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Caffeinated In Dubai - %Arabica

2 years ago, I discovered my favorite international coffee chain in Dubai. This past winter, I discovered my favorite location.


This new location is in the recently built outdoor plaza, The Pointe, in the beautiful Palm Jumeirah just across the (man-made) ocean from the legendary Atlantis Hotel. This was our view from outside. Tell me you wouldn't want to slow-sip an iced latte looking at this.

Coffee Arabica originates from Kyoto, and has locations in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. There are currently 5 locations in the UAE, but I think this is the one with the best view in Dubai. There are white steps outside the shop that you can sit on and feel the warm breeze as you people-watch or gaze across the aquamarine water. The Pointe is a great addition to the manmade island because it provides one of the best angles of the Palm Jumeirah for a photo—not too close that your entire frame fills up with pink walls, but close enough to actually see what the hotel looks like.


Inside the coffee shop, the decor is clean, minimalistic, and bright—just the way I like it. Almost all the interior is pure white except for signature light teakwood and burlap touches that add a cozy feel to what might be an otherwise cold and modern atmosphere. The lighting is pretty yellow, so I'd advise taking any photos outside, but the aesthetics are definitely one of my favorites for any modern coffee shop.

One of my favorite things about this brand is their signature % logo: it's the only thing on their cups, so I didn't learn that it was actually called Arabica. For a while I just referred to it as the "percentage sign" until I looked it up on Instagram.



The displays show their bagged ground coffee as well as coffee bean samples from all the places where they import their roasts. I love when coffee shops use real coffee as part of their decoration. It reminds me a lot of my favorite coffee shop here, Stereoscope Coffee, which similarly displays burlap bags as part of the "raw" straight-from-the-source aesthetic.


I always get the iced Spanish Latte here. I've never tried the hot drinks, because of Dubai's year-long summer weather, but I have full trust that they're just as good as their iced. It's sweet, creamy, with just the right hint of cinnamon. Maybe it's because this is where I tried my first Spanish Latte, but it's where I fell in love with the drink itself.

My outfit matched the interior, so I decided to take a few OOTD's, too. It was a great (winter's) day for both sandals and Spanish lattes. One of the best parts of Dubai? It's always the right weather for iced coffee.



Outfit Details

Top: Bershka

Skirt: Boutique in Korea

Shoes: Target

Purse: Charles & Keith


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