Why beloved Dubai cafe Shakespeare and Co.’s closure in Dubai Mall, Ibn Battuta and Meadows Souq still hurts

Dubai: Long before Alia Bhatt’s tres leches cake at L’ETO had us zooming in on our dessert forks like it was Oscar bait, and way before matcha mousse started its glittery, chartreuse takeover of every café reel, there was a quietly fabulous little haunt that didn’t beg for the spotlight — Shakespeare and Co.

No influencer drops, no clout-chasing collabs, just velvet chairs, floral wallpaper, and a kind of frilly charm that whispered, “Come in, sit down, stay awhile.”

It’s hard to say exactly what made Shakespeare and Co. so beloved. Maybe it was the floral armchairs that looked like they belonged in your eccentric English aunt’s drawing room. Maybe it was the chandeliers hanging like gossip from the ceiling. Or maybe, just maybe, it was the way the whole place made you feel like you were in on a little secret — a calm, pastel sanctuary tucked between errands and emails. And when it closed down in November 2023, we felt like we had lost a comforting haven.

Think about it: you’d wander in for a quick English Breakfast tea and end up staying an hour longer than intended. That was the magic of it. Whether it was in Meadows Souk, Ibn Battuta, or nestled quietly in Dubai Mall, Shakespeare and Co. didn’t just serve food. It served comfort. The kind that wrapped around you like a cashmere cardigan you didn’t know you needed.

And now? Many of those beloved branches have quietly closed, and the news hit some of us like an ex who left without a proper goodbye. One minute, you’re planning a leisurely catch-up with a friend over your usual spinach and feta quiche, and the next, you’re standing in front of closed shutters wondering if you imagined it all.

It’s the same ache you felt when Debenhams closed — not because it was the flashiest or most fabulous, but because it was there. Constant, comforting, quietly woven into your life.

And yes, let’s give credit where it’s due — the new cafés are wonderful. They're beautiful. They have floor-to-ceiling windows and mood boards for menus. You get your hand-poured, single-origin coffee in a cup that costs more than a dinner plate. And the matcha mousse is divine. But let’s be honest: sometimes, you just want to sit in a chair that’s a little too floral, order the same thing you always do, and have a waiter smile because they already knew your order before you opened your mouth.

Shakespeare and Co. wasn’t trendy — it was timeless. The service was always just right, the cakes were reliably perfect, and the staff had that rare talent of making you feel like a regular even if it was only your second visit. There was a gentleness to it all, a kind of soft femininity wrapped in velvet and served with a side of lemony vegan dessert.

And now that it’s mostly gone, there’s a very specific, unfillable void. You can feel it between coffee dates and birthday brunches, in that half-second pause when you're choosing where to go. You miss the fluff, the flair, the familiarity. You miss that café that didn’t need to try so hard — because it already had your heart.

So yes, we’re sipping our matcha in minimalist spaces now, admiring industrial lighting and terrazzo tabletops. But secretly, some of us are still dreaming of that tufted chair in the corner, the tea that came in mismatched porcelain, and the feeling of being gently, beautifully remembered.

Because some places weren’t just cafés. They were rituals. And Shakespeare and Co.? That was one we weren’t ready to lose.