The 10 Best Cafes in Abu Dhabi You Have to Try at Least Once

Cafe James 

Shams Boutik Reem Island and Al Qana

Score 15% off at Cafe James (Reem Island branch only) with BB+ - sign up here if you aren’t a member yet. 

For some of the best cafe food in Abu Dhabi, head to James: smashing breakfasts (try the shakshouka or go all out with a brill French toast), excellent mains with some French influences, buttery croissants (the chocolate croissant is a challenge, but a delicious one) and decadent desserts, James hits the mark every time. Caffeine addicts, you’ll find your fix here - the specialty coffee menu hosts a range of different origin beans, every kind of milk and anything from an iced Spanish to nitro. 

As well as being a go-to for coffee stops and weekend breakfast with your mates, James is also a great spot to knock over some work. Counter seating means you can zero in on your laptop without taking over a whole table, and the Reem cafe is conveniently located in Shams Boutik, perfect for a lunch meeting. Good lighting, strong WIFI, great food - tick, tick, tick. After becoming a favourite on Reem, a second James opened up at Al Qana, so you can find your favourites over that way too - and the Al Qana branch has some lovely outdoor seating when the weather is nice! 

Open: daily | 7AM-11PM

Contact: 02 886 9949

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ArtMarket 

Yas Bay Waterfront

Score 20% off at ArtMarket with BB+ - sign up here if you aren’t a member yet. 

One of the most popular neighbourhood cafes in Abu Dhabi, we love ArtMarket for the same reason the community does: great food, relaxed atmosphere, family friendly and lovely staff! Everything on the menu is great - it’s a fab breakfast spot - and if you want to mix it up and inspire some creative genius for your kids? Paint a mini canvas while you tuck into their great coffee and tasty cafe staples - the avocado toast is a favourite. 

Keep an eye out for their social events - and the team are always cooking up delicious specials - when Bluey came to Etihad Arena, Artmarket was pouring blue milkshakes, lattes and babycinos all week long! It’s the cafe that can do it all, so make sure Artmarket is on your radar for the next family outing or breakfast on the go. 

Open: daily | 7.30AM - 11.30PM

Contact: (02) 565 1229

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Seed & Bloom Community Cafe

Al Raha Gardens

Score 20% off at Seed & Bloom with BB+ - sign up here if you aren’t a member yet. 

This lovely community cafe in Al Raha is such a treasure - if you haven’t been already, find the time to pop in. Along with really lovely staff, you’ll find a relaxing, mindfully created cafe space along with plenty of your favourite dishes to choose from, and freshly baked bread and patisserie to take home as well! Their breakfast offering is solid, and we rate their drinks and desserts too - the sticky toffee pudding is a well-deserved extravagance. It’s relaxed enough on weekdays that you can get some work done if you need to, but you’ll find it buzzing on weekends and during rush hour with loyal customers. Keep an eye out for specials, as seasonal drinks and extras are often on offer - it’s one you’ll find yourself popping back to again and again! 

Open: daily | 7AM - 10PM

Contact: +971563773443

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Sanderson’s Cafe

Al Seef Village Walk

Score a free coffee with any main breakfast order at Seed & Bloom with BB+ - sign up here if you aren’t a member yet. 

Green, cheerful and light-filled, Sanderson’s Cafe is tucked away behind Al Seef Mall and feels like a bit of a hidden gem. There’s plenty of space inside, and it’s super family-friendly, with an outdoor kids play area and regular mum’s group meetups and events. The menu is a great mix of the healthy stuff - kombucha, smoothies and eggs - and the treat yourself stuff - desserts, French toast and pancakes - so everyone is covered. It’s spacious, with a mix of long tables and cosy nooks depending on whether you’re meeting the girls for lunch or want to settle in with coffee and a good book. Best bit? Order a main breakfast and if you’re a BB+ member, grab a free coffee to go with it! You can thank us later. 

Open: daily | 8AM - 10PM

Contact: 02 222 1142

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Café des Artistes

Bassam Freiha Art Foundation | Manarat Al Saadiyat 

Another hidden favourite, Café des Artistes is located at Bassam Freiha Art Foundation on Saadiyat Island. Fittingly, they’ve got a French-inspired menu in a suitably arty setting, with big glass windows offering uninterrupted views of the Art Foundation - it’s very serene. Whether you’re looking for a light bite with your coffee - the pastries are delicious - or something more substantial like a salad, sandwich, main or all day breakfast, it’s a great place to retreat to for some peace and quiet. Combine your visit with a wander around the latest exhibit at Bassam Freiha Art Foundation and it’s a recipe for a lovely afternoon out. Our pick? The pancakes are super fluffy, and at just AED38 very well priced! 

