The 5 Best Cafes with a Sea View in Dubai
Our perfect way to start a day at the beach is with a cup of coffee and a quick bite. Does that sound like yours too?
Thankfully, Dubai is not a stranger to this and has a wide variety of amazing cafes that are located by the beach and offer amazing views of the sea.
So we went around the coast to try out some highly recommended spots and give you our favorite cafes with a sea view in Dubai.
How We Picked the Best Cafes with a Sea View in Dubai
Before we get right into our list of the best cafes with a sea view in Dubai, here are the factors we considered for our entries on this list:
1. DRIFT
| Criteria | Rating |
| Menu | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Service Quality | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Ambiance | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Nearby Attractions | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
Whether you are a coffee person, the kind who drinks tea, or a health nut that loves smoothies, DRIFT Restaurant’s breakfast menu is sure to set you up for a great day.
Led by the highly acclaimed Chef de Cuisine Sylvain Noël, DRIFT Restaurant brings the decadence of Southern France with classic Provençal cuisine.
The menu offers the best of the freshest and finest organic ingredients the restaurant can use. Try Drift Omelette with a nice cup of your chosen drink and thank us later.
However, its different kinds of beverages definitely lack variety. The coffee it serves is just plain black coffee.
Despite that, DRIFT’s service quality is where we saw why it’s an award-winning beach club.
The staff who waited on us were very attentive and had amazing attention to detail. They took great initiative in checking up on us and periodically refilling our glasses with water.
And when it comes it the ambiance of the restaurant, well it really feels like it is playing second fiddle to DRIFT’s beach club.
It’s located towards the back portion of the place, a bit far away from the shoreline, and most of its view is blocked by the throngs of crowds sunbathing and enjoying the beach.
But because of this, its nearby attractions are right outside the restaurant with its daily social events and the beach right next to it.
Pros
- Serves a wide range of drinks and bites
- Excellent service
- Award-winning restaurant
- Nearby attractions are just right outside
Cons
-
- Price range is too high for the quality of the food
- Restaurant’s view of the beach is blocked by crowds
Customer Reviews
This place took my heart
“This place took my heart, I wish I can stay here forever 🙂 The pool view is the best ever, the service is much more than a 5-star and the food is extremely delicious! I like Wednesday’s promotion, having breakfast, and getting access to the pool. They provide towels, shampoo, hair dryer which makes it so convenient and the showers are so clean” —Manal Akl, Google Reviews
Great food and drinks
“Went there on a weekday. The ambiance and the service were absolutely flawless. Great food and drinks. Lots of photo ops. Really nice and relaxing beach with all the possible services.” —Saad Salman, Google Review
2. Cafe Nikki
| Criteria | Rating |
| Menu | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Service Quality | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Ambiance | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Nearby Attractions | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Coffee plus laidback vibes, it could not get any better here at Cafe Nikki. Oh, wait, yes it can with its Mediterranean menu and beachside location.
Intended to be an all-day cafe destination, this spot prides itself on responsibly sourced fresh ingredients. From overnight oats and granola to grilled protein, Cafe Nikki does not fall short of its promise.
When it comes to its drinks, it’s got all the basic coffee concoctions and a Ronnefeldt tea selection. However, other than coffee and tea, there isn’t much that speaks “cafe” to us, despite it being in its name.
The service was quite friendly and attentive. We love how the staff’s energy helped us perk up even before the coffee came in.
The ambiance was very chilled out. We love how the relaxing energy of the ocean seeped into the cafe and helped us take our morning coffee with more intention and relaxation.
However, when it came to nearby attractions, while its own exclusive beach club is literally just 10 steps away, the location itself is quite separated from other spots.
This meant that we either had to pack up to leave or accept that we’ll be staying the majority of the day here.
