When someone says , “let’s meet at Kite Beach” they could be talking about any point along a massive 9km stretch of beach.
Our Kite Beach cafes guide will tell you where to find speciality coffee, kadak chai, avo on toast or prawns and rice see you at a Kite Beach Cafe soon!
Keep this guide as a genuine resource whether you’re new to Dubai or have been here a while. We’ll update it from time to time as well.
So let’s break it down into 4 distinct zones
From Al Thanya street to Tent Jumeirah cafe
Before you even reach the beach along Al Thanya Street itself try POLLINE – an independent Italian restaurant serving very good food. See our article on Polline cafe here.
DoinDubai Tip
Take some sourdough bread back home from here before you leave the beach.
On the opposite side of the beach is Umm Suqeim Park, try the HOT FISH cafe in the park. A very limited but authentic menu of fish or prawns, rice and salad, all done in Kerala style. We like the food here.
Note the rice portions are very large! So just order one portion to start with. You must also order the fish gravy – delicious with hot rice!
Doindubai Tip
The terrace tables here are a cool spot for a casual date night or reasonably priced family meal. To drink we recommend fresh lime sodas which you have sweet or salty.
Arabian Tea House is the next major cafe along this stretch, a very pretty cafe and sister to the same tea house in Al Fahidi. They serve traditional Middle Eastern breakfasts and food. It’s a nice place to sit but a bit more expensive than the other cafes.
From Tent Jumeirah to
the Kite Beach “Hub”
If you park near Tent Jumeirah, just across the road you’ll see the speciality Emirati coffee shop MOY. Based in a villa, it’s on a side road opposite the beach, note it doesn’t serve tea, so no good for an afternoon tea after a walk !
Tent Jumeirah itself is much smaller now than it used to be but it serves some Middle Eastern style breakfast and hot drinks with tables and chairs facing the sea. There is a bit of a “bay” type feeling in front of here which is nice BUT there is also some construction happening as well.
It is open 24 hours though. They also have showers near here too if you’re planning on swimming. Also note it’s popular with Jet Skis too.
DoinDubai Tip
Tent Jumeirah is a good place to park for a walk starting here towards DOSC or wherever you like. It’s a good meeting point or reference too if you’re arranging to get together with a friend. Generally easy parking if you go on a weekday morning.
Walking on towards the Kite Beach hub you’ll next come to Pink Beach cafe, a nice place to sit with the usual cafe type food and drink.
You will then come to Fili Kiosk which doesn’t have anywhere to sit but is popular for Kadak chai and snacks in the afternoon.
DoinDubai Tip
If it’s hot, from Fili cafe walk in the very shady area in front of the blue and
white villas for a bit of respite!
Just before you reach the Kite Beach hub you’ll come to The Good Life Cafe, this cafe also has toilets and a shower area. Expect hot drinks in paper cups though. It’s a nice place to swim with a good view.
A little further on from here you’ll reach the obvious Kite Beach Hub. This is a cluster of little cafes, kiosks and small market stalls that’s definitely the busiest bit of the beach.
It’s also got a big shower area too, probably the biggest on the beach, so it gets busy!
We like the recently opened BATEEL ELAN cafe for a good coffee, always served with a specialty date! They currently have a deal for a coffee and a croissant in the morning for AED 32. That’s very good value for this area on the beach.
We also like the coffee at the KIMBO Italian coffee kiosk, it has tables and chairs with umbrellas. Note this area has become a key meeting point for cyclists most mornings, so you have been warned, it can get very busy!
If it’s very hot we pop into CIRCLE cafe, which has great AC and some good food. This issue now though is due to the number of kiosks and little pop ups it’s not easy to see the sea from these places.
You could try SKIMMD first floor, just a few steps down from Bateel Elan. Nice for a shared breakfast and a coffee on a weekday morning.
Jumeirah Fishing Harbour 2
is an area all of its own.
You reach it after GEKKO cafeteria, just follow the green path.
Here you’ll find Jumeirah Fish Market, have an oyster shucked for you fresh! There is Dibba Bay Oyster Hut and Azeema Seafood, both by the sea.
Don’t forget to pop behind the fish market for a little dosa place if you want some South Indian food. While these places are authentic they are definitely without any frills at all!
From Kite Beach Hub to DOSC - Dubai Offshore Sailing Club
There are 2 main cafes along this stretch, the first is the iconic SALT. Salt is known for it’s burgers and chilled vibes, they also often has group exercise classes outside in the morning, so it can get loud. It’s pretty much busy most of the time.
They have recently added a breakfast offering, but don’t expect anything gourmet at all here.
Just before SALT you will reach a very new cafe called SOIL. Standard cafe offerings but I would prefer more china cups and real plates please!
DoinDubai Tip
There is a large car park behind Salt and a lot of the car park is free, so again a good place to meet up or give as a reference point.
Just before you get to a non beachy bit of walk towards DOSC you’ll come to GEKKO Cafeteria, again a nice place to sit and it “away from the crowds” but the food and drink is average.
From DOSC
There are 3 main cafes here in this order.
- COMMON GROUNDS
- FEELS that’s a lot further away
- and then a very recently opened place just before Feels called SPECIAL BREW
Common Grounds comes under the same umbrellas as Tom and Serg, the original Australian cafe duo. It’s always busy, quite extensive in terms of its offering but it’s all outdoors so no indoor AC.
Feels cafe is a fair walk along the beach towards the canal just in front of Sunset Mall. It’s again always busy but like Common Grounds has no indoor seating here.
