DRINK

Café culture

Fanatical about flat whites? A know-it-all for nitro coffee? Get your morning fuel from one of these Abu Dhabi speciality cafes

1 DRVN Coffee

Dmitriy Grekhov spent time at the handsome Café Rider in Dubai before branching out to Abu Dhabi. His stylish two-storey café in Al Rawdah combines his love for coffee and cars with both an in-house roaster and a collection of rare classic cars encased in glass. The baristas roast their own beans sourced from the best farms from around the world. Food options run the gamut from shakshuka to acai bowls, but we suggest you take full advantage of the in-house pizza oven and order something doughy. A new branch has just opened on Hudayriyat. q @drvn_coffee

2 Coffee Architecture

Emirati architect and Q grader barista, Nooran Albannay, founded Coffee Architecture because she wanted to create a space in Abu Dhabi built on love, care and joy. She had a vision to have people from all walks of life visit her space, but on one condition – they had to love coffee. And if they didn’t, she would do her best to change their minds. Now Coffee Architecture attracts coffee lovers and those looking for a space to relax. The menu is simple: black coffees (brewed using different apparatus); white coffees (including flat white, cortados and lattes), affogatos, teas and hot chocolate. There’s also a small selection of baked bites, including brioche, cakes and brownies. q @coffee_architecture

3 Soo Matcha

You may have noticed a new green food taking over your Instagram feed. That’s matcha, one of the buzziest food trends going. Matcha lovers say the powder has loads of superfood-like benefits so why not give it a try at Soo Matcha, the UAE’s first all matcha inspired café located on Al Banadir Street, Muroor. You’ll find everything on the menu from matcha morning yogurt, matcha ice cream, matcha and coconut milk iced lattes, and more. All of which use a ceremonial Japanese grade of matcha green tea. q @soomatcha.uae

4 Blacksmith Coffee Company

Blacksmith Coffee Company’s open-plan and bare bones design approach emphasizes the fact that it’s a no-frills cafe with a relatively simple focus: tasty, locally-roasted coffee. Located on the grounds of NYU Abu Dhabi, the inviting shop is owned and operated by a group of former students whose love of coffee brought them together. Filter coffee options like Chemex, batch brew, and AeroPress come in full, medium, or delicate body. In addition, there are matcha lattes, loose leaf teas, and sodas. q @blacksmith_coffee

5 The Echo Café Abu Dhabi

This pretty cafe, which has a rather wonderful retro font logo on its coffee cups and packaging, now keeps workers well caffeinated in the Khalifa Park area. The proprietors roast their beans in-house using beans from as far as Honduras, Costa Rica, Rwanda, and Kenya, and they’d gladly share the stories of these farms and the farmers themselves if you can spare the time. q @thechomachine

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