Pros
- Wide range of dishes for all-day dining
- Wide range of coffee and tea selection
- Relaxing and laidback ambiance
Cons
- Only offers coffee and tea for drinks
- Location is quite separated from other popular spots
Customer Reviews
It’s always a great experience coming here
“I think this is the best beach club I’ve ever been to in Dubai. it is Very very pretty. I wish I had taken more pictures. I love the ambiance, its quite easy to just relax. Plenty of greenery right from the entrance and wooden statures. It’s got a really large pool area and relaxation area. It’s really cute and has such a cool ambiance. Different sun beds to suit your budget. it is great to go with friends. The beach is extremely clean. That’s because they don’t allow you to bring food/snacks in. Everything you eat should be bought there. The only downside is you need to be here by 11 am in order to get a sunbed. I mean who wants to come to the beach that early?” – Modupe Olu, Google Reviews
Pleasant place
“Pleasant place. No jet skiing or parasailing around so it makes you feel on a deserted paradise island. The meals in the restaurant differ from the beach menu and I recommend to visit exactly the restaurant as the sashimi and maki are amazingly delicious here.” – Egor Chetvernin, Google Reviews
3. Jones the Grocer
| Criteria | Rating |
| Menu | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Service Quality | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Ambiance | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Nearby Attractions | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
This low-key gem located at the Palm West Beach in Palm Jumeirah is a no-fuss Australian cafe that is perfect for a casual seaside brunch meetup with friends.
Its menu is a curation of well-loved dishes that brings the best out of its features like the beach bar, pastry, and sandwich counter, a handpicked range of gourmet groceries, and even an artisan cheese and charcuterie wall.
We also love that it takes its coffee more seriously than other cafes. Its wide single-origin menu features beans from different parts of the world, and it also has a T2 tea collection.
The service was really strong too. Its staff had the right balance of friendliness and efficiency, always making sure we felt welcome without being overbearing.
The ambiance can definitely feel a little bit busy, though. The grocery mixed with the cafe, and the numerous cooking features really accumulate a lot of noise, which can get disruptive.
Despite that, we love the view of the seaside from our tables. It has a great spot for viewing the sunset and an even better cocktail selection to go with it.
And when it comes to nearby attractions, there really isn’t much to do. The cafe is located in a more commercial area, so social events and beachside chilling aren’t that great.
But it has a DJ every night, which makes for some fun times after the sun sets.
Pros
- Great food and drinks menu
- Friendly and efficient service
- Has a DJ after sunset
- Great seaside sunset views
Cons
- The cafe can feel really busy
- No nearby attractions
Customer Reviews
We had a great time eating delicious food with a breathtaking ambiance
“We had a great time eating delicious food with breathtaking ambiance!! The service was excellent!! BIG THANK YOU to John-Ben!!! he had just the right balance of friendliness and efficiency and made certain that we had everything we needed. Great place for couples or a big group. Definitely be coming back to this wonderful restaurant!!! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!! :)” – Ramiliza Guinto, Google Reviews
We went there because of the amazing view
“We went there because of the amazing view. We had a selection of cheeses and a selection of cold cuts to start with. Both really nice, served with soft bread🤤 as mains we tried chicken and beef. Both good. They’ve got a really good selection of vines. We had Muller-Thurgau white wine. Really good. It’s a perfect place for a peaceful romantic evening with a spectacular view!” – Gabriel, Google Reviews
4. Lucky Fish Dubai
| Criteria | Rating |
| Menu | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Service Quality | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Ambiance | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Nearby Attractions | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
This 2022 Time Out Awards winner has a breakfast menu and a beverage selection that is often overshadowed by its popular seafood dishes.
Lucky Fish’s menu is taken right out of Mediterranean cookbooks, focusing on the ocean’s flavors and richness while highlighting Italian and Spanish flavors for that unique twist.
The breakfast menu consists of some traditional and newly-minted classics such as croissants, cottage cheese pancakes, and, our favorite, Lucky Fish French toast.
Its beverage menu boasts a healthy variety of healthy drinks, like coffee, tea, and homemade refreshments. We also love that it serves fresh coconut, opened and chopped right before us.
However, its service definitely needs some improvement. During our time eating there, we’d overhear nearby tables complaining about mistakes in their orders, which can prove to be dangerous if we’re talking about allergies.
