Where to Get an Australian Cafe Brunch in Dubai

Enjoy a flat white and some baked eggs in the UAE.

Tom & Serg, Al Quoz

Melbourne chef Tom Arnel and Spaniard Sergio Lopez revolutionised Dubai’s café scene when they opened this gritty, industrial venture five years ago in the city’s newly minted arts district. They’ve since built a food and beverage empire and inspired copycats aplenty. Expect beautiful bowls, avo smash, sourdough crumpets and home-roasted coffee from around the world. Our fave? The Aussie Benedict, with braised wagyu.

Pure South, The Greens

Brand-new to Dubai but literally all the way from Oz, with all the interior timber reclaimed from railways in Monto, North Queensland, Pure South channels childhoods spent on outback farms. Its wholesome fare shows up in apple pie toasties, rustic quiches, kombucha and carrot cake made to an heirloom recipe. Best of all, each Aussie-roasted coffee comes with a Tim Tam.

Jones the Grocer, Dusit Thani, Trade Center Area

Two things set the Dusit Thani outlet apart from the other UAE branches of the Woollahra brand: it’s licensed (why not bubbles on vacay?) and its terrace offers selfie-perfect views of the Burj Khalifa skyscraper. The menu features Aussie favourites and regional flavours with plenty of vegan options: croissant Benedict, chickpea shakshuka and coconut flour pancakes.

Boston Lane, Al Quoz

Craving a toastie? Get your fix with Nutella or Chips Oman (a classic Dubai brand of crisps) fillings at this laneway-inspired café, Boston Lane owned by Aussie sisters Alexandra Davidson and Georgina Trigg. Neighbouring art studios and designer shops, it offers gluten-free pancakes, charcoal detox brekkie bowls and egg soldiers, plus vegan lattes and cold press shots from micro-lot coffee farmers.

Stash Café & Collectibles, Garhoud

This part-café, part-hobby store is the place for nerds in the shiny sandpit. Stash serves granola pots, croissants and iced cereal lattes. There’s no fixed menu, everything’s brought in daily, says Brisbane native and owner Ashlea Barber. It’s busiest on weekends, when families flock here for the free comics and board games.

Myocum, Al Safa

This Dubai newbie Myocum is named after the hinterlands of Byron Bay, where owners Khalid bin Hadher and Pascal Moser met. It’s big on gluten-free and vegan soul-warming food, Moser says – which means quinoa porridge, banana pancakes, dukkah-dusted poached eggs and turmeric lattes. If you’re late to brekkie, try their butter chicken burger. And there’s locally roasted Kiwi coffee.

Yalumba, Garhoud

No bucket-list trip to Dubai would be complete without brunch at this Le Meridien Dubai hotspot Yalumba. The emirate’s biggest Friday afternoon party, the famous Brunchology, has barbies, buffets and bevvies aplenty. It prides itself on seasonable, sustainable food, but you can also expect Vegemite toast, sausage in bread and chia smoothies.