Café
RAW Coffee Company
One of Dubai's pioneering speciality coffee roasters, founded in 2007, with a warehouse café in Al Quoz serving its own ethically sourced roasts.
Arabian Tea House
A courtyard café in the Al Fahidi heritage quarter serving Emirati breakfasts, karak tea and traditional sweets under a large central tree.
At a glance
- Type
- Emirati café
- Area
- Al Fahidi, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- Price
- $$ · Mid-range
Why we recommend it
The Arabian Tea House has been serving visitors in the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood since at least the late 1990s, and its leafy courtyard is a calm escape from the heat. Turquoise benches, white rattan chairs, lace curtains and a large tree at its centre give it a charming, old-fashioned feel.
It is best known for Emirati breakfast: try balaleet, sweet vermicelli with egg, or harees, a slow-cooked wheat porridge, alongside fresh bread, hummus and falafel. Later in the day, machboos rice with chicken and lemon lamb tikka are hearty options. Finish with luqaimat or date cake and a glass of karak tea. It is a natural pause in a walk around Al Fahidi, and an early morning visit means a quieter table before the day heats up.
Arabian Tea House FAQs
What is balaleet?
A traditional Emirati breakfast of sweetened vermicelli topped with egg.
Where is it?
Inside the Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood in Bur Dubai.