Nightjar combines a roastery, coffee bar and full kitchen inside Alserkal Avenue, the warehouse arts complex in Al Quoz, west of central Dubai. Behind the glass frontage are shelves of beans, tables and a busy room with music. It is a good choice for coffee and a meal between galleries, though a poor fit if you need quiet.
Coffee
Nightjar roasts on site and serves espresso, milk drinks, filter and cold brew. Start with your preferred drink, then ask which beans are available to take home.
The cold drinks deserve attention: cold brew, nitro coffee and other drinks on tap give you several alternatives to hot coffee. Kombucha adds a non-coffee option. This breadth is particularly welcome after walking around Alserkal in the heat.
Filter
Filter sits alongside the busier food and drinks service. Ask what is being brewed that day if you want to try a single origin. You can also browse beans and home-brewing equipment; the bar can help you choose a coffee for the method you use at home.
Food
The kitchen makes Nightjar one of the more substantial meal stops among Dubai's roaster cafes. Breakfast, salads, rotisserie chicken, pancakes and custard pie offer more choice than a pastry counter. Allow time for a table and a meal if you are spending the afternoon at the galleries.
Service & Room
Expect music, groups and people moving between the bar and tables. There is room for a longer stay, especially outside the busiest part of the day, but the soundtrack can make concentrated work difficult.
Alserkal is a planned trip from most central Dubai hotels. Once there, you can walk between galleries and the cafe. Evening service also makes Nightjar an option for food and coffee later in the day.
Why Filter Notes shortlisted Nightjar Coffee Roasters
Choose Nightjar when you want house-roasted coffee and a full meal in the same place. The tap drinks and kitchen distinguish it from smaller espresso bars; the noise is the clearest tradeoff.