The ultimate guide to Dubai's best homegrown bakeries

Laughing Bread Bakery Dubai: Artisanal bakes and specialty coffee in Al Quoz

Laughing Bread operates from a striking Al Quoz corner space designed with unusual care – a carved stone feature wall by Studio Aya Moug, sculptural wooden furniture by Crazy Najjar, and a golden-framed viewing window that puts Head Chef Utkarsh Singh's kitchen operation on full display. The transparency is structural: bread-making unfolds in real time, from shaping to scoring to the oven. European deck ovens are used throughout.

The coffee programme runs on single-origin Ethiopian and Brazilian beans via V60. On the pastry side, the pain au chocolat demonstrates proper lamination – crisp, buttery layers yielding to dark chocolate within. A truffle parmesan Danish adds a savoury option to a counter that takes its technique seriously.

bkry: A huge homegrown bakespace with specialty coffee and tea

From the team behind Hoof Cafe and Archers specialty coffee roastery, BKRY occupies a substantial warehouse space at Alserkal Avenue with an open kitchen operating behind see-through glass doors – the central feature around which everything else is arranged. The Morning Bun (17 AED) – sourdough croissant dough infused with Ceylon cinnamon, orange glaze, and vanilla sugar – is one of the better value items on any bakery counter in the city. The Stracciatella Molten Cheese Toasty (46 AED), served with cucumber pickle and a lemon cheek, sits on the savoury side and is generously built.

The space is large, neutral in tone, and comfortable for extended stays – big wooden tables, smaller two-seater metal tables, and cosy couches across a high-ceilinged warehouse. Weekday mornings between 8 and 10 a.m. are the quietest window; weekends are busy and table availability is not guaranteed.

Birch Bakery: A specialty homegrown bakery sourcing the finest quality wheat

Birch's operation in Al Quoz is small by design and particular by philosophy. The founder sources hard spring wheat from small family farms in Skagit Valley, Washington – grown with sustainable methods and using a non-commodity wheat variety, Yecoro Roja. All baked goods, from sourdough to cookies, are made using this wheat, and the bread is vegan-friendly. A partnership with Mirzam Chocolate added specialty coffee and drinking chocolate to a counter that previously focused entirely on the bakes.

The XL Dark Chocolate Cream Pain Suisse (85 AED) is the most dramatic item on the menu – an oversized, chocolate-filled pastry that makes the price feel reasonable in context. Morning buns and sourdough are recurring highlights across visits. The operation is curb-side pick-up, now with a bespoke gate and small al fresco seating area following the Mirzam collaboration. For same-day pickups, calling ahead is advisable – and asking about daily or weekly specials is worth the effort.

Call ahead for same-day pickups: +971 (0)4 397 0996

Pekoe: A lush tea and bread bar in Alserkal Avenue

Helmed by Chef Keren Ye – previously at Baker & Spice, Kizmet, and Rise and Dawn – Pekoe operates from a warehouse space in Alserkal Avenue across two floors with an outdoor seating area out front. The small-batch Asian bakery produces pastries with a distinctly different point of view: the Mushroom and XO Sauce Danish (22 AED) has crispy layers of pastry with a savoury, flavourful filling that sits comfortably alongside the more expected sweet options on the counter.

The specialty tea programme is the venue's most developed element – a tea lab experience, Silver Needle, and a range drawing from India, Nepal, and China – but the bakery stands independently for anyone making the visit primarily for the bakes. A Double Baked Gingerbread Hazelnut (18 AED) is the kind of item worth asking about on any given visit. Free WiFi, plug sockets, and a calm atmosphere across both floors make Pekoe one of the better work-session options in Al Quoz.

Bageri Form: Artisanal bakes, specialty coffee and Scandi vibes and eats

An Emirati-owned Scandinavian bakery in d3, Bageri Form operates from a light, airy space with natural clay brick partitions separating the main bakery from the open kitchen bar. The bakery signatures – 24-hour fermented sourdough, croissants, and buns – are all yeast-free, which gives the bread a different character from standard commercial baking. The Almond Croissant (25 AED) and Crème Brûlée Cruffin (28 AED) with light vanilla custard are the pastry counter highlights.

The Caprese Tartine (55 AED) – focaccia with burrata, pesto, and tomato – demonstrates what the bread can do when it's the base of a dish rather than the accompaniment. Cosy seating areas work for small and large groups, WiFi and charging are available throughout, and outdoor tables are pet-friendly. Bread is available to take home, and parking by Building 4 gives the easiest walking access.

