Coffee Architecture

Coffee Architecture is a specialty coffee shop at Mamsha Al Saadiyat, founded by the coffee connoisseur Nooran Albannay. It is a calm, unhurried space, and it combines a serious approach to coffee with support for the local creative community: the walls display work by local artists, and visitors can buy the pieces they like.

The interior is bright and airy, finished in white and light wood, and there is outdoor seating with a view. The atmosphere encourages you to slow down, making it a good place to read, work for an hour or catch up with a friend rather than grab a coffee on the run.

The coffee is handmade from premium beans, and the menu covers the full range of espresso drinks, from cappuccino, americano and cortado to flat white, as well as cold freddo coffees for warmer days. Affogato is on the menu for something between a coffee and a dessert. If you are not drinking coffee, there are teas and fruit juices. To eat, expect cakes, custard and cookies rather than a full kitchen, which suits the café's focus on the drinks. Bottled cold brew is available to take away, a handy option if you are heading to the beach or a museum.

The café suits coffee enthusiasts, solo travellers, couples and anyone interested in the local arts scene. Prices are typical of specialty coffee in the city. Since it is small, it is best enjoyed outside the busiest weekend hours.

Mamsha Al Saadiyat is a short drive from the Saadiyat Cultural District, so a coffee here fits neatly before or after a visit to Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Zayed National Museum or teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi. A taxi from the city is the simplest way to get there. Check opening times on the café's social media channels or the Saadiyat Island website before you go, and ask the baristas about the beans they are using that week if you want a recommendation. Combine it with a walk along the Mamsha promenade, and if you are planning a full coffee morning, Ten 11 Beach and Society are both nearby.