Explore six local roasters that promise love at first sip.
In the UAE, coffee has always been much more than a pick-me-up. Both gesture and ritual, it’s been part of the cultural fabric for centuries – so revered, in fact, that the dallah is stamped onto the dirham. Today’s local coffee scene is shaped by a new generation of purists, for whom a frothy cappuccino or instant Nescafé simply won’t do. While Millennials and Gen Z may speak the language of flat whites and anaerobic lots, their approach echoes that of their forebears: sourcing ethically, roasting in small batches, and serving with meaning. From warehouse roasters in Al Quoz to lab-like cafés in Sharjah, these are six of the UAE’s most exciting third-wave coffee brands, where source and story come first.
RAW Coffee Company
Founded back in 2007, RAW is where Dubai’s specialty coffee scene first found its footing – not in a slick retail space, but in a working warehouse in Al Quoz. As a member of the non-profit Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), this café and roastery takes a serious, near-academic approach to coffee. Behind the bar, you’ll find everything from velvety flat whites made with the house Wicked Blend (Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala) to rotating single-origin pour-overs from Peru, Ethiopia and beyond. Beans are roasted fresh on-site, with a retail wall stocked with cold brew, compostable pods, grinders and gear. RAW also runs SCA-accredited coffee courses, whether you’re a home barista honing your craft or a pro chasing that perfect swan pour. All beans are ethically sourced through direct trade relationships with farms across Latin America, Africa and beyond.
Archers
If RAW helped birth the UAE’s specialty coffee scene, Sharjah-based Archers is quietly refining it. Founded by two Emiratis with a passion for coffee science, this local coffee brand is loved for its minimalist restraint and meticulous seasonal sourcing. The roastery specialises in limited micro-lots, with an emphasis on rare and experimental processes: think anaerobic naturals from El Salvador, washed geishas from Ethiopia. Everything here is small-batch, single-origin and roasted in-house.
The café itself is clean-lined and calm – more of a tasting lab than a hangout spot. Archers supplies a number of fantastic coffee shops across the country, including Hoof – an equestrian-themed café with outposts in Dubai Mall, Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah. Also a member of the SCA, the brand offers workshops and tasting sessions for those looking to deepen their understanding of coffee science.
Nightjar Coffee Roasters
If there’s one UAE roastery that doesn’t play it safe, it’s Nightjar. Now a fixture in Alserkal Avenue, this moody café channels the feel of a North London speakeasy – all bold colours, live DJ sets, and a full draft bar stocked with cold brews that pour with a Guinness-like head. Nightjar sources its beans globally, from the highlands of Papua New Guinea to the farms of southern Mexico, with a focus on traceability and character-driven profiles. Its most popular blends include Gonzo, a light-to-medium roast with notes of chocolate and stone fruit, and Candyman, which has a sweeter profile with hints of ripe marmalade. While this Al Quoz roastery is certainly louder than its counterparts, behind the noise is a team that takes its craft seriously – and isn’t afraid to have some fun doing so.
Boon
One for those who love an origin story, Boon is a UAE-based coffee brand founded by Ethiopian entrepreneur Orit Mohammed. Frustrated by the lack of fairly sourced Ethiopian coffee in Dubai (and the way global chains offer it with zero context), she began sourcing beans from her family’s farms in Sidamo and Harar – two of Ethiopia’s most storied high-altitude regions. What began as a gesture for friends and family has since grown into one of the UAE’s most recognisable boutique coffee brands, with cafés across the city and a roster of high-profile stockists, including Galeries Lafayette.
The name itself nods to the traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony, and that sense of ritual runs through everything Boon does. Roasting is done in-house, with a focus on single-origin beans and flavour profiles that range from floral and citrusy to deep and jammy. Boon stands apart for its authenticity, female-led ethos and deep connection to Harar – the region that first domesticated the coffee plant. Ten per cent of all profits from Boon go to an education NGO in Ethiopia.
Three Coffee
Three Coffee is one of the UAE’s most technically driven roasteries. Founded in 2019, this local brand is built around transparency, direct trade and science-led sourcing, with a strong focus on education and lab-style precision. It’s one of the few roasters to offer premium Robusta beans, alongside a more experimental lineup of Panama washed geisha and Colombian ‘lemon candy’ co-ferment. Coffee beans aside, you’ll find some of Dubai’s most accomplished baristas here. Co-founder and Head of Coffee, Karthikeyan Rajendran, is a Q-Grader and former World Ibrik Champion, who won over judges in Budapest in 2017 with his blend of cocoa reduction, balsamic vinegar and vanilla raspberry tea. Like many of Dubai’s coffee heavyweights, the roastery is based in Al Quoz, with a pared-back café and an extensive online coffee library for home brewers.
Gold Box Coffee
Gold Box is a purple-hued pause in the maze Al Quoz. This UK-born coffee roastery was founded in Newcastle in 2012 by Barbara Croce, a licensed Q-Grader and green coffee buyer. The space itself is unmistakable, with glowing violet lights, a signature purple La Marzocco GS3, and a long brew bar lined with Hario gear. It’s part roastery, part café, and part hangout for regulars who come for both the beans and the conversation. The menu favours clean, regional profiles from the likes of Ethiopia and Colombia, alongside more experimental small-batch microlots from South America. The team here has racked up accolades over the years: Head Roaster Emmanuel Velora won the Middle East Roasting Championship, and their baristas are a steady fixture on the UAE competition circuit. Come for a flat white, stay for a signature pour-over – and don’t be surprised if Barbara herself is the one talking you through the tasting notes.
