Dh3,600 per cup: Dubai cafe serves world's most expensive coffee

Dubai: Forget gold, Dubai’s reputation as a global hub for luxury has just reached the coffee cup. Local specialty coffee destination Julith is preparing to make history by serving the Nido 7 Geisha, the most valuable and highly-rated coffee bean in the world. With a single cup priced at Dh3,600, this is not merely a beverage it's a once-in-a-lifetime indulgence and a definitive statement for the UAE's rapidly growing gourmet scene.

The story began in August 2025 at the Best of Panama competition, the planet's most prestigious coffee auction. The Nido 7 Geisha, a washed varietal, shocked experts by scoring an unprecedented 98 points, the highest score ever recorded, shattering the previous benchmark of 96.5. Most incredibly, six of the 22 international judges awarded it a perfect 100/100.

This legendary status is matched by its scarcity. With only 20 kilograms in existence globally, the Nido 7 Geisha sparked an intense bidding war, attracting 549 bids from the world’s most respected roasters. Julith ultimately secured the entire lot for a record-breaking Dh 2,218,785 ($604,080) the highest price ever paid for auction coffee.

Julith, a homegrown brand, emphasises that the Nido 7 is a masterpiece of nature and craft, not a novelty.

“This is not a gimmick or a marketing stunt – we’re not serving it in a gold cup with extravagant extras,” says Serkan Sagsoz, Julith’s Head Coffee Roaster and Turkish Champion Barista. “The Nido 7 Geisha is a remarkable coffee that only a handful of people on the planet will ever taste, and now, for the first time, that’s possible right here in Dubai. With so little of it in existence, every cup feels like a piece of history.”

To honour its significance, Julith has even reserved a portion of the beans exclusively for the Dubai Royal Family to experience.

The coffee will be available from November 1st in two ways: