Café
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.
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.
At a glance
- Type
- Speciality coffee roastery
- Area
- Al Quoz, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- Price
- $$ · Mid-range
- Opening
- Open daily · 07:30–18:00
- Official site
- rawcoffeecompany.com
Good to know
- Roastery
- Coffee training
- Retail beans and equipment
Why we recommend it
RAW was founded in 2007 by Kim Thompson, later joined by Matt Toogood, and it was one of the first speciality coffee roasters in the UAE. It helped shape the city's third-wave coffee scene at a time when most coffee in Dubai came from international chains, and it remains independent, with the two founders running it as equal partners. The company buys its beans through direct relationships with growers and partners at origin and puts ethical, fair trade at the centre of its business.
The beans are roasted at the company's warehouse in Al Quoz, and the café sits alongside the roastery, so you can often smell the roasting as you arrive. It is an unfussy space with an industrial feel, popular with people working nearby, coffee professionals and residents who buy beans for home. Origins on the menu have included Mexico, Ethiopia, Uganda, Yemen, El Salvador and Brazil, and the baristas are happy to talk through the single origins on offer and suggest a filter or espresso to suit your taste.
Order a flat white or an espresso to taste the house blend, or a pour-over to compare single origins. Beans and brewing equipment are sold to take away, and RAW also runs training courses for home brewers and professionals, including programmes aligned with the Specialty Coffee Association, which makes it a good stop if you want to improve your own coffee.
The café is open every day from 7.30am to 6pm, while the office and roastery keep weekday hours. It is a good place for a quiet working morning or an unhurried coffee before exploring the industrial district. Mornings are the busiest time with local regulars, and the café is quieter in the afternoon. Prices are in line with other speciality coffee shops in the city, and the team is used to newcomers asking where to start.
RAW is in Al Quoz Industrial Area 1, a part of the city full of warehouses, workshops and galleries, so a taxi is the easiest way to get there. Alserkal Avenue, with its galleries and cafés, is a short drive away, making it easy to combine a coffee here with an afternoon of contemporary art.
RAW Coffee Company FAQs
When was RAW founded?
In 2007, making it one of the UAE's earliest speciality roasters.
What are the café's opening hours?
Daily from 7.30am to 6pm.
Does it offer coffee courses?
Yes, it runs training courses as well as selling beans and brewing kit.
Where do the beans come from?
Through direct relationships with growers; origins have included Ethiopia, Uganda, Yemen, Brazil and Mexico.
Is the coffee roasted on site?
Yes, at the company's warehouse roastery in Al Quoz.
Who founded RAW?
Kim Thompson founded it in 2007, and Matt Toogood joined a couple of years later.
How do I get there?
By taxi; it is in Al Quoz Industrial Area 1.
What is nearby?
Alserkal Avenue's galleries and cafés are a short drive away.