Popns Umm Suqeim: A homegrown bakery tucked away inside Number Five Cafe

Popns is the bakery behind Number Five. It works through the night from the second floor of the white villa, with no counter, signage or seating of its own, so everything it bakes is served downstairs alongside Number Five's specialty coffee. The Emirati-owned bakery comes from the same group as Jonas and Orijins and bakes for all three. It also takes bulk orders from other businesses across Dubai. The range covers bread, sweet and savoury pastries, cakes, muffins and granola.

The Vanilla Bun (30 AED) is the Popns bake to order at Number Five. It's a tight, glossy spiral with caramelised edges and a soft, brioche-like crumb, and the cream through the middle tastes of proper vanilla, not just sugar. Custom pastry boxes and whole cakes are made to order and collected from Number Five, and the Number Five map pin is the one to follow.

SHUKR Dubai: A homegrown bakehouse built around Filipino ensaymada

Built around a single Filipino bake, SHUKR is a homegrown online bakehouse in Jumeirah 1 making the ensaymada, a soft, sweet brioche-style bun topped with butter, sugar and grated cheese. Co-founder Rashed Yakhlef brought a box home from the Philippines, and when co-founder Panchali Mahendra couldn't find one in Dubai, she developed SHUKR's own version. Carol Contreras, Group Head Pastry Chef at Atelier House Hospitality, led the dough development. The buns arrive in red or navy boxes styled like a parcel, with a wax-stamp sticker and a die-cut window showing the cheese-topped buns inside.

The Ensaymada (18 AED) is soft and slightly stretchy under a heavy layer of shredded cheese. Butter comes through more than sugar, and the salty topping keeps it closer to a breakfast bake than a dessert. The Coconut CMC (35 AED) – coffee, milk and cheese, made to pair with the bun – is mild enough to cut through the butter without adding richness. For groups or gifting, the boxes of six (110 AED) and nine (160 AED) bring the price per bun down, and the buns hold their shape stacked together. Orders go through the major delivery platforms, or by phone for pickup.

Crunch Dubai: Specialty coffee, bakery and all-day dining in Jumeirah

Run by Kazakhstani chefs Mukhtar Kosbayev and Anastassiya Kosbayeva, Crunch is a homegrown bakery and café in Wasl 51 with its bakery visible through glass walls. Mukhtar's kitchen career includes Noma and Frantzén. The signature here is the croissant bar: pick a plain croissant, choose a filling and watch it get pumped in at the counter. Croissants and sourdough from the bakery run through an all-day menu built on European technique, house-made ferments and seasonal produce. There are vegetarian dishes throughout and plant-based milk for coffee and tea.

On the savoury side, the Crunch Flat Bread comes with a feta dip that's easy to order on repeat. The Pastrami Orzo is rich and filling, and the Stuffed Roasted Bell Peppers come packed with beef. The room has copper and amber tones, marble-topped tables and a wall of small amber blocks that recalls caramelised sugar. It suits a solo coffee as readily as a lunch meeting or a family dinner. There's free WiFi throughout and paid RTA parking outside.

Trio Jumeirah: Specialty coffee and matcha where the Emirati brand began

Trio's Jumeirah branch is where the Emirati-owned brand began, as a drive-through, and the outdoor stall still serves car and pick-up orders. Founded by coffee expert Aysha Bin Huwaireb, it is now the brand's main branch. A pastry kitchen sits behind a glass wall at the back of a long, warm room in browns, creams and rust. Everything on the pastry counter comes from that kitchen, from cardamom and za'atar buns to a chocolate babka, with pastries between 27 and 40 AED.

The Blueberry Custard Danish (34 AED) is the pick to go with coffee, tart enough to cut through the custard. The Aubergine Harissa Pain Suisse (38 AED) – smoky aubergine and harissa in laminated pastry – is the more unusual order. The Mushroom and Truffle Bao (46 AED) gets its bite from crispy white onions. The Flat White (27 AED), made with Brazilian beans, is smooth and nutty with a chocolatey edge. It's a good spot for working, but arrive early if you want it quiet. There's RTA parking outside and no outdoor seating.

Doughbai Dubai: Lebanese sourdough, all-day dining and specialty coffee in Jumeirah

Doughbai is a Lebanese all-day dining restaurant rather than a bakery in the traditional sense, but the 72-hour cold-fermented sourdough running through everything on the menu – the pizza bases, tartines, sandwich bread, and manoushe – earns it a place here. Chef Wadad Zarzour, who runs the kitchen with her son Ghadi, sources ingredients from Lebanon and the wider Levant and builds the menu from family recipes out of Zahle. The bread is the backbone of all of it: light, open crumb, lower gluten than conventional loaves, and present in some form across almost every section of the menu.

The sage-green shopfront inside Dar Wasl is small and the room is intimate – marble-topped tables, a glass pastry counter stocked with baked goods and desserts, and a semi-open kitchen hatch where you can watch the team at work. The Doughbai Trio Dip (58 AED) – muhammara, walnut, and labneh feta – arrives with that sourdough, and it's the best introduction to what the bread can do. The Chicken Schnitzel Caesar Sandos (78 AED), packed into a round of 72-hour sourdough that holds its structure all the way through, makes the case more emphatically. Walk-ins only; the space fills quickly, so arriving early is advisable.

Pancita Bakery Dubai: Argentine medialunas, empanadas and specialty coffee in Al Safa

Founded by Emirati creative Najla Busit, Pancita Bakery in Al Safa draws on Argentine baking tradition – medialunas, empanadas, alfajores, and pastries shaped and filled daily – in a space that feels personal rather than polished. The bakery is visible through a full glass partition at all times, the team working through lamination and shaping in plain sight. Most items sit comfortably under 50 AED.

The drinks list goes well beyond espresso standards – Tereré, horchata latte, and Argentinian submarinos sit alongside the coffee menu (espresso from 18 AED, V60 at 32 AED), and matcha gets its own section with a dulce de leche variation and strawberry option in the mid-30s AED range. The empanadas – six fillings including classic beef, chicken béchamel, and humita at 20 AED each – are the savoury anchor, and the medialuna counter is the reason to visit on its own terms. The dulce de leche medialuna (28 AED), buttery and generously filled, makes a strong case for building a habit here. Power outlets are available throughout, and the café quietens noticeably around 5 p.m. for those who prefer a calmer visit.

Cherryhouse Dubai: Coffee roastery, artisan bakery and all-day dining in Al Safa

Cherry House is one of the more complete bakery-restaurant propositions in the city. The artisan bakery counter – a sweeping curve of pink travertine – is the first thing you encounter on arrival, stacked with sourdough loaves fermented over 48 hours, hand-shaped focaccia, and pastries ranging from 22 to 90 AED. A Dates & Coffee Loaf (38 AED) made with house-roasted beans is among the more distinctive items on the counter. The bread programme here is built around time – slow fermentation that produces loaves with real depth of flavour.

The bakery sits within a larger café-restaurant concept that also houses a working specialty coffee roastery – the Emirati-owned venue is the work of Mohamed Matar Al Koas Al Falasi, who built this around two disciplines pursued with equal rigour. For the purposes of this guide, the baking operation stands on its own. A Raspberry Finger (35 AED) – a laminated danish with house-made vanilla custard and fresh raspberry – delivers clean, confident layers. The bright fruit cuts through the custard without overwhelming it.

Baikkie Bakehouse Dubai: All-day breakfast, specialty coffee and matcha in Jumeirah 2

Baikkie's open bakery kitchen is visible from the dining room, and the daily-fresh approach is one of the things that sets it apart. Pastries reflect what came out of the oven that morning – which makes timing matter if you're visiting specifically for the baked goods counter. The Dubai Chocolate Croissant (42 AED) – buttery laminated pastry filled with pistachio and kunafa – is a strong example of what the kitchen does well: a combination that lands cleanly without overcrowding the pastry itself.

The café is born in Dubai with Turkish roots, which shows up quietly in details like Turkish coffee sitting alongside the espresso menu. The space is relaxed and unhurried, with a glass-walled bakery at one end and a mix of seating configurations for solo visits or groups. Pastries sit in the low-to-mid 40s AED; for non-coffee drinkers, a well-developed matcha list gives real reason to visit.

June & Co Dubai: A hidden neighbourhood bakery and café

June & Co runs a bakery counter alongside an all-day dining menu in a quiet Jumeirah neighbourhood setting – wooden furnishings, neutral tones, and outdoor seating beneath navy awnings. The Pistachio Croissant (24 AED) is a strong entry point: buttery, flaky pastry with a generous pistachio cream filling and a satisfying nutty finish. The counter extends to whole cakes and fresh pastries, with the selection varying throughout the day.

It's a relaxed, unhurried space that covers most occasions – from a solo working session with a Matcha Latte (25 AED) to a casual catch-up over something from the counter. Free WiFi and four parking options in the surrounding area make the practical side of a visit straightforward.

Alica Dubai: Speciality coffee, gorgeous views & a charming bakery at Port de La Mer

Alica is a homegrown cafe and coffee shop at Port de La Mer built around an open bakery that brings visible warmth to a 1970s minimalist interior. The name references the Greek word for ancient grains, which signals the approach: the sourdough programme is central, and marina views from both indoor and outdoor seating give the space a distinctly unhurried quality.

Daily-baked pastries and breads sit alongside a menu from THREE Coffee and house-blended teas. Breakfast runs until midday, with a curated dish of the day from 65 AED anchoring the lunch service. For those wanting a loaf to take home alongside a morning coffee – the Aeropress is well-executed – Alica delivers precisely the kind of slow, considered experience its setting and sourcing philosophy suggest.

Rascal's Bakehouse: Specialty coffee and baked goods in Jumeirah

From the team behind Rascal's Deli, the bakehouse in Al Safa takes a straightforward approach: an open kitchen where bakers work in view, a small number of tables, and a counter that reflects the day's bakes rather than a fixed menu. There's no condensed milk in the coffee, and no effort to be anything other than what it is. The Glazed Croissant (24 AED) is substantial and light in equal measure – a combination that takes more technique than it sounds. The P'nut Butter Oat Latte (24 AED) balances coffee and nutty notes without tipping in either direction.

The space is small – three tables and a row of high chairs – and fills quickly on weekends. Weekday mornings are the call for anyone wanting to sit down with a coffee and something from the counter without the crowd.

Yamanote Atelier: A Japanese bakery in Al Ferdous

Yamanote has been operating since 2013 and has earned its consistency. The UAE-born Japanese bakery and café in the Al Ferdous complex produces a pastry counter that ranges from croissants to character-shaped buns – some with fillings that make each one a minor discovery. The Tissue Bread (29 AED) – a delicate tearable loaf served with honey butter, chocolate sauce, and strawberry jam – is among the more playful items, and the honey butter is the standout dip. The Breakfast Bun (40 AED), a brioche cradling scrambled eggs, melted cheese, and oregano mayo with arugula and lotus root, holds up as a savoury counterpoint.

The space is calm and clean-lined, suited to a long sit as well as a quick stop. A kids' menu and consistently attentive service make it a reliable option across group types.

Knot Bakehouse: Baked goods, casual dining, matcha and specialty coffee

Knot is an Emirati-owned bakehouse close to the canal in Jumeirah 3 with a modern industrial interior and a clear focus on matcha, specialty coffee, and fresh pastries. The Morning Knot (25 AED) – light and soft with well-balanced sweetness – is the signature pastry and the best introduction to what the counter does. The Matcha Latte with Salted Vanilla Cold Foam (35 AED) is a best-seller with reason: it's a well-constructed drink that doesn't overcomplicate the matcha.

The space is small and cosy with seating for small to mid-size groups, and it works for both a quick stop and a work session. Weekend peak hours around 10 a.m. are the busiest period; arriving at opening gives you the quietest experience and the best counter selection.

Tonton Bakes: A specialty coffeeshop & bakery in Jumeirah

Tonton is a specialty coffee shop and bakery from Basil Yassin – also behind the neighbouring YAVA – with a focus on Italian and French baking traditions interpreted through a warm, unhurried space in Wasl 51. The signature Tontail is a modern take on the Italian sfogliatella: the Custard Tontail (25 AED) has delicate layers giving way to a creamy, sweet filling. The vanilla caramel mille-feuille extends the French pastry side of the counter.

The name – from the French term of endearment for uncle – reflects the atmosphere: familiar, comfortable, and free of pretension. It's a space for a slow afternoon with a Flat White (20 AED) and something from the pastry case, not a rushed stop.

Milk Bakery: A homegrown bakery, cafe and specialty coffee in Jumeirah 1

Milk Bakery has been operating since 2012 in some form – founded as a passion project baking for friends before opening a brick-and-mortar space in 2019 – and the homegrown approach is visible throughout. Everything from croissants to celebration cakes is made from scratch daily, and the display case reflects both the range of skill and the commitment to daily production. The cookies alone are worth the visit: the Ultimate Nutella (12 AED) with sea salt, the Marie Antoinette (12 AED) with white chocolate, pistachio, and macadamia, and the Midnight Cookie (12 AED) with rich chocolate and white chocolate chunks are all strong examples of what a focused patisserie operation produces when it takes the small things seriously.

The Berries & Cream Cheesecake (37 AED), Rahash Tart (32 AED), and Cereal Killer Milk Cake (52 AED) extend the counter into celebration cake territory that pulls a local following. The coffee programme draws on Barn Coffee Roasters, the matcha uses organic leaves from Kagoshima, and Canvas gelato supplies the ice cream – partnerships that reflect a consistent instinct for quality local producers. The pastry selection is fullest in the morning; the space, with its built-in bench seating and bookshelf-lined walls, lends itself to both solo visits and unhurried catch-ups.

Bonus for the HUNTR Members: HUNTR Members collect stamps with the Coffee/Matcha&Tea Card here – collect 9 and your next drink is for free. Not a member? Download the HUNTR: City Guide app here and join us today.

Brix Café: A homegrown, harbour-side must-visit

From the team behind 3 Fils and SLRP, and with executive chef Carmen Rueda Hernandez – formerly of The Fat Duck and El Bulli – leading the kitchen, Brix brings serious culinary credentials to a harbour-side café format. The all-day breakfast menu sits alongside a dedicated bakery section producing pastries and desserts made on-site – the Eggs Benedict (53 AED) arrives on a freshly baked croissant roll, and the bread throughout the menu reflects a kitchen that treats baking as foundational rather than supplementary.

The setting – harbour views, a calm green interior, outdoor seating – makes this one of the more pleasant environments on this list for a long weekend breakfast. Specialty coffee is powered by Harvester, Grandmother, Archers, and Three, depending on preparation method.

Bolle Dubai: The best Nordic cinnamon rolls and homemade bakes in Al Manara

Bolle is a home-based bakery in Al Manara operating through pre-orders, and the focus is narrow in the best possible way: Scandinavian cinnamon rolls, hand-twisted and baked to achieve a golden, crisp exterior with a tender centre. The cardamom warmth is real rather than gestural. Classic cinnamon rolls run at 150 AED for nine. Off-menu za'atar buns (150 AED for twelve) combine Scandinavian dough technique with regional flavour – the milky-soft dough carries aromatic za'atar throughout, and served warm they make a strong case for the combination.

Orders are placed via WhatsApp, production runs in limited quantities daily, and the communication is personal and prompt. For gifting, gatherings, or simply wanting proper Nordic bakes without venturing far – and with the added option of asking about specials not listed publicly – Bolle rewards those who plan ahead.

WhatsApp for orders: +971 (0)58 960 5590

Flaky Pastry: A croissanterie in City Walk with specialty coffee

Dubai's first croissanterie, conceived by two ex-hospitality professionals, does one thing and builds a full menu around it: laminated dough, done well. Located in City Walk, the compact space is well-designed for its footprint and suits solo visits as readily as small groups. The pistachio, rose, and raspberry croissant (30 AED) – filled with pistachio ganache and rose-raspberry gel – has an irresistibly soft and creamy texture that reflects real lamination technique. The Zaatar & Cheese Croissant (23 AED) is the savoury counterpart, and the kind of thing that disappears faster than intended.

Weekday mornings between 7 and 10 a.m. are the quietest window; early evenings and weekends bring the crowds. Free basement parking with a validated ticket for 90 minutes removes the City Walk parking concern for a short visit.

Trio Dubai: Specialty coffee, matcha and an in-house bakery in Mirdif 35

Inside Mirdif 35 mall, Trio runs its own roastery and bakery under Emirati ownership. A glass-paned bakery shows the day's bread and pastries coming out of the oven. A vinyl station by the entrance plays Japanese and international records, and a huge lamp-shaped coffee bar stands at the centre of the room. Majlis-style seating gives each group its own pocket of privacy. Pastries sit in the high-20s to high-30s AED range, with most drinks and bakes under 70 AED.

The Cinnamon Bun (26.30 AED) is buttery and sweet. The Cold Chocolate Cake (55 AED) is fudgy, properly dense and the richest thing on the counter. The Short Ribs Bao (65.90 AED) comes packed with juicy, umami-rich meat. The Creme Macchiato (29 AED), made with espresso, milk, cocoa and a signature cream, is rich and well balanced. Mornings are the quietest time to visit, and parking at Mirdif 35 is free for the first three hours.

Old Crust Dubai: An Emirati-owned takeaway bakery in Muhaisnah 1

Old Crust earns its place on this guide with a set-up that is entirely about the oven. A brick oven sits at the centre of a compact takeaway bakery on a quiet Muhaisnah 1 street – there's no seating, no embellishment, and the menu stays deliberately focused: flatbreads, croissants, and manakish made to order at prices that rarely exceed 30 AED. The Zaatar and Cheese flatbread (15 AED) arrives warm and pliable, the saltiness of the zaatar balanced by stretchy melted cheese. The Cheese and Eggs Croissant (28 AED) is substantial – scrambled eggs and cheese filling a proper pastry.

The Emirati-owned bakery has the appearance of a vintage shop from the street: a green façade, wooden doors, a small service window. The brick oven is visible through the glass. Off The Street next door – same ownership – provides seating and drinks for anyone wanting to sit down with their haul.

Beurre Dubai: French pastries and speciality coffee in Al Khawaneej

Beurre turns out fresh viennoiserie throughout the day from an in-house bakery positioned behind the coffee counter, with a glass display case that reflects the day's output. In Al Khawaneej's quieter industrial pocket, it operates as one of the more unexpected finds on this list – a precise French pastry operation with a Parisian morning-run aesthetic, including a street-side takeaway window.

The Mille Feuille (27 AED) – whisper-thin layers of crisp pastry with vanilla-flecked cream – and the Pecan Croissant (27 AED) demonstrate clean technique and good lamination. For a savoury option, the Mozzarella and Tomato Danish (39 AED) handles the combination without the pastry becoming an afterthought. All pastries are baked fresh daily on the premises. The space is compact, the afternoon hours tend to be quietest, and parking on-site removes one obstacle to making the trip.

Bonus for the HUNTR Members: HUNTR Members collect stamps with the Coffee/Matcha&Tea Card here – collect 9 and your next drink is for free. Not a member? Download the HUNTR: City Guide app here and join us today.

bkry Nad Al Sheba: An all-day bakery, café and speciality coffee house in Dubai

The second Dubai branch of bkry is smaller and cosier than the Alserkal original, and it carries three croissants made only for Nad Al Sheba Mall. A glass-fronted kitchen sits at its centre, where dough is shaped and loaves go into the deck ovens in view of the floor. Head chef and co-founder Kameel Rasyid Eril mills grains in-house, and the sourdough is made from stone-ground heritage grains. A shelf of house spreads and jams is available to take home, including blueberry and lavender, macadamia coffee spread and honey from the group's UAE farm.

The exclusive croissants (36 AED each) show the pastry team's range. The Pistachio-Amaretto Swirl is balanced, not sugary, and the Ecuadorian Chocolate Brownie suits the chocolate end of the table. The Honey Nougatine is layered and full of texture. From the café menu, the Turkish Egg Breakfast (62 AED), with lamb sujuk and smoked chilli ghee, is the strongest savoury plate. The Ginger Hash Brown (14 AED) is crisp-crusted with a clear thread of ginger. Pastries run roughly 18 to 36 AED, and whole loaves are available to take home. Parking at the mall is free, and arriving at opening is the best way to avoid the queues.

Gato Bakehouse: A Korean café and bakery in Dubai Creek Harbour

Gato Bakehouse brings a Korean café and bakery sensibility to Dubai Creek Harbour – a larger branch than the original Port Rashid outpost, with a pastel-toned interior, counter displays of rotating pastries and cakes, and a drinks list that reflects the elaborate beverage craft Korean cafés do well. The Bow Croissant (28 AED) in yuzu demonstrates what the kitchen can do with laminated dough: proper French technique producing flaky layers that shatter correctly, with yuzu adding citrus brightness without overwhelming the butter.

The counter selection changes regularly, so arriving and surveying what's out before ordering is worth the moment. The Picnic Cake (93 AED), inspired by Sanrio's My Melody character, delivers on flavour beneath its decorative exterior – a useful reminder that the visual presentation here is backed by real baking skill.

Parka Bakehouse: Artisanal Emirati bakery in Nad Al Sheba

The second branch of this Emirati-owned bakery brand – following the original Sharjah location, from the team behind Ganache and co – has built a worthy following in Nad Al Sheba. The Avo Egg Puff (89 AED) is the best indicator of what the kitchen does with pastry: layers of crisp laminated dough topped with creamy avocado, scrambled eggs, feta, and tomato – the contrast between the brittle exterior and soft filling is the point. The bread counter supplies the menu directly, and signature loaves are available until sold out.

Parka integrates regional ingredients throughout – the Pistachio Eggs (69 AED), with poached eggs over a spinach-pistachio sauce with shatta oil, and the Shakshuka Pide (65 AED), baked into boat-shaped bread, both reflect a kitchen thinking about where local flavours fit within a contemporary breakfast menu.