THE MOST INSTAGRAMMABLE CAFES IN ABU DHABI
EL&N
YAS BAY
This dreamy Yas Bay hot spot is a treat for the eyes and the tastebuds. Mini cereal pancakes, chicken and pink waffles, and four varieties of French toast all feature on a menu that is as fun as the decor. The cake display requires stronger willpower than ours to pass up, and there are plenty of cute backdrops to snap a pic inside and out.
You won’t miss it - head to Yas Waterfront and make for the hot pink facade! Barbie would approve.
Time: Daily | 10AM - 12AM
Contact: 02 883 9395
FIL FLORIST & CAFE
AL BATEEN
Picture-worthy from the second you walk inside, this quiet cafe nestled in Al Bateen is the definition of aesthetic. With its stylized desert vibe and high ceilings, this wouldn’t look out of place as a backdrop in the Dune franchise - we coined it desert luxe on our last visit!
Gorgeous interiors aside, cosy corners lend themselves to long catch ups with your friends or a chilled space to work remotely - they even have free wifi. Food is tasty: we’re suckers for mixed berry cheesecake and their date pudding with ice cream - served warm, of course - and they serve an all day breakfast offering and coffees galore alongside the sweets. Adding to the insta-worthiness of this one? It’s also a florist! The flower bar is under renovation at the moment but is due to be serving fresh blooms up again in the near future - we can’t wait!
Open: daily | 7am - 11PM | open until 1AM Thursday - Saturday
Contact: 02 666 5266
PARKER’S
UMM AL EMARAT PARK
Two words: Matilda cake! If you haven’t seen this viral dessert already, cast your mind back to the childhood classic - the cake that poor Bruce Bogtrotter demolishes against the odds, to the cheers of his classmates. Feeling up for the challenge? Setting you back a cool AED93, we’ve seen groups of 4+ fail to finish this rich beast. Scroll through their tagged posts in Instagram and you’ll see plenty of love (and defeat) for this one.
Parker’s has plenty more to offer, including some other excellent desserts and a whole array of fresh cafe favourites for breakfast and lunch, but we say go big or go home. The reveal of oozing chocolate is definitely picture worthy - whether you can follow up with a snap of your empty plate is another matter! Good luck - you’ll need it.
Open: daily | 8AM - 11.30PM
Contact: 600 555551
OSK CROISSANTERIE
AL BATEEN
If the cool minimalist vibe doesn’t immediately lure you inside, the smell of freshly baked croissants will definitely do the trick! As the door swings open and smiling staff welcome you in, get ready for those stomach rumblings. Matcha lattes - and the cult sakura matcha, a matcha-strawberry blend that is garishly, brilliantly pink and green - fly out the door every few minutes to waiting cars, doing a roaring takeaway trade for locals.
The glassed-in viennoiserie at the back gives you a peak at the good stuff: golden, flakey pastries lined up by the trayful. Watching the bakers at work feels like a new kind of meditation - maximum relaxation! Good luck choosing what to eat - it all looks and smells amazing, and return visits will be necessary. We rate the cookie croissant, served with your choice of frothed milk (coconut recommended!) - dunk and devour! Feeling the heat? Summer has brought the arrival of matcha ice-cream, as yummy as it is ‘grammable - even our anti-matcha mate was converted, so let us know what you think!
Open: daily | 7AM - 11PM
Contact: 02 886 7977
EPISODES
MANDARIN ORIENTAL EMIRATES PALACE
As eye-catching inside as it is out, if a night here is out of the budget - us, too! - Episodes is worth a visit just to bask in the decadence of this iconic hotel.
Styled as a series, Episodes 1 - 4 include a tea apothecary, a deli, a cake shop and a gelateria: this space is the definition of opulence. Take a seat - we like grabbing a spot by the crystal flowers of Episodes 1 - but feel free to order from different counters depending on what you fancy. Whether you're coming for the iconic 23K gold leaf coffee (a cool AED90) or fancy something stronger - this is a classic Abu Dhabi experience.
Time: Daily | 9AM - 11PM
Contact: 02 690 7999
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Danika Star
7/15/2024
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