UAE has witnessed a dramatic change in the café culture in a very short time. Although coffee is deeply rooted within the Emirati culture, recently the coffee culture seems to be flourishing at a faster pace in the country.

According to the World Coffee Portal, UAE has one of the most developed coffee shop markets in the Middle East, where Dubai is at the focal point of coffee innovation in the region. With new and unique coffee shops coming up every few months, it is no news that the Third Wave coffee culture is soaring high in the UAE’s economy.

As a result, coffee consumers in the country are now more aware and are looking for coffee from a specific origin that is roasted to their preference and served to them. This is because the main aim of Third Wave Coffee culture is preparing a quality cup of coffee with a rich flavour profile. This explains the rise of several artisanal cafés roasting their coffees in-house and specializing in coffee prepared from specific origins. Starting from the beans, to the roast profile and how the level of roasting enhances the flavour profile of the coffee – Baristas and coffee-enthusiasts are enthusiastically engaging in understanding the story behind their favourite cup of coffee.

The younger population in the UAE has also driven the coffee culture towards a positive outlook by creating carefully curated café concepts. From speciality coffee shops for the hipster soul to minimalistic cafes, the UAE has something for all types of coffee-lovers throughout the 7 Emirates!

As we walk along the timeline of the coffee industry in the country, it is the coffee concepts with the best experience behind their cup of coffee is blooming in the coffee community. And we are eager to see how the coffee culture in the UAE shapes up in the future to accommodate both international and local coffee chains.