Waterfront views
The Marsa Boulevard setting offers waterfront views, including a reported look toward downtown and the Burj Khalifa.
Around The Block - Marsa boulevard
Dubai Festival City
Around The Block is a coffee-shop pop-up on Marsa Boulevard in Dubai Festival City, combining specialty coffee with Japanese-leaning food. Reviews make it appealing for a waterfront visit where you can order coffee and dessert, then try sushi such as wagyu beef rolls or salmon foi gras aburi.
Reputation Score
4.9
★★★★★
208 ratings
Source: Google Maps
The Good Stuff
Japanese flavours
Customers highlight sushi and aburi dishes, including salmon foi gras aburi and wagyu beef rolls.
Coffee quality
Several reviews describe the coffee as consistently good, with a cozy atmosphere for unwinding.
Matcha drinks
The coconut matcha is singled out as one of the reviewer’s best matchas in Dubai.
Creamy chocolate
The hot chocolate received praise for its creamy texture and was described as worth the money.
Parking available
One reviewer reports plenty of parking around the family-friendly area.
Quick breakfast
A review specifically describes breakfast as tasty and service as quick.
Tips for a Better Visit
Allow time. If visiting during a busy period, allow extra time for entry and food; one December review reported lengthy delays.
Check orders. Check your items and bill before leaving the table, since one review mentions missing and incorrect items.
Ask about drinks. Ask which drinks are exclusive to Marsa Boulevard; a review mentions new drinks available only at this location.
Try coconut matcha. For a matcha order, consider the coconut version, which one reviewer called among their best in Dubai.
Confirm coffee. If price or dilution matters, confirm the coffee size and ice level before ordering; one customer found the drink small and heavily iced.
Consider breakfast. Breakfast may suit a quicker visit, with one reviewer specifically reporting tasty food and quick service.
Plan the visit
Practical details
Marsa boulevard
Al Kheeran - Dubai Festival City, Dubai
| Mon | 4:00 PM – 2:00 AM |
| Tue | 4:00 PM – 2:00 AM |
| Wed | 4:00 PM – 2:00 AM |
| Thu | 4:00 PM – 2:00 AM |
| Fri | 4:00 PM – 2:00 AM |
| Sat | 4:00 PM – 2:00 AM |
| Sun | 4:00 PM – 2:00 AM |
Popular Mentions
Frosties swirl & matcha taro
Both drinks were recommended in a review that also praised the service.
CREAM TOP drink
The CREAM TOP drink was specifically thanked in a positive service review.
Common Concerns
Long waits
One visit involved a long wait to enter and delayed food service.
Order errors
The same review reports missing items and incorrect additions to the bill.
Coffee value
One customer found a 38 AED coffee too small and overly iced.
DXB
LOCAL
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The Bottom Line
Around The Block is a coffee-shop pop-up on Marsa Boulevard in Dubai Festival City, combining specialty coffee with Japanese-leaning food. Reviews make it especially useful for a waterfront outing: you can come for coffee and dessert, then stay for sushi, including wagyu beef rolls or salmon foi gras aburi. Drinks are a strong part of the picture.
Customers mention coconut matcha, matcha taro, creamy hot chocolate, Frosties Swirl and newer drinks available only at Marsa Boulevard. The setting is repeatedly described as cozy, lively and relaxed, with views toward downtown and the Burj Khalifa. One review also notes plenty of parking and a family-friendly area, while another calls breakfast quick.
Service feedback is mostly warm and specific, with several customers praising the team’s friendliness and professionalism. Still, it is not uniformly smooth: one December visit involved a long wait to get in, delayed food, and missing or incorrect items. Another customer felt a small iced coffee priced at 38 AED was poor value, saying it contained more ice than coffee.
If you are visiting at a busy time, allow extra time and check your order before settling in; if value matters, confirm the drink size and ice level first.
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