Nightjar Coffee Roasters

Nightjar is a Dubai-born speciality coffee roaster founded by Leon Surynt, and its flagship roastery and café occupies warehouse 62 at Alserkal Avenue, the arts district in Al Quoz. The brand likes to describe itself as Dubai's renegade coffee company, and its tongue-in-cheek social media and bold branding have made it a familiar name among the city's coffee drinkers. Behind the attitude is a serious, award-winning operation that roasts its beans on site.

The coffee is direct trade, roasted and brewed in the warehouse. Espresso drinks and filter coffee are made with the house roasts, and Nightjar is particularly known for its cold brew, which is served on tap, including a nitro version with a creamy, stout-like texture. Cold-brewed teas, iced tea and kombucha are also on tap, and the drinks list extends to creative non-alcoholic concoctions. Food is served from breakfast through lunch to dinner, so it works as a proper meal stop as well as a coffee break.

The warehouse setting is high-ceilinged and industrial, with the roasting equipment part of the scenery and a relaxed, creative crowd of gallery visitors, designers and people working on laptops. According to Alserkal Avenue, the café is open every day from 9am to 10pm, which makes it one of the few places in the district to stay open into the evening. Weekends are the busiest time, especially during exhibition openings and Alserkal Art Week.

It suits coffee enthusiasts, gallery-goers and anyone looking for a comfortable base while exploring the avenue. Prices are typical of the city's speciality coffee shops. Beans are sold to take home if you find a roast you like. Nightjar also runs cafés at City Walk and Madinat Badr, and it operates the Nomad Day Bar at the 25hours Hotel One Central, but the Alserkal roastery is the original and the best place to see how the coffee is made.

Alserkal Avenue is in Al Quoz Industrial Area 1, and a taxi is the simplest way to get there; there is parking within the avenue. Combine a visit with the galleries and design shops around it, or with RAW Coffee Company nearby for a comparison of two of the city's pioneering roasters.