Despite that, the staff remained professional and resolved these problems without collateral damage.
On the other hand, the ambiance is undeniably posh but also with rustic hints. We love how elegant the atmosphere is without feeling restrictive.
It really manages to capture the sense of being on a beach without compromising on the sophistication of the decor.
The cafe is located in Palm West Beach, near some watersports centers. However, it really does not have anything besides that.
Pros
- Award-winning cafe
- Great breakfast and beverage menu
Cons
- The staff gets some orders wrong occasionally
- Not much to do around the area
Customer Reviews
Really enjoyed the vibe of the place
“I really enjoyed the vibe of the place. We took a cabana and had food and drinks. The restaurant has a very nice design. The food was nice for a beach bar. We had seafood salad a bit too much lemon, but fine. The avocado toast was perfect. And also had a burger with black buns, it was really good unfortunately it looked so good and was so good that a picture was not possible in time.. came with fried avocado. Altogether I recommend the place to try. They give you full free parking also.” — Dubai Explorer, Google Reviews
Had an amazing dinner with my wife
“Had an amazing dinner date with my wife at the Lucky Fish. The staff was really cordial and helpful and provided top-notch service.
We ordered the famous chicken and the sea bass which was very delicious.
The shisha server Alexander was also very friendly and kept checking if everything was ok.
All in all amazing experience.” —Farhan Riaz, Google Reviews
5. Koko Bay
| Criteria | Rating |
| Menu | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
| Service Quality | ★★★☆☆ (3/5) |
| Ambiance | ★★★★★ (5/5) |
| Nearby Attractions | ★★★★☆ (4/5) |
Bringing in that Balinese vibe to Palm West Beach, Koko Bay has gained popularity for its Eurasian menu, but its weekend breakfast menu is what stands out to us the most.
From egg selections that are inspired by dishes from all over the world and healthy bowls to a dedicated kid’s menu, this cafe covers all the bases for a great breakfast.
The beverage selection is no different. It has got healthy smoothies, a somewhat limited coffee selection, and tea that is enough to hit the thirsty spot to jumpstart your energy.
The only weakness its menu has is that these are only available on the weekends, which is such a shame because we can imagine ourselves having these every day of the week.
On top of that, the service is a bit slow, which somehow frustrated us because the restaurant was crowded and the staff felt like they were not moving efficiently.
However, we do love the energetic ambiance Koko Bay has. The crowd is lively, and the space is buzzing with conversations that are mixed with the sound of the beach waves.
Sitting and eating there felt like it was a great first step to having a great day ahead.
When it comes to nearby attractions, it is surrounded by other cafes and restaurants, so hopping around is no problem. The beach is right outside, ready for the taking too.
However, besides that, there really isn’t much to do. Thankfully, the crowd was more than enough to excite us and provided great opportunities to make new friends.
Pros
- Great breakfast and beverage menu
- Energetic ambiance with a great crowd
- The beach is right outside
Cons
- Slow service
- Breakfast cafe menu is only available on weekends
- There aren’t many attractions at the nearby beach
Customer Reviews
We loved our beach day here!
“We loved our beach day here! Dog-friendly, great food options, comfortable sunbeds, and amazing staff! They give you 3 hours of free parking in the west beach parking garage and you can use the sun beds for the whole afternoon! We did the lunch deal which was 2 appetizers and 1 main for 139AED. The portion is on the smaller side for the lunch special but the food was great!
It is a bit pricey but a nice treat and the vibe made for a relaxing afternoon by the water.” – Renee Richter, Google Reviews
An amazing option to spend a nice beach day at.
“Amazing option to spend a nice beach day with an excellent business lunch option. The quality of the food was amazing and with a good variety for everyone. The service was great. During the week is not busy and you can spend a full day chilling in the sun. We will come back for sure!” – Guido Ojeda
FAQs about Cafes with a Sea View in Dubai
We hope this helped you find your favorite cafe with a sea view in Dubai. Also, if you’re looking for restaurant recommendations, then check out these articles: