For International Coffee Day, the team at What's On Dubai pooled their personal caffeine haunts, and the resulting list is a genuinely useful cheat sheet for anyone visiting the city with a coffee habit. It spans slick specialty roasters, old-school South Indian filter coffee and even a petrol station stop worth planning a road trip around.

The most storied pick is RAW Coffee Company in Al Quoz, a warehouse roastery founded by Kim Thompson back in 2007, well before specialty coffee became a selling point in Dubai. Still independently run nearly two decades on, RAW roasts on site and sources directly from growers, so your cup is traceable to actual farms. The house Working Blend is built for milk; ask about single origins if you want something punchier. There's breakfast and lunch too, plus no neon sign begging for selfies. Open daily 7.30am to 6pm.

For contrast, head to Woodlands Restaurant in Karama, a South Indian institution where a milky, strong, sweet filter coffee costs just Dhs5 — the writer recommends ordering two and dunking a sada dosa into sambar and chutney. It's a rare cheap eat in this city, served 7am–3pm and 5pm–11pm daily.

Other names on the list lean more contemporary. Bkry at Alserkal Avenue bakes its pastries in front of you and treats coffee as more than a side order. Oath Café on Al Wasl Road in Jumeirah is a flower-filled hideout made for curling up with a book, open until 10pm on Fridays. Athar by The Q Lab in City Centre Mirdif does an Emirati-inspired take, pairing cold brew with a signature Emirati tiramisu.

Chains get their due as well. % Arabica earns praise not for its famous Spanish latte but for nailing a cold brew Americano every time; homegrown UAE roaster Boon in Al Sufouh gets a nod for the same drink. Saddle — a Dubai-born café that has gone international — is paired here with a crispy Nutella pistachio crepe, while Knot Bakehouse runs 24-hour drive-thrus for iced lattes and a hot chocolate with vanilla cold foam as the weather cools. And for long drives, Oasis by ADNOC serves a surprisingly decent hazelnut or vanilla latte at the pump.

Why it matters: Dubai's café scene can feel overwhelming and Instagram-driven, so a list built from locals' daily routines cuts through the noise. It also maps neatly onto how you'll actually travel — Al Quoz and Alserkal Avenue for a gallery-district morning, Karama for a traditional breakfast, Jumeirah for a slow afternoon, and drive-thru options for desert road trips.

Most venues stay open all day, many around the clock, which suits jet-lagged arrivals. Expect everything from Dhs5 filter coffee to Dhs25-plus specialty brews, so there's a stop for every budget.

With thanks to What's On Dubai.