Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day. Give me good coffee, something delicious and enough time to enjoy both, and I am happy. It is also the meal I find myself overthinking whenever I am in a different city: where should I go? What should I order? And where do the people who live here actually have breakfast?

So, hopefully once I visit Dubai again, I will definitely be looking for a place with a good breakfast. That's why I asked a few locals for their favourites. Akkaoui recommended Birch Bakery, Bait Maryam and Feels, while Klo pointed me towards Alica Bakery in Port de La Mer. I added a few more addresses to explore, plus two recent openings for anyone looking for somewhere new.

Recommended by Akkaoui

For mornings that call for coffee and a pastry, start with Birch. This bakery opened in 2019, with sourdough at the centre of what it does: loaves are shaped by hand and fermented for more than 20 hours.

Stop by the Al Quoz bakery for a morning bun or kouign-amann, and pick up a loaf to take home. Tomorrow’s toast deserves some attention, too.

Recommended by Akkaoui

Bring a few friends to Bait Maryam and make breakfast a shared affair. Named after the owner’s mother, this JLT restaurant specialises in Levantine home cooking, with family recipes running through the menu.

Build your table around shakshuka, eggs with soujouk and foul, or try qudsiyeh: hummus and fava beans with green chilli, parsley and tomato. Order a few plates for the middle and leave time for coffee.

Recommended by Akkaoui

For breakfast after a morning walk near the beach, head to Feels on Al Nessnass Street. Its Kite Beach branch has plenty of options, whether you are after eggs, toast or something sweet.

Try the labneh and zaatar avocado toast, Turkish eggs with dill yoghurt and chilli olive oil, or oatmeal pancakes with blueberry compote. A useful address when everyone at the table has a different idea of breakfast.

Recommended by Klo

Klo added Alica Bakery to my list, giving me another reason to plan breakfast by the water. Set in Port de La Mer, this homegrown bakery and eatery makes an appealing stop for bread, pastries and a proper sit-down breakfast.

The folded eggs come with chilli crunch oil and sourdough, while The Morning Tray brings together hummus, pickles, a soft-boiled egg, labneh with pistachio zaatar, avocado with sumac, and sourdough. For something sweet, try the toasted brioche with house-made ricotta and seasonal preserves.

My personal recommendation

I am not a Dubai local, but I can personally vouch for this one: I have had breakfast at HEAL, so this recommendation comes from experience. Set in a converted villa on Al Manara Road, the café has whitewashed walls, natural textures and outdoor seating — an inviting setting for a slow start to the day. There is also a homeware shop to browse if you feel like lingering.

The breakfast menu includes Turkish eggs, shakshouka, truffle omelette and salmon Benedict, alongside sweeter options such as berry French toast and pancakes. Plenty to choose from, depending on how hungry you wake up.

My personal recommendation

Of course Nightjar was going to make this list. It is another place I can personally recommend, and an easy starting point for a morning at Alserkal Avenue. Coffee is a big part of the appeal, but I would make sure to arrive hungry.

The breakfast muffin comes with a beef patty, fried egg, American cheese, spinach and romesco, while the ricotta pancakes with berries and cream make a tempting case for something sweet. I would leave a little time afterwards to wander around Alserkal — preferably with another coffee in hand.