A newcomer’s love letter to karak, its origins, its rituals, and the best neighbourhood stops for a proper cup

If you really want to understand Dubai, start with a paper cup. Since moving here I’ve fallen, quite happily, into a karak habit. The kind that turns a quick errand into a detour and a detour into “shall we get one more for the road?” My first taste was years ago in Qatar, passed through a car window with a smile and a warning (“it’s hot!”). One sip of that sweet, spiced, strong tea and the world felt a notch softer. Dubai has only deepened the feeling.

What exactly is karak?

karak

Think of karak as the Gulf’s comfort in a cup: black tea simmered until robust, enriched with evaporated or condensed milk, perfumed with cardamom (often), sometimes a hush of saffron, and  occasionally ginger. The name traces back to the Hindi-Urdu ‘kadak’, meaning ‘strong’. Brought here by South Asian communities and folded into daily Gulf life until it felt native. Construction crews, late-shift workers, students, CEOs, everyone meets at the same window.

Why is karak everywhere in Dubai

Karak is the city’s social glue. It fuels early commutes, school runs, midnight drives, neighbourly chats, and post-mall debriefs. It’s cheap, quick, and shared. You’ll see queues of cars with hazards blinking, a quiet choreography of cups being filled, lids snapped on, change counted, the whole thing as soothing as the drink itself. Cafeterias have multiplied; menus have grown to include saffron karak, zafran specials, ‘light sweet,’ ‘extra strong.’ Dubai loves innovation, but it especially loves a ritual.

Where to drink like a local

If you want the neighbourhood experience, head to Al Barsha South and its tangle of backstreets. In the glow of a takeaway window you’ll find families in abayas and kanduras, gym kits and school uniforms, sports cars and beat-up sedans: one line, same purpose.

Koukh Al Shay is a classic ‘through-the-window’ stop. Order, pay, receive, inhale. Their karak is creamy with a steady cardamom spine. Located next to the Aswaaq Mall, a trip for karak in this area of Dubai turns into a foodtruck trail, with no complaints. @koukhalshay

Abooz Cafeteria is another reliable Barsha fix, no frills, fast pours, just-right sweetness. It’s the kind of place where a second cup seems sensible. And it’s not just in Barsha, you can find this café in places in Dubai Marina and Trade Centre. @abooz.cafe

While the city offers countless cafes and restaurants that serve this cup of joy, two other venues worth highlighing are:

Project Chaiwala in Alserkal Avenue, Warehouse 68, takes a more handcrafted route, think tea theatrics, careful spice balance, and the option to sit and linger (helpful when you tell yourself you’re having only one). @projectchaiwala

Pressman’s in Jumeirah Lake Towers isn’t a cafeteria, but pair a hot cup with a toastie and you’ll understand why it has a loyal lunchtime crowd. They even have a vanila karak, and I won’t say how many times I have ordered that, but it’s been many cups. @pressmansme

Prices are delightfully modest (usually pocket change), and if you’re unsure what to ask for, try ‘karak, light sugar’ or ‘zafran karak’ if you’re in a saffron mood. The rest is muscle memory and you’ll be a regular by next week.

The etiquette (and tiny joys)

There’s a rhythm to it. Park a respectful distance if you’re doing the car-window dance; have small notes ready; say shukran with your right hand when you take the cup. Sip before you drive off (temperature check as this stuff holds heat like gossip). If a friend says, “I’ll just have a taste,” order them their own. We’ve all been burned.

karak

Why karak sticks

Because it’s generosity in 200ml. It doesn’t ask for an occasion; it makes one. It turns strangers into a queue and a queue into a chat. It’s the pause between errands, the treat after prayers, the reward for surviving Sheikh Zayed Road at 6pm. And for me, it’s a soft landing into a city that can sometimes feel big and shiny and fast. On the floor of a majlis or at a curbside counter, karak slows the frame rate. You feel held.

A simple recipe to try at home (for when the craving hits at 1am)

Bring a mug and a half of water to a simmer with two to three cardamom pods (lightly crushed). Add one heaped teaspoon of strong black tea (Assam works), simmer for two minutes. Pour in half a cup of evaporated milk (or a splash of condensed for sweetness), simmer just until it blushes copper. Strain, sweeten to taste, whisper ‘yalla,’ and carry on.

Images: Getty Images, Unsplash and supplied