When the lanes of Alserkal call, we answer
Character.
That’s what Alserkal Avenue has.
A personality, so distinctly colourful, so powerfully alive and so shockingly potent, it makes you want to come back, traverse those lanes, canvas those corners and sit so very still with all that energy, again and again and again. On the surface, one can call it certified cool central of Dubai, which by all means, it is. It is a very cool place, and very cool people run their stores, and cook their food and do their art for other cool people to buy, eat and stand in front of with curious, occasionally clueless faces.
However, that is shallow credit. On the surface.
To truly know Alserkal Avenue, one must know the people and the stories that make it, for what is an area without its people but a plot of land and a piece of sky. So, for the next time you wish to know Alserkal, here is our guide to all the stories you can discover.
Where to Eat?
bkry
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At the core of bkry’s ethos is innovation – it’s always been an experimental concept. Here, you’ll enjoy freshly-baked, soul-repairing pastries and specialty coffee, made with ingredients that are completely produced in-house – down to the chocolate and the butter. Co-founder and Head Chef Kameel Rasyid brings his passion for artisanal baking from his early days in Indonesia, where he and his mother created innovative bakes to share with their community.
Haya’s Kitchen Meets KAVE
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Haya’s Kitchen, Palestinian chef Haya Bishouty’s culinary baby, started as Sufra, a Covid-era awakening from corporate slumber, and a series of workshops focused on Palestinian food skills around town. It is now a permanent kitchen, finding a home inside KAVE in a quiet lane of Alserkal. Respective founders and friends Haya and Rania Kana’an are paying tribute to their heritage, their tetas or grandmothers, by reviving the ancestral way of life, whether through food or communal belonging.
The menu at Haya’s Kitchen Meets KAVE follows a pattern of seasonal and personal cooking. You can sample dishes like the msakhan, macarona bil’laban, khweya and seasonal salads made with bulgur wheat and tomatoes.
Kokoro
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Kokoro, Dubai’s first hand roll bar, is a small, almost hole-in-the-wall spot free of frills and fuss and full of the casual, inviting warmth one usually finds at a space like this. Everything about Kokoro says laidback but not lazy, spontaneous but not overwhelming, so very cool but not alienating. But that’s it – it’s easy and welcoming, to the point where you’ll feel comfortable dining on your own.
The rolls are simple – just rice, fish and slices of an accompanying vegetable, and a big sheet of seaweed. This helps the flavours of the ingredients shine, and you can tell that everything is premium.
Lila Molino + Cafe
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There’s a fair chance that if you’re aware of Lila Taqueria, you’re aware of Lila Molino. The latter is the former’s much-larger and tastefully expansive younger sister, both helmed by the watchful, tender eye and many years of a love affair with Mexican food of Chef Shaw Lash. It’s a cafe and a marketplace, with everything paying tribute to the homeland.
Think cheesy tamales, high-flavour tostadas, big fat quesadillas and enchiladas, and some good, great coconut horchata. The fare, while not overly inventive, is wholesome, hearty, made with fresh produce and a love for the discipline, and strives to stay true – to Mexico, to Chef Shaw and to you.
Middle Child
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Chef Lynn Hazim, a middle child herself, decided she wanted to own her fate, and hence was born Middle Child, a restaurant, a cookbook shop and a grocer, but most importantly, a communal space, where you’ll find your family, no matter whether you’re a middle child or not. Beirut-born, Dubai-based and food-first, Lynn spent 10 years at Google before she decided tech was not what she wanted for herself. She wanted giant slices of cheesecake and saucy bowls of Bolognese.
To Middle Child, come as you are, eat, play, stay, read a book, maybe buy some bread. Everything and everyone is welcome.
Nala
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Cafeterias and corner shops are a-plenty in Dubai, serving up quick, fuss-free fare that will satisfy your hunger speedily. Fast and casual – two things everyone loves – they make our lives easier, and while a roadside rodeo is just what we need sometimes, this is Dubai and of course, we have an elevated version of that experience.
NALA in Alserkal Avenue is perhaps Dubai’s coolest canteen. Brought to you by tashas Group, parent company of iconic hotspots like Flamingo Room, tashas, Avli and Bungalo34, and helmed by the formidable force that is Natasha Sideris, this is a new brand of fast-casual dining – a complete flip on its head. Think of all the comfort foods you might crave – that’s what they have to offer.
The Growhouse by One Life
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After failed attempts at growing produce at their D3 location during the strange times of the pandemic, Necip Camcigil, founder of One Life, and partner Chef Kelvin Kelly decided now was the time to revive that design, but done with purpose and intention. And so, The Growhouse was born. Housed within industrial chic walls, the cafe and co-working space features a regenerative biodiversity farm and a massive kitchen.
One Life has always had a made-from-scratch, sustainable philosophy, but now they’re executing it in the most absolute manner – real zero-mile, farm-to-table stuff. Camcigil explains the inspiration of the name of his brand – having spent 9 years in corporate, he decided he was going to take his one life and do something with it that nourishes him.
Where to drink?
Ganache Chocolatier
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A sweet, sensational wonderland of all things chocolate, Ganache’s Alserkal outpost is a flagship factory, café, and boutique that brings together the finest ingredients from Switzerland, Belgium and France, and features over 100 flavours to choose from. They also have a unique gift wrapping station that allows you to customise your own boxes. The signature however, is the hot chocolate – liquid gold, some might say, and a drink so rich, dreamy and divine that you’re sure to remember and come back for more.
Pekoe Tea and Bread Bar
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Located in Alserkal Avenue, Pekoe Tea and Bread Bar is all about the best of tea, and of course, some wonderful baked goods to go with. The name ‘pekoe’ refers to orange pekoe, a classification of black tea and matcha tea, while ‘orange’ is most likely a reference to the royal family, the House of Orange, to which this tea was served. A modern Japanese small-batch bakehouse, Pekoe offers teas from Japan, India and Nepal; Brazilian, Ethiopian and Columbian coffee, and croissants, cookies, sandwiches, salads and other sweet treats.
Where to Shop?
1004 Gourmet
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This is the go-to Korean supermarket in Dubai and one of the best regional spots, stocking all those delicious snacks you’ve seen in your K-Drama binge-watching sessions. The brand opened doors in 2008 when founders Dong Chul Shin and Juno Kim decided to open a small grocery shop in The Onyx Tower 1 dedicated to Korean food. Now, they have grown into five locations across the UAE and an online platform that delivers across the UAE, and stocks produce from across East Asia. Their branch in Alserkal is a little mini kiosk you can browse for some snacks as you walk around.
CHI-KA
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Founded by Nina and Nemanja Valjarevic in 2013, CHI-KA is a contemporary womenswear and art space, specialising in the art of the kimono. The collection consists of luxurious, artisan-made silk kimonos, abayas, kaftans, and dresses customised to suit Gulf sensibilities, bridging the gap between Japan and the Middle East not just through fashion, but also through design, fine art, craft, food and performance.
CHI-KA’s ethos centres around collaborating with artists and organisations reflecting on the new wave of Japanese aesthetics. The brand also distributes Japanese tatami, premium hand-made washi paper, and sources Japanese design and craft.
Jaipur Rugs
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Nand Kishore Chaudhary started Jaipur Rugs with a loan from his father to set up two looms for nine artisans in Churu, Rajasthan back in 1978. He picked tribal artisans and those shunned by society to work with him and build his enterprise, and Jaipur Rugs became one of the largest manufacturers of hand-knotted rugs and a global leader in the rug-making business. Today, it is headquartered in Jaipur and working with artisans spread across five Indian states. The model remains the same – benefit for every hand that touched the carpet. The Alserkal outpost is as colorful and inviting as one can imagine, and brings the authenticity of where it comes from.
Nappa Dori
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Minimalism, artisanal craftsmanship and a love for leather is what led Gautam Sinha to create Nappa Dori, one of India’s foremost contemporary design brands. He spent the formative years of his career designing fashion accessories for high-street brands, but leather as a material captured his attention.
What started as a single store in Hauz Khas Village in Delhi, the capital of India, is now a chain of 18 stores around the world. The designs reflect a fusion of both tradition and modern function, and span from luggage to bags of all sizes and utilities, stationary, wallets, footwear and clothing. The Alserkal spot also features Café Dori, a cosy cafe with pools of gentle sunlight and a great cup of coffee.
The Flip Side
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For proponents and patrons of vinyl culture, Dubai’s independent record shop, The Flip Side, has a wide range of music and vinyl records as well as cool merchandise that includes but is not limited to, t-shirts, equipment, slipmats and accessories, record bags, books and magazines and Egyptian vintage posters.
Founded by DJ and founder of the Ark to Ashes record label, Shadi Megalla, is Dubai’s first independent vinyl record shop. A true hub for the music community, you’ll find here movie nights, and talks about music. The spot also regularly hosts in-store live DJ sessions, so if you’re looking to find your musical tribe, this might be the place to be.
What to See?
Cinema Akil
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Cinema Akil by the formidable Butheina Kazim is the region’s first independent arthouse cinema, the one that put the name on the cultural and creative map of the region. This is a full-fledged vintage theatre, with gaudy floral wallpaper, massive sofas with lived-in cushions, old movie posters and a scarlet red draped over everything – a homage to the theatres and film houses of times bygone.
For many years now, Cinema Akil has been bringing the best and brightest celluloid stars from around the world to the UAE on the big screen. Rediscovering classics, exploring new releases and truly celebrating the power and poetry of moving pictures – that’s Cinema Akil for you.
Image credit: @selina_on_tour_uae on Instagram
Deeply passionate about food, culture and community, Manaal loves telling extraordinary stories of ordinary people. Besides sniffing out a tale to tell, her favourite things to do include binging true crime documentaries, chasing cats on the streets and curating a good outfit.
