Hidden gems: 10 UAE desert pop-ups to discover this winter

They all happen to be seriously Instagrammable…

By living in the UAE, we’re lucky enough to have both beach and desert on our doorsteps. And while the summer is fun for pool days and waterparks, in winter we love to wrap up and head out to the dunes.

Recently, we’ve seen an increase in the number of cool cafes and restaurants popping up in the desert. If you’re keen to spend an evening under the stars sipping coffee and catching up with friends, here are 10 UAE desert pop-ups to discover.

Not A Space, Sharjah

Thanks to TikTok, Not A Space has quickly become the go-to hidden gem for winter evenings in the desert. The Al Faya location offers a huge pet-friendly space to relax on a bean bag, enjoy a coffee or hot chocolate and some light snacks. Live music and fire shows make up the entertainment, as well as one-off workshops such as Moon Painting on Saturday January 8 (Dhs250). By car it will take you around an hour to drive from Dubai, just take the E44 to E611 and head up E102.

Not A Space, Al Faya, Sharjah, daily 6am to 1am. @notaspace

The Uncommon, Sharjah

Also in Al Faya, is The Uncommon, a new desert cafe pop-up featuring a huge mirror that reflects the picturesque setting around you. The Instagrammable destination offers lounge seating surrounded by different mirrors, and coffee served in cute takeaway cups. The vibe is relaxed and peaceful, and makes a great spot for watching the sunset. It’s one hour’s drive from Dubai, by car take the E44 to E611 and head up E102 to Al Faya.

The Uncommon, Al Faya, Sharjah, 4pm to 1am. @theuncommon.ae

My Space Coffee, Sharjah

If you’re keen to spend an evening under the stars sipping coffee and catching up with friends, then bookmark My Space Cafe, which you can search in Google Maps, or find the pin here. Located in the Al Madam area of Sharjah. There’s seating scattered across the desert, or you can snuggle in to one of the futuristic-looking mirrored boxes and enjoy the desert vistas from the comforts of the indoors. You can pick up sweet treats here too, like homemade cheesecake, fresh Cinnabon and a molten chocolate.

My Space Cafe, Nizwa, Sharjah, 3pm to 1am daily. Tel: (0)52 729 6666, @myspace.cafe

Few, Sharjah

This stunning and colourful pop -up has joined the ranks of desert pop-ups in Al Faya, Sharjah. Fueled by coffee, grab some of your mates, get ready for a fun road trip and head over to the pop-up for a cup of java and a few tasty desserts. In the new year, the pop-up will be hosting quite a few events such as a painting workshop on Monday January 23 from 4pm to 6pm, followed by a fire and fireworks show at 8pm. Make sure you have your Apple Pay and credit card at the ready though, as they do not accept cash. You can find their pin location here.

Few, Al Faya, Sharjah, open daily 3pm to 1.30am. @few.ae

Ol Fah, Sharjah

Pet friendly is reason enough to check out this stunning desert pop-up. While they’re still only in the soft opening stages – this desert pop-up is going to be the one to beat. Complete with neon LED lights, cool pyrotechnic shows and performances, and plenty of Instagram-worthy areas such as a selfie mirror. There are also of course plenty of items to indulge in such as corn dogs, coffee, burgers and more. Their location is conveniently linked in their Instagram bio, alternatively, click here.

Ol Fah, Al Faya, Sharjah, open daily from 4.30pm to 2am @olfah.ae

Sonara Camp, Dubai and Ras Al Khamiah

With two locations to choose from, Sonara Camp offers a luxury experience in both Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah desert. With a fine-dining set menu and world-class entertainment, this bucket list experience includes a range of activities from camel riding to falconry, live music, fire show and much more. The sunset experience starts at Dhs460 for adults and Dhs160 for children, or with dinner its Dhs860 for adults and Dhs380 for children. For Dubai Desert Conservation Area take E66 the whole way (45 mins) and for The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah Al Wadi Desert stay on E311 (60 mins).

Sonara Camp Dubai, Dubai Desert Conservation or Sonara Camp Al Wadi, The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah Al Wadi Desert, daily from 4pm. nara.ae

The Dome, Ras Al Khaimah

A brand new pop-up desert cafe has added to the array of desert dining options in Ras Al Khaimah. The Dome by Delaney is the desert iteration of Ras Al Khaimah’s beautiful Delaney coffee shop, so you can expect that the food and drink at this pop up will be absolutely delightful. The pop up can be found just off Al Elm road in Khalifa bin Zayed City, they have conveniently included the Google Maps location here.

The Dome, Al Elm Road, Khalifa bin Zayed City, 5pm to 12am daily. @thedome.ae

One Degree Cafe, Ajman

For a more traditional Arabian experience, check out One Degree Cafe in Musherief. Here you’ll find camels, bedouin tents, traditional live music, tanoora show, fire shows, kid-friendly activities and much more. Food options include sliders and fries, hot dogs, flavoured pastries, and for drinks, a variety of coffee options are on offer. Just 40 minutes from Dubai, you can drive there by following the E66 to E77 and joining E44; or just take E44 all the way.

One Degree Cafe, Musherief, Ajman, daily 3pm to 1am, show starts 5pm. @onedegree.ae

Winter Camp, Dubai

Winter Camp is a private set-up where you and your friends can enjoy a fun night in the desert, without the hassle of setting everything up. You’ll get a relaxing lounge area with fun board games and even a projector screen to enjoy a movie under the stars. Packages are available for groups of 10 to 17 pax (priced at Dhs1,200 on weekdays and Dhs1,400 on weekends) or up to 27 pax (priced at Dhs1,500 on weekdays and Dhs1,800 on weekends).

Winter Camp, Dubai, daily 5pm to 12am. WhatsApp: (0)50 576 5256. @winter_.camp

Hidden, Dubai

The ever popular and Insta worthy Hidden pop-up is back. This off-the-grid desert pop-up cafe oozes boho-vibes, with rope deck chairs in crisp white surrounding cosy campfires, earthy woven bean bags and rattan sofas covered in plush cushions. Hidden welcomes guests for evenings under the stars from 4pm to 12am from Sunday to Thursday and 4pm until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays.

Hidden, near Al Maha, Dubai, Sun to Thu 4pm to 12am and Fri and Sat 4pm to 2am. @hidden_dubai

Header Image: Not A Space