From the smell of bukhoor to traditional dishes served with a modern twist, Daan Coffee was created to give visitors a taste of Emirati culture while still feeling like a contemporary café.
Located in Abu Dhabi, the family run business was founded by 21 year old Mariam Tareq Alsaiqal and her three siblings after struggling to find a modern café focused on authentic traditional Emirati food while capturing the spirit of an Emirati home.
“We noticed that there has not been any type of café that serves the traditional Emirati menu alongside speciality tea and karak,” Mariam, owner of Daan Coffee, told Khaleej Times.
“So we thought it would be a great idea if we incorporated speciality coffee, tea and Emirati coffee, mixing the two worlds together. I did not want to open something repetitive. I wanted to open something that the community needs, loves and enjoys.”
For Mariam, an Emirati from Abu Dhabi, the project was inspired by her love for Emirati culture and her family’s deep-rooted connection to their heritage.
“I feel like I have so much love for my culture,” she said. “I wanted to express my love for my culture in a different way.”
That influence runs throughout the café, with portraits of the UAE’s leaders, traditional details, bukhoor and oud all adding to the Emirati setting.
The interior was designed by Mariam and her siblings rather than an outside designer, something she said was one of the most challenging parts of opening the business.
“We wanted to showcase the authentic Emirati home,” she said. “We thought that us personally, me and my siblings, being involved in the interior design process would show a much more authentic design.”
One of the inspirations was daan, dried palm leaves traditionally used by Emiratis to build homes.
“We wanted to bring this homey feel with a modern style,” she said.
Hospitality was just as important as the design.
“Emirati hospitality to me is generosity and the art of sharing,” Mariam said. “In our culture, it’s very important to welcome a guest and greet a guest with Emirati coffee.”
As part of that hospitality, bukhoor and oud are used daily at the café, with guests invited to take in the traditional scents as part of their experience.
But the menu does not stay entirely traditional. Mariam, who studied French and speaks the language, wanted to bring French and Emirati influences together.
One example is the café’s take on honeycomb bread, which incorporates croissants.
“I wanted to create croissants with the honeycomb so I could mix between the two cultures, French and Emirati,” she said. “I wanted to create this international idea with our tradition.”
The café also serves aseeda using dates and flour, which Mariam said gives the traditional dish a darker colour and richer taste than versions made primarily with saffron.
The same approach carries into the drinks. Alongside Emirati coffee, speciality tea and karak, the menu includes date cloud matcha, a date latte and a saffron dirty espresso.
For Mariam, the goal was to make customers curious about what they were ordering.
“I don’t want the customer, when they come in, to already know what the menu is,” she said. “I want them to understand the menu and be intrigued by it.”
She said opening Daan Coffee has strengthened her pride in and deep connection to Emirati culture.
“I have this sense of deep appreciation of my culture and how I opened a space where people can actually enjoy a calm space and learn about Emirati culture,” she said. “That makes me very happy.”
Mariam describes Daan Coffee as the UAE’s first modern Emirati café dedicated to bringing together traditional food, hospitality and contemporary café culture, a claim she said was based on research she carried out before opening the business.
For the siblings, the response has exceeded what they initially expected.
“We did not expect this many customers loving our place,” Mariam said. “It was a very nice outcome to see.”
For Mariam, Daan Coffee is ultimately about giving people a place to experience Emirati culture beyond the food itself, whether they grew up with those traditions or are discovering them for the first time.
By bringing together the flavours, scents and hospitality of an Emirati home with a modern café experience, she hopes those traditions can continue to be shared with a new generation.
Source: Khaleej Times