Open: daily | 10AM - 8PM | closed Mondays 

Contact: find them on Instagram @cafesdesartistesuae

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Le Blanc Café

Souq Al Mina 

Another French cafe in Abu Dhabi, if you’re heading to Le Blanc it’s very hard to go past their Parisian Delight - a gorgeous set that’s perfect for two, complete with a pot of decadent hot chocolate, crêpes, fresh strawberries and cream. We couldn’t resist adding a few more treats to our order, and there’s a lot to love: Bordeaux canelés, French toast, freshly baked tarts, a whole range of savoury and sweet crêpes, matcha and specialty coffee. The French toast was some of the best we’ve had in Abu Dhabi - fittingly, given the location! - and the patisserie display is very enticing. The cafe itself is chic and minimalist, with understated seating and decor offering a nice vibe. Stepping inside - especially during summer - is a refreshing treat, and it’s worth the drive to Zayed Port for this chic, out-of-the-way find!  

Open: daily | 9AM - 11PM | from 11AM - 9PM Monday & Tuesday

Contact: 058 550 0838 

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Knead Bakery & Patisserie

Al Nahyan and ADREA

A long time favourite of carb lovers, patisserie connoisseurs and Abu Dhabi residents on the hunt for properly good baked goods, Knead Bakery & Patisserie has a lot of loyal fans - and we’re amongst them! Their flagship location in Al Nahyan area sees a bustling stream of hungry customers through the doors each day - or if we’re being lazy and need our bread fix pronto, stocking up on Deliveroo. From croissants to a to-die-for lemon and basil tart, as well as a fab breakfast menu and mains to see you through lunch and beyond, the cafe does a lot of heavy lifting - and we’re always eager to try and snap up a table outside when the weather allows. 

In great news for off-island fans, Knead expanded in 2026 - they’ve now got a second home on Al Jubail Island, Knead at ADREA (Abu Dhabi Royal Equestrian Arts). Abu Dhabi’s really entering its horse girl era - between ADREA and Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, there are stacks of cute cafes and UAE favourites popping up in view of the city’s stables and equestrian arenas - and Knead has jumped on the bandwagon. Their second branch at ADREA is a real winner: with plenty of indoor seating - ideal for the summer months - and some tables outside for when the horses are doing their thing, as well as everything you love on the menu at their original cafe, Knead is on the up and up!  

Open: daily | 7AM - 10PM | breakfast from 7AM - noon

Contact: 050 951 0585

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ANKO Japanese Patisserie & Cafe 

teamLab Phenomena | Saadiyat Cultural District Abu Dhabi

Part of the stunning teamLab Phenomena complex - and sprawling waterfront precinct that now stretches past the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi and The Louvre Abu Dhabi - Anko Japanese Patisserie & Cafe is a fresh and beautiful concept. So far from the typical ‘museum cafe’ vibes, you feel completely transported on entry: if an elegant Japanese cafe, a sleek spaceship and a cliff top Santorini restaurant had a baby, it would look a lot like Anko. 

A marriage of organic shapes and natural materials, everything at Anko is white and beautifully put together - the interiors are very chic, all smooth edges (reflecting the outside structure of teamLab Phenomena itself) and artfully lit alcoves. Outside, you can take a seat under the umbrellas and soak up views of the stunning blue water, gazing past the cultural district to the Arabian Sea (this was giving us big Greek island vibes). Not going to lie, we have seen our share of pretty Abu Dhabi cafes open up that are totally Insta-worthy but a letdown in the kitchen. Anko is refreshingly the opposite: the food is good, serving up authentic Japanese patisserie alongside savoury mains, sweets and a fabulous selection of drinks - including precisely prepared matcha - carefully weighed out on a scale to your preferred strength - and Japanese sodas. The patisserie cabinet is filled with wagashi - traditional Japanese confections - that are the star of the Anko show. Naruto, the matcha and green tea cake roll and the strawberry & cream fluffy fruit cake were our sweet picks! From the kitchen, the shrimp rice salad is super fresh and healthy, and we’d order the grilled beef shokupan every day of the week.

As summer eases, the terrace is gorgeous - and it’s a fabulous sunset spot that we’re too kind to gatekeep! 

Open: daily | 10AM-10PM | same hours as teamLab Phenomena | last orders 45 minutes prior to close

Contact: 600 565566

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mysk 

NYU Saadiyat Island

It shouldn’t be surprising that a cafe on a uni campus is bustling and lively, but mysk is a breath of fresh air - and that’s down to more than just their prime location. Industrial style, with high exposed ceilings and funky lighting, a flower bar and overflowing display of baked treats lend warmth and colour to the space. Plenty of seating options, including long communal tables with powerpoints, easy parking (paid, valet or you can nab one on the street if you don’t mind a little walk) and proximity to NYU are all high on the ‘pros’ list. 

The best thing about mysk, though? The food, of course. Their Not so French, French toast - a concoction that looks like a work of art with taste to match, topped with Persian fairy floss - is a decadent stand out in a menu filled with stars. You’ll find Tim Tam brownies and melt-in-your-mouth cinnamon scrolls to tide you over between meals, while their coffee, iced chai and matcha lattes are all on point. They do a great chicken parmi and solid burger as well, and if you’re from Down Under, you’ll notice little nods to home on the menu. Working there is good, but eating there is even better!

Open: Monday - Friday 7AM-10PM | Saturday - Sunday 8AM-10PM

Contact: 02 626 9343

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EL&N 

Yas Bay Waterfront, Marina Mall & Reem Mall

Score 20% off at EL&N Monday - Friday with BB+ - sign up here if you aren’t a member yet. 

You’ve probably come across EL&N already - the pretty pink interiors have won this fancy cafe chain a global audience after first opening in London. The first Abu Dhabi branch opened in Yas Bay in 2023, and its shimmering pink perch on the waterfront draws diners in like moths to a Barbie-esque flame! In 2026, two more EL&N spots joined the ranks: EL&N Marina Mall and EL&N Deli & Bakery in Reem Mall. Each has a distinct style, but the great service and impeccable cakes you know and love are here to stay! They aren’t just about the cake though - their savoury menus take EL&N from a gorgeous sweet spot to a breakfast and lunch location you’ll find yourself returning to again and again. 

The Marina Mall location is a refined yet chic take on the EL&N brand, you’ll still find splashes of pink, but in a more elegant style. Located upstairs on level one, the first thing you’ll spot is the cake display - not sure I’ll ever not be dragged to it like a magnet - with a bunch of individual patisserie treats, as well as the gorgeous full-size cakes to order by the slice. Don’t skip their main menu, though. The full English breakfast is a winner and the watermelon, feta and grape salad is lovely and fresh. 

No pink in sight, EL&N Deli & Bakery in Reem Mall nails the deli vibe: the interiors are still cool, with sage green tiling and pops of red, and an enviable display of baked goods by the entrance. You’ll find plenty of your favourite EL&N cakes, but a stack of newcomers as well. Savoury focaccias and pizzettas will tempt you too - and the full menu is available if you prefer something from the kitchen. Our picks? Stracciatella pistachio focaccia, EL&N shakshouka and pretty much anything from the sweet cabinet. Drinks are dreamy - the ocean blue iced matcha and strawberry & coconut iced matcha concoctions are as pretty as they are tasty. It’s a relaxed spot, and a welcome addition to the dining scene in Reem Mall - find them on level one! 

Marina Mall

Timing: daily | 10AM - 1AM 

Contact: 02 517 6901

Reem Mall

Timing: daily | 10AM - 10PM | until 12AM on weekends 

Contact: 02 632 5001

Yas Bay

Timing: daily | 10AM - 12AM

Contact: 02 883 9395

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Other notable mentions?

Flaky Pastry

The Galleria Al Maryah

The best croissants in The Galleria, Flaky is always buzzing - good luck getting a table! 

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Tashas

Al Bateen

Beautiful inside and out, it's a popular spot with locals with a great breakfast menu and water views.

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Jones the Grocer 

Al Muneera, Raha, Mamoura, Khalydia

Excellent food, upmarket deli essentials if you need a nice gift, and they serve cocktails and beer - along with a daily happy hour!

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Kettle Corner 

Shams Boutik Reem Island

Boasting a very loyal client base, this chilled spot has a mix of cafe favourites and Indian dishes on the menu. Enjoy 15% off with BB+ too!

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