WatchHouse Abu Dhabi will open at The Arcades in Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club.
The menu will feature Rituals, Ventures, Horizons and Rarities categories.
The café marks the London brand’s first permanent UAE location.
The London-born coffee brand will open its first permanent UAE café at Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club this June.
London’s WatchHouse is heading to the UAE with the opening of its first permanent café in Abu Dhabi. Set to launch this June at The Arcades within Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, WatchHouse Abu Dhabi marks a significant regional move for the speciality coffee brand and adds another international name to the capital’s growing café scene.
The location places WatchHouse within one of Abu Dhabi’s most distinctive leisure destinations. Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club is known for its relaxed setting, Spanish-inspired architecture, and connection to the city’s sporting and social culture. It also provides a fitting backdrop for a brand built around coffee, design and community.
The new café has been designed in collaboration with Deidra Hodgson and will incorporate equestrian-inspired details, warm tones and natural textures. The result is intended to feel refined yet welcoming, creating a space suited to morning coffee runs, casual meetings and longer social visits.
WatchHouse describes its approach as “Modern Coffee”, a philosophy that brings together high-quality beans, considered interiors and an experience that goes beyond a standard caffeine stop. The Abu Dhabi opening follows the brand’s regional debut through a pop-up at Marsa Boulevard in Dubai and signals its first long-term home in the UAE.
Coffee remains at the heart of the concept. WatchHouse structures its menu into four distinct categories, allowing guests to choose based on their preferences and curiosity. Rituals cover everyday favourites, including milk-based espresso drinks and balanced decaf options. Ventures explore more layered flavour profiles through filter coffees, while Horizons focuses on experimental brews. Rarities showcases limited-edition coffees sourced in small quantities.
Founded in London, WatchHouse has built a loyal following for its detail-driven approach to coffee and design-led spaces. Its arrival in Abu Dhabi reflects the continued rise of speciality coffee culture across the region, where cafés increasingly function as lifestyle destinations as much as places to grab a drink.
Further Middle East expansion is also on the cards, with Kuwait and Qatar among the markets being considered. Reports have also linked the brand to a possible Dubai opening in DIFC, which would further strengthen WatchHouse’s UAE presence.
Where: The Arcades, Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Al Mushrif, Abu Dhabi
When: Opening June 2026
Contact: @watchhouse_ae