Whether you're brunching, people-watching, or fuelling up mid-shop, these eight Downtown cafés are worth the stop.
Life begins after coffee, or so the saying goes. In Downtown Dubai – a cosmopolitan hub home to Dubai Mall, the Burj Khalifa, and a steady stream of tourists – that sentiment rings especially true. Amid the glittery boulevards and labyrinthine mall avenues, a surprisingly diverse café culture has taken root. From old-world patisseries to minimalist spaces rooted in Emirati heritage, cafés in Downtown blend design and ritual with serious coffee craft – some with Burj views, others hidden in quiet corners.
Read on as we uncover eight of the best cafés in Downtown.
Hoof Dubai Mall
Originally founded by three Emirati showjumpers in Sharjah, Hoof is a homegrown, equestrian-inspired café in Dubai Mall. Inside, the setting is near monastic – dimly lit, design-led, and anchored by a central coffee bar. Subtle nods to its equestrian roots appear throughout, from rich leather textures to riding motifs. Hoof’s coffee philosophy embraces minimalism, with well-pulled espresso, velvety flat whites, and the kind of atmosphere that slows time in the best way. Ideal for a light brunch, the menu spans truffle Benedicts, flaky pastries and spectacular avo-and-eggs combinations. Whether it’s a coffee date for one or an overdue catch-up, Hoof brings a quiet pause to one of the world’s busiest malls.
Space Cup Coffee
If Elon Musk were to think up a coffee shop for the SpaceX Starbase, it might look something like Space Cup Coffee in The Address Downtown Dubai. Inspired by the Emirates Mars Mission 2021, this quirky, futuristic café swaps the usual coffee shop aesthetic for something straight out of a sci-fi fever dream: brilliant white curved walls, retro orange accents, and pod-like seats that look like they belong on a spacecraft. Even the baristas wear sleek, lab-style uniforms. Beyond the spectacle, the coffee is fantastic, with locally roasted beans from Three Coffee Roasters. Space Cup’s food menu goes far beyond sandwiches and pretty viennoiserie, with gooey stacked cheeseburgers, perfectly blistered pizzas, and a full English breakfast that delivers on quantity as much as quality.
Angelina Paris
Founded in 1903, Angelina Paris has long been a favourite of high society, from Coco Chanel at the original Rue de Rivoli café to Dubai’s well-heeled crowd today. The Dubai Mall outpost is among the most polished, with towers of blush-pink flowers flanking the entrance. Harlequin floors and mahogany-hued tables create a distinctly European ambience, with a bountiful patisserie display stacked high with Mont-Blancs and pastel macarons. Drinks include creamy cappuccinos topped with cloud-like foam, thick molten hot chocolate, and lesser-seen classics like café viennois – a double espresso crowned with whipped cream. Located in Dubai Mall’s Fashion Avenue, Angelina is equally suited to a mid-shopping pick-me-up as it is a dressed-up evening dinner.
% Arabica
Few cafés in Dubai have gained cult status quite like % Arabica. Masters of coffee minimalism, the Kyoto-born brand is known for its clean aesthetics and sharp focus on quality, with beans roasted in-house. At both Dubai Mall and Burj Vista, you’ll find a sleek, white-washed space with custom Slayer machines and a team of genuine experts behind the bar. The signature espresso blend is the menu backbone, but coffee purists will love the rotating single-origin options from Guatemala, Colombia, and Ethiopia, served as espresso or via Chemex. A nod to its Kyoto roots, the matcha is masterfully prepared and pairs especially well with sweet coconut milk. This isn’t the kind of café for lingering lunches or laptop sessions – it’s fast-paced and firmly coffee-first.
Joe’s Café Dubai
Joe’s Café in Dubai Mall brings a rare treat to Downtown Dubai: space to breathe. Originally from London’s Sloane Street, this café is laidback and low-key with a relaxed UK feel. The coffee is stellar and unexpectedly global, with Turkish and Arabic pours alongside traditional espresso. While the setting might suggest light bites and café fare, the kitchen goes bigger: think hearty English breakfasts, crisp fish and chips, and rich lobster thermidor. The real draw at Joe’s is the terrace, which offers front-row seats to the Burj Khalifa and Dubai Fountain without the noise of a crowd. This is a café that doesn’t chase trends or try too hard – and that’s precisely the appeal.
Café Bateel
Over the years, Café Bateel has become something of a local institution. While other cafés in Downtown lean contemporary and international, Café Bateel in Dubai Mall keeps things firmly rooted in the region, building on the brand’s legacy of date farming. Now a byword for elevated Arabic dining, the menu spans date-glazed chicken to saffron-infused desserts, each carrying an authentic sense of place. Arabic coffee is poured ceremoniously, accompanied by the café’s signature gourmet stuffed dates. In a district full of global imports, Bateel stands out by staying close to home – part café, part cultural touchstone. And when the occasion calls for a gift, a ribbon-tied box of Bateel dates rarely misses the mark.
Ilio Café
Quietly removed from the rush of Dubai Mall, Ilio sits bright and breezy on the ground floor of Burj Vista. This understated Milanese-style café feels more like an upscale hotel lobby than a typical coffee shop, with vaulted ceilings, marble counters and low-slung seating. Coffee is taken seriously, but sweet tooths are especially well catered for with syrupy pistachio lattes, gelato milkshakes, and hot chocolate brewed with sweetened condensed milk. Artisan pizzas and well-crafted egg dishes round out the menu, best polished off with one (or three…) chocolate ganache bites. In the cooler months, al fresco seating on the pavement is a prime spot for people watching – crisp cortado in hand, Burj Khalifa in the background.
TWG Tea
TWG Tea isn’t a café in the traditional sense. Located at the foot of the waterfall atrium in Dubai Mall, this teahouse is more a curator of fine teas than a casual stop, with over 100 single-estate and exclusive blends on the menu. Inside, the setting is ornate and Belle Époque in spirit with gilded detailing and walls lined with brass canisters of rare harvests. Tea is woven through the food menu too, from matcha-dusted fries to eggs Benedict finished with a smoky Earl Grey hollandaise. There’s no espresso machine and no Wi-Fi culture – just page after page of teas sourced from across Asia, Africa, and South America.
