You know the weather’s about to get better when desert cafes reopen for the winter season
If you couldn’t already tell, we are beyond pumped for the cooler season. And one of the greatest indicators of temperatures dropping in the emirate are when desert cafes reopen for the season.
Make no mistake, these aren’t your regular desert cafes. These are ones that come with a side of a show to go along with your piping-hot latte. Fancy a ride on the desert buggy or perhaps upon a desert-dwelling camel or even a horse? They’ve got that, too. These are desert cafes done the Dubai way.
Here are 7 desert cafes in Dubai that you need to head to this winter season.
Hidden Cafe
Imagine an evening out by the desert, with endless dunes for as far as the eye can see and a star-speckled night sky with a cool breeze that just pulls it all together. This is exactly what you can expect at the Hidden Cafe in Al Marmoom – large golden dunes that make for the perfect idyllic spot for pictures, a great blend of food and beverages, camel rides, dune buggies and even the occasional show that happens later in the evening. Which means your evening isn’t just limited to snacking around the campfire – they’ve got the entire experience mapped out down to a T. Not to mention you also get to bring your pets along with you.
Where: Al Marmoom, Dubai
When: Sunday to Thursday from 4pm to 1am, Friday to Sunday from 4pm to 2am
Contact: @hidden_dubai
One Degree Cafe
Can’t wait for the ‘winter jacket season’ and want to make the trip this weekend? Here’s another cafe that’s reopened, offering up the ultimate, perfect in-between vibe. One Degree Cafe is tucked within Mushrif Park and features some of the most aesthetic setups in the region, framed by Palm trees and dunes. So if pictures for the ‘Gram’ are something that’s on the agenda, then this spot might just be it.
Where: Mushrif National Park
When: Daily from 5pm to 12am
Contact: @onedegree.ae
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8th Cafe
Looking to spend Halloween in Dubai in a rather different setting this year? 8th Cafe is taking spooking season to a whole new level with eerie decor taking over the desert cafe. Built around coffee, cars and community, the 8th Cafe is an effortlessly cool cafe that has a little bit of everything. Think play areas, archery and even a shooting range. It even has a boutique floral kiosk, in case you want to surprise your partner with a gorgeous bouquet.
Where: Margham, Dubai
When: Monday to Thursday from 3pm to 12am, Friday to Sunday from 3pm to 2am
Contact: @8th.cafe
The Uncommon
Another seasonal desert-bound cafe that is due to make its return this winter is The Uncommon in Abu Dhabi. The visually striking all-mirrored exteriors that perfectly capture the golden sun in the horizon setting against the endless waves of dunes. This is where you come when you want to escape the usual city life and take to the natural landscapes of the region.
Where: Al Marmoom, Dubai
When: TBC
Contact: @theuncommon.ae
Sadeem
This is one cafe that goes all out when it comes to desert cafes in Dubai. This isn’t just your usual regular cafe. It received a royal stamp of approval from HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum himself – for two years in a row, no less. The cafe is an extravagant marker of the colder season spent in the deserts of Dubai. Decked in all blue and glittering exteriors, the cafe also brings out trained horses for their occasional shows, in addition to their fires shows. Like we said, they don’t do ‘ordinary’.
Where: Al Marmoom, Dubai
When: TBC
Contact: @sadeemdubai
Another cafe that receives its royal stamp of approval is Limited, a desert cafe that overlooks the tranquil waters of the Al Qudra lake. Serene and tucked far away from the city, Limited also lets you catch a rare glimpse of pink flamingos gracefully paddling across the lakes. This is quite possibly the dreamiest desert getaway that you’ve been craving for all summer long.
Where: Al Qudra, Dubai
When: TBC
Contact: @limited.dubai
Not a space
Want to make the long trip to a desert cafe with youe besties? Getting there is half the fun.
Not a Space is located in Sharjah’s Al Faya desert – just about an hour’s drive from Dubai. Conceptual and cool, the cafe has quite a few artsy corners, comfy beanbags, picnic tables, and plastic chairs spread out over the sand. And unlike your regular desert cafe that offers views of the golden dunes, Not A Space is set against the spectacular rugged Al Faya Mountain range.
Where: Al Faya Desert, Sharjah
When: TBC
Contact: @notaspace
Keep your eyes locked on this space because we will keep you posted on all the reopening dates as soon as they drop.
Images: Instagram
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