With over 70 kilometres of coastline, Dubai has quietly mastered the art of breakfast by the beach. Across the city, you’ll find a wave of cafés and restaurants that make the most of their setting – some just steps from the sea on Palm West Beach, others hidden away on leafy rooftop terraces in Jumeirah. Whether you’re in the mood for something breezy or something beautifully plated, these are the beachside breakfasts that make an early rise feel entirely worth it.
Jones the Grocer, West Beach
One of the best spots on Palm West Beach for a relaxed beachfront breakfast, Jones the Grocer is a reliable crowd-pleaser with front-row views of the sea. The breakfast menu leans inventive and experimental, with sambal-spiced eggs, miso sourdough, and a hearty Moroccan sausage breakfast burger. In terms of scene, expect a balanced mix of families, solo diners, and Palm Jumeirah locals stopping by for a morning pick-me-up. For the best seats, come early and sit outside before the sun gets too high – the view alone makes it worth the wake-up.
Ula, West Beach
Also on West Beach, Ula offers a slower, more sun-drenched start to the day. With billowing linens, exposed timber, and low-slung seating under the palms, it feels more like a beach club in Formentera than a restaurant in Dubai. Breakfast here is served with Mediterranean sensibility: highlights include Patatas Bravas with salsa verde, peach parfait, and the signature ‘Ula Toast’ with kalamata olives and capers. Beyond breakfast, Ula gets particularly busy at night, with free-flowing cocktails and a weekend late-night DJ.
The Surf Cafe by Leen’s
The Surf Café in Jumeirah is where to go for a laid-back, food-forward breakfast with stellar coffee. Just across from Kite Beach, this breezy two-storey café draws in early risers straight from the beach – many of whom will be refuelling with sandy feet after a morning of kite surfing. Inside, the setting is all warm wood, leafy plants, and colourful pop art, crowned with a bustling rooftop terrace that fills up fast. The menu covers everything from stuffed croissants to a full English, and the flat white is among the best in the area. It’s busiest on weekends, but if you arrive before 9, it still feels like a secret.
SAN Beach
Named after the San people of Southern Africa, SAN Beach offers a slower, more grounded breakfast experience on Palm Jumeirah. Relative to its lively West Beach neighbours, the setting is exquisitely peaceful, draped in pristine white with organic wood textures. There’s a full menu dedicated to pastries, a bounty of egg dishes, and creative variations of the traditional shakshuka. On the drinks menu, you’ll find ceremonial-grade matcha, sweet bamboo tea, and classic breakfast cocktails like the Mimosa and Bellini. At its heart, SAN is a community establishment and regularly hosts beach yoga, pilates, and live sets from local artists. After breakfast, grab a towel and settle down on the beach to make a day of it.
Byron Bathers Club
Byron Bathers Club brings a buzzy, distinctly Antipodean energy to the Palm. Founded by the team behind Tom & Serg, the space is casual and sunlit, with a relaxed, family-friendly crowd most mornings. The breakfast menu probes global flavours, with Turkish eggs, a full continental with homemade granola, and Mexican black bean quesadillas. Coffee is reliable and unfussy, and little ones are kept happy with a dedicated kids’ menu and playground. It’s one of the few beachside cafés in Dubai that manages to feel local, unpretentious, and well-executed all at once.
Come midday, the focus at Byron Bathers Club shifts to Ulu’s Oyster Bar – a go-to on the Palm for freshly shucked oysters and fresh seafood platters.
La Ola
A little rough around the edges in the best way, La Ola is a breakfast staple directly on Kite Beach. It’s unfussy, familiar, and often full of people still in their swimsuits, stopping for something fresh before heading back into the sea. The menu is handwritten on a chalkboard, with simple but well-done dishes like eggs any style, club sandwiches, and the occasional off-menu special. For something more substantial, the lunch menu features locally caught shrimp, grilled fish, and a standout seafood linguine. This Jumeirah café is always busy, drawing a steady mix of beach walkers, kite surfers, and early risers grabbing a bite before the day begins.
Koko Bay
Since opening in 2020, Koko Bay has built something of a cult following, drawn as much by the breakfast as the evening revelry. Set right on the sand at Palm West Beach, it leans fully into its Bali beach club aesthetic – rattan furniture, thatched parasols, and warm, lived-in textures that feel straight out of Seminyak. The breakfast menu takes cues from LA-style wellness cafés, with Amazonian açai, cold smoothies, and soya bircher muesli bowls generously topped with omega seeds and seasonal fruit. It’s best to arrive early – loungers and tables are often fully booked by noon on weekends.
For those craving a more authentic Bali-inspired experience, Thursdays bring ‘Sound of Bali’ – a fire-lit evening with traditional dancers and a three-course Indonesian tasting menu served right on the beach.
Common Grounds
As Dubai gets busier, more and more people are trading the crowds of Kite Beach for the slower pace of Sunset Beach, just a few kilometres south. One of the best breakfast venues along this stretch is Common Grounds – a homegrown concept from Tom Arnel and Serg Lopez (of Tom & Serg fame). This new beachfront outpost is their most understated yet: a low-built, alfresco café set directly on the sand. The Mexican wrap is one of the most popular dishes here, served with handfuls of freshly cooked salted crisps, alongside a refreshing peanut butter açai bowl. Coffee is supplied by Encounter Coffee and is reliably strong, joined by wellness-led options like blue spirulina lemonade.
A short walk down from Common Grounds is Feels, another early opener that’s more health-focused. Known for its cold-pressed juices, smoothie blends, and protein-heavy breakfast bowls, it draws a slightly livelier crowd – think post-run regulars and iced matcha loyalists. If you stay for the full day, both cafés are beautiful spots to catch a sunset, as their namesake beach suggests.
