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I was at WATCH House, Dubai

I’ve had many coffee experiences in 2025, some old and some new and often I wonder and perhaps I pray that one of my faves will open up in the city I live in and so my prayers were answered when I read in Coffee News that Watchhouse, London premier specialty coffee chain was opening in Dubai. Best of all, it wasn’t one of those bulletins that tells you it’ll happen in 2 years’ time, but rather in a matter of weeks and that’s what happened in November 2025. Yay!


 
Located in a glorified pop-up district called Marsa Boulevard, which opens from 4pm-12pm, next to Dubai Festival City Mall, occupied by many local coffee and cake brands and a very few global brands is Watch house.

 You’ll be glad to know that I went twice in the space of 4 days.

On my first visit I wasn’t surprised to see a long queue as I’m sure that many of the Emiratis that were queuing are quite familiar with this brand in central London. 
 
I waited patiently with my daughter and as it was nighttime, I ordered a batch brew. There wasn’t much space to sit because it was too crowded, but we found two seats in front of their brew bar, dotted with lots of V60 brewers.


I found out later from one of the barista that they pre-dose and pack their filter coffees and place them in a freezer and just take them out and start brewing once an order is placed. As we sat down waiting for my coffee, I noticed an AeroPress champion trophy and asked, “who won this?” as I had been a judge at the UAE AeroPress championship two days back and was introduced the guy who came third. 


 
He kindly offered us any coffee we wanted on the house and my daughter went for the matcha … (I was thinking, coffee… but you know trends and GenZ… sigh). In any case I thought, okay a flat white, so that I could sample their milk-based rinks.
 


I don’t know what they put in this, but it was definitely one of my favourite flat whites of the year… why? Well, I asked the manager and he mentioned the milk they used, and I thought that’s the difference, because their espresso blend, 1829 Espresso, is the same they serve in London.
 
The batch brew was nice too, with hints of dark fruit but then I noticed he gave me the Ethiopian instead of the El Salvador (I think) I ordered.


 
A few days later I met a friend for lunch at the same mall and when we finished IO realised that it was 3:30pm…. 30 minutes until Watchhouse opens. So, I strolled around and got there at 4pm prompt…. I was their first customer. I walked around, took a few shots. I was tempted to go all out and get a cake slice… who wouldn’t.


 
However, one of the staff suggested that a chocolate tart (last pic) will go best with my flat white, so I succumbed. My flat white was beautifully poured by one of their main baristi, hailing from Cameroon. (oops I forgot this name). 


I met the head barista from Zimbabwe and he schooled me on their philosophy and I mentioned that I’ve known the brand for years and it’s my go to in London.


Another delicious experience.
 
I can’t wait to go back and try one of these with my wife….
 
Perhaps the mini-Basque cheesecake. 

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I was at HERMOSO Coffee, Abu Dhabi

Towards the end of last year, I was invited to be a keynote speaker at a cancer conference in Abu Dhabi and upon having the hotel booking confirmed by the organizers I knew had two other pertinent tasks to fulfil – ask my fellow coffee nerd, Naveed where to get good specialty coffee and pray that it was near the hotel. You’ll be happy to know, at least for me, that these two tasks were delightfully met as Naveed recommended Hermosoand my hotel was located about 8 minutes away by taxi.

So, on the last day before we headed back to Dubai, I popped over to Hermoso coffee roasters.

It was a bit quiet when I visited on a Sunday morning but I think that’s normal for a city Iike Abu Dhabi, which seems to come alive in the late afternoon/night. Another challenge I discovered with this city is that it is very spread out, unlike Dubai. In Dubai you can almost get to any good coffee spot or restaurant within a 15 minutes’ drive, so whilst Hermoso is located near to the Cornice area and some top hotels, many other spots were like about 30 minutes away, so not close at all to my hotel.

Pick one

Upon entering through the side of the café, you are met with a cove of coffee to choose from including merchandise, as you move further into the coffee shop towards your left, you will see their brew bar decked with a La Marzocco Strada for their espresso machine and a brew bar with lots of Hario V60s as well as other gadgets like their cold drip system. 

I popped upstairs briefly to see their soon to be finished coffee brewing school, where they plan to host events in the future. I learnt too that they partner with coffee supremo Costas of Sweden who mentors them on their coffee roasting style and visits them occasionally to ensure quality – great. Their roastery section is in full display in the main area of the café, where they use American made Loring – I liked the idea of using the coffee tasting wheel as décor just above the roastery. 

I was greeted by a bunch of friendly staff and a barista, Rico, hailing from Burma. After a few questions around their coffee offerings, he offered that I try one of their unique espresso blends for my flat white. 

Flat white at Hermoso

After enjoying this, I walked around and took some shots and a video for my Instagram reel, see below

.

Rico kindly offered me, not one but two different cups of their cold brews to try.

I was of course tempted to buy coffee and opted for a Yemeni Hajjah Anaerobic coffee for filter brewing at home and one of their espresso blends, which I enjoyed later upon my return to Dubai.

So, if you visit AD and happen to stay near the Cornice area, where the tallest hotel in Abu Dhabi is, the Conrad, or the Grand Hyatt of the famous Mandarin Oriental Emirates Palace, as well as the Edition, which is next door, I encourage you to visit Hermoso for your specialty coffee fix, pick a few bags and have breakfast, lunch or dinner if you are hungry too.

Hermoso are located at 57 al Quffal Street in al Bateen.