From India with Love. Not the name of a new movie, but the launch of one of India’s premier specialty coffee shop brands in Dubai, which opened towards the end of 2025 adding to the already exciting specialty coffee scene in Dubai. I had heard about Subko before, as I first met their founder, Rahul Reddy, at the 2023 edition of the World of Coffee in Dubai. At our first meeting, he had kindly given me some special arabica coffee beans to take home, and I also tried their chocolate.
I was intrigued by their brand, sourcing the finest specialty coffee beans and cacao from India and close neighbours, cultivating them to create something special for the Indian coffee market.
Fast forward to 2025, and after a guest appearance at a coffee shop in London, I was excited to learn that they would be opening a coffee shop in Dubai before the end of 2025, the first Indian specialty coffee shop to open in Dubai, as far as I know.
Located at the very trendy and now popular Alserkal Avenue, I didn’t really know what to expect… another coffee shop, a roastery or…
Much more.
A coffee shop, a coffee roastery, a chocolate making factory, a kitchen, a bakery.
The Space
As you enter, they have a dedicated coffee brewing bar with a three group La Marzocco espresso machine, catering for takeaway coffee, pastries, their canned coffee and bread for easy pickup and go.
When I first went, I thought this was it but I was wrong. Wait for it.
Walking through the larger-than-life space, you are invited to view their merchandise from t-shirts, to coffee, tea and more. On the left-hand side, there’s a small office style cubicle space, where you can have a meeting, then a small Giesen coffee roasting machine, before you head to the back of the space, under the stairs, where you can watch them making chocolate and taste them too.
If you veer to your right, you’ll see them baking bread and pastries too… enticing.
Upstairs is designed to be a sit-down café, decked with its own brew bar too and another La Marzocco Strada.
The sitting area has a mysterious layout, with artwork and tables hidden in corners, so if you can’t find sitting, venture inside.
The Menu
So, what’s on offer?
With an extensive menu not just of coffee drinks, but of sandwiches, breakfast plates, pastries and dessert, you’ll be spoilt for choice as the menu literally reads like a book.
I went not just once but thrice in their first month of opening, visiting with friends and family.
Their Coffee
In short;
Their coffee is ” meticulously sourced from the Subcontinent. Crafted with precision by skilled Arabica Q Graders, each bean being handpicked from regional plantations, ensuring a journey of unrivaled quality and flavour”.
They work in direct trade relationships at origin with coffee estates and smallholder farmers harvesting and (often experimentally) processing coffees that they aim to curate into only SCA 85+ point scoring coffees” (source: https://www.subko.coffee/pages/coffee )
On my first trip, I had a cortado and a Basque cheesecake, which I enticed my wife to try on my second trip.
However, when it came to coffee, I have to confess I preferred their batch brew , using Project Pearl – but make sure you ask for it hot.
Their Food
You are literally spoilt for choice and you may get confused as to what you should eat. They have their version of shakshuka, they have delectable pastries, a multi-layered croissant, which I tried, non-coffee non-alcoholic coffee cocktails, exciting sandwiches.
I tried the Harrira Moroccan inspired chicken sandwich in their delicious sourdough, a butter chicken style sourdough sandwich, which might sound filling but was delicious, with my kids ordering it twice in one sitting.
On my third visit, my friends and I bought their delicious sourdough.
So, what else is on offer?
You’ll have to go find out for yourself, BUT honestly, I think you’ll be intrigued by what they are building as when I met their owner on my last trip, he said they still hadn’t finished their plans.
Highly recommended.
Find them at
Alserkal Avenue – Warehouse 15 – Al Qouz Ind.first – Al Quoz – Dubai (Pro tip: At the back of Alserkal avenue)
From Coffee With Love 