Coffee Quality
