicious!
Ahhh Jones, we love the buzzy atmosphere at the Al Manara location (ok – and the cheese room), the cosy space at the Dusit Thani and the 24 hr opening of the Etihad Building branch – and mostly we love the coffee. These guys do a mean flat white if that’s your thing (or if not all of the other regular coffee options also feature). And we can’t not mention the coconut pancakes, served with greek yoghurt and blueberry compote – utterly divine and worth a visit alone!
Pssst… head to the Jones Dusit Thani location, between 7am and 10am, Sunday to Thursday and your coffee is on the house with the order of any breakfast menu item (e.g. those coconut pancakes we mentioned…)
Featured image via Pinterest
