Hidden gems: 8 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 8 UAE desert pop-ups to discover.

Zuma, Ras Al Khaimah

Zuma is expanding into Ras Al Khaimah, opening a pop-up amongst the dunes at one of the best hotels in RAK, The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Wadi Desert. The Zuma pop-up in Ras Al Khaimah will open on Thursday October 24 as part of the incredible offering at Seven Wonders, a new concert series. Backdropped by the beauty of the Arabian desert and views of the rolling dunes, guests can enjoy Zuma’s iconic modern Japanese izakaya experience.

@zumadubai

Not a Space, Sharjah

One of the first desert pop-ups that took the UAE by storm — Not a Space is the Sharjah hotspot for not only an insanely Instagramable night under the stars but also some spectacular warm drinks and we can only hope for cool collabs to come. Gather your gang and get ready for a sunset road trip, click here for the location on google maps. It’s not open just yet, so stay tuned to find out when.

Not a Space, Sharjah, @notaspace

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

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 Dhs300 for adults and Dhs120 for children, or with dinner its Dhs690 for adults and Dhs280 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

One Degree Cafe, Dubai

The One Degree Cafe Winter pop-up is known for being a more traditional Arabian experience. Think camels, bedouin tents, traditional music, tanoora and fire shows as well as kid-friendly activities and more. The Desert pop-up will be open daily from 5pm until 1am if you’re looking for the location, you can head over to their bio for the Google Maps pin drop, or if you’re too eager – click here. The winter cafe is a 40-minute drive from Downtown Dubai and you can easily find it by travelling down the Al Ain road (E66) as if you were travelling towards the Dubai Outlet Mall.

One Degree Cafe, Margham, Dubai, daily 5pm to 1am. @onedegree.ae

Sadeem, Dubai

Another visually stunning desert pop-up, this one plays on lights in a way that we instantly fell in love with and will be opening very soon. A new desert cafe we haven’t seen in previous seasons, Sadeem, originally a cafe in Al Sara can now also be found in Al Marmoom which is near the Al Qudra Lakes. Conveniently they have a Google Maps pin which can be found here. Expect incredible bites and drinks such as they Frosties cereal soft serve, a spicy tuna panini or the rose and pistachio baklava cake  – sign us up.

Sadeem, Al Marmoon, near Al Qudra Lakes, opening soon. @sadeemdubai 

Caia Bamboo, Dubai

An extension of Box Park’s Caia Cafe, Caia Bamboo is a beautifully boho pop-up designed to feel like a secret garden. On the edge of Flamingo Lake, just around the corner from the Al Qudra camping ground, it’s a serene spot to switch off and relax, admiring the desert surroundings and nearby lake when you’re in need of a bit of nature. There’s lakeside lounge seating covered by billowing canopies, as well as tables for two and four dotted across the desert sand, arranged around a pretty water fountain in the middle, plus a raised deck lined with twinkling fairy lights. The opening dates are unknown still – stay tuned to find out.

Caia Bamboo, Flamingo Lake, Dubai, opening soon, @caiabamboo.ae

Hidden, Dubai

Hidden was an off-the-grid desert pop-up cafe and was an Insta(nt) hit for its boho-vibes, rope deck chairs, cosy campfires, earthy woven bean bags and rattan sofas covered in plush cushions. The whole area is surrounded by palm trees, offering dappled shade to curl up with a coffee as the sun sets. The stunning star feature of this Instagrammable desert pop-up is a mirrored installation that reflects the picturesque setting around you – a perfect photo op for all Hidden visitors.

Hidden, Al Marmoon Heritage Village, Sun to Thurs, 4pm to 12am, Fri and Sat, 4pm to 1am, @hidden_dubai

Images: Socials