What’s On visits the Dubai Coffee Museum at Al Fahidi Heritage Village, near Sheikh Mohammed Centre For Cultural Understanding. Learn about coffee in Dubai.

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Drinking coffee is much more than getting a caffeine hit – it’s a ritual, whether you French press at home or grab and go on your way to the office.

It’s integral to Arabic traditions of hospitality too, which is why it’s surprising that there hasn’t been anywhere in the region that showcases its coffee culture – until now. Thanks to Khalid Al Mulla, owner of coffee company Eastern Men and Co, Dubai is now home to the largest coffee museum in the Middle East.

Located in the Al Fahidi Historical District, Al Mulla’s collection is astonishing in size and scope. There are coffee grinders from the First World War made out of smelted bullets, and centuries-old brewing pots from Yemen, Egypt and Ethiopia. An 18th century book from Germany contains 177 pages dedicated to coffee (clearly written by someone who drank a lot of it) and upstairs, you can sip a cup of rocket fuel brewed via the traditional Japanese siphon method – as long as you have no plans to sleep that night.

“Coffee is such an integral part of our culture, we wanted to celebrate it and preserve it,” said Al Mullah. Although not yet officially open (the grand opening is planned for early November), this hidden gem is well worth visiting – just don’t leave without a brew.

Al Fahidi Heritage Village, near Sheikh Mohammed Centre For Cultural Understanding, Al Musallah Road, Al Fahidi Historical District, Dubai. Tel: (04) 3806777. Metro: Al Fahidi. coffeemuseum.ae

If you like this, then you’ll love these. We were treated to a tour of a roastery in Dubai and taught how to taste coffee, as well as how beans are roasted.