These Dubai-based homegrown heroes are honouring the art of bakery
A pastry – often the morning fuel for a busy day, a pick-me-up after a long one or simply, a shot of serotonin for whenever the craving hits. Dubai is home to countless bakeries and confectionaries, serving up freshly-made goods that are sure to fill the space with delicious smells and your soul with warmth. Built from the ground up by our very own, each one of these homegrown spots has something special to offer, but one thing they all have in common – treats that hit the spot every single time.
Alica Bakery
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Founded by Nour El Chedrawi, this is another corporate to culinary story – Nour left the corporate world behind to pursue her lifelong passions, and out came this family-run spot that sits right on the waterfront of Port de la Mer. Here, you’ll find the buttery, pillowy pastries, sourdough bread and delicious cakes, but also a full menu of lunch specials including pastas, curries and sandwiches. Everything is curated by the head chef Darren Vasiljevic and meant to provide utmost comfort – if you read the menu, you’ll find all measures of comfort food.
Bageri Form
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Few spots in Dubai offer the kind of colourful, joyous variety that Bageri Form does, featuring all the fruits of the rainbow and a special emphasis on seasonal produce. Serving up Scandinavian-inspired bakes, Bageri Form offers an extensive menu of yeast-free, 24-hour fermented sourdough breads, pastries, doughnuts, rolls and even sandwiches. With both sweet and savoury goodness, this Emirati-owned spot brought to you by Samira Dabbaagh, makes everything from scratch, baked fresh daily. The space itself is a tranquil, minimal haven, with natural clay bricks, greenery and pools of gentle sunlight.
Birch Bakery
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Hidden, unassuming, but serving so much flavour – this Emirati-owned, hole-in-the-wall bakery located in Al Quoz was started in 2019, and produces some of Dubai’s tastiest sourdough, pastries, and the infamous roast beef sando. You might miss it as you drive past – hidden behind a big metal gate and the shade of leafy trees, Birch is quite literally, just a window in a wall, where you can place and receive your orders. A few tables on the other side of the compound mean you can sit down and enjoy your fare amidst the slow hum of nature. Head over for a coffee and a breather.
bkry
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bkry landed in Dubai with a huge splash – we’ve all seen the long queues, the booked-out reservations, the hordes waiting to sample their incredible artisanal treats. 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.
Juntas
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This little Portuguese bakery in Al Mizhar is where you need to be to get some knockout sourdough pastries in Dubai, free from yeast, preservatives and synthetics. Inspired by the undisturbed calm and connect of the Portuguese countryside, this is an intimate space, rooted in community. Justas presents as a tranquil, homely garden terrace, filled with gently swaying greenery, mismatched vintage-inspired furnishings and corners where you can burrow yourself with fresh specialty coffee and sourdough pastries. If you’re stuck in the relentless pace of the city, free yourself for just a bit here.
Maha’s Bakehouse
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This one is also all about that sourdough sauce – the pastries at Maha’s Bakehouse are enough to induce a serious pang of craving in you. A homegrown venture by Maha-Morley Kirk, this is a story of Maha finally pursuing her lifelong passion of baking. Bread was the start, but Maha decided developing her patisserie skills was just as important, and went through several cooking schools to gain qualifications. The result is the menu of Maha’s Bakehouse, offering buns, breads, croissants, cookies and brownies – the whole shebang, and a number of innovative options for something a little different.
Milk Bakery
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Pastries, pastries and more pastries – this is the ethos of Milk Bakery and we’re not complaining. Located in Wasl 51, this spot started a family-run, home-based business and is now uber popular, serving up amazing sweet treats, coffees, smoothies, sourdough and breakfast specialties. The concept of Milk derives from the ‘fika’, a Swedish culture of coming together over coffee and sweet treats. The dessert bar will satisfy your sweet tooth, while the coffee bar will give you the caffeine hit. It’s got that typical Dubai-esque barebones look, so the aesthetics are there.
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.
Piehaus
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Piehaus by 21grams recently opened doors at Alserkal Avenue, and is bringing that signature simple, unassuming atmosphere that we all know and love 21grams for, along with specialty Balkan pies and coffee. It’s muted, minimalistic, where one can pop down to get some work done, catch up with a friend or go on a spontaneous date. The no frills attached atmosphere feels more homely and with a fairly compact menu, you’re set for fuss free dining. Think phyllo pies, golden, crispy crust and unmissable fusions of sweet and savoury fare.
Rise Bakehouse
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Not just cookies, Rise Bakehouse is your home for all things sweets – brownies, cakes and more but where it’s really at with Rise Bakehouse is the delicious lunchbox cakes – cute creations for one person to devour. These mini cakes saw a period of social media virality not that long ago, and while the hype has perhaps died down, people still love them. Don’t miss out on their workshops, where you can learn how to decorate your very own lunchbox cake. You can find founder and mainwoman Farah Sheikh Al Sagha in the kitchen, adding her magic touch to all the creations.
Three by Eva
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Created by a mother and two daughters, Three by Eva is the baking baby of Eva Halasa and her daughters, Emilie and Lilian. The trio bring deeply-rooted Jordanian heritage to their creations, with a sprinkle of innovation, of course.They specialise in sourdough specialties, following the ethos of ‘flour, salt and water’ – not just the core recipe of all their offerings, but also a representation of their philosophy, simple, pure and with purpose. Local and seasonal ingredients add flair to their pastries, from cake to bread and Middle Eastern confectionaries.
Vanilla Sukkar
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This Emirati mother-and-daughter-owned gem in Jumeirah is a quaint coffee shop and bakery – a small space filled with plants, books, cute collectibles, and the smell of freshly baked goods. Born out of a baking project at university carnival, Vanilla Sukkar started as a door-to-door delivery service by Fatma Saifan, who joined forces with her mother Dr. Kaltham Kenaid to keep up with the exploding demand of her at-home bakery. Vanilla Sukkar Cafe came into being, and has since been serving patrons with delicious fare. Don’t miss their melt-in-the-mouth sourdough pastries.
Image credit: @milkbakery.ae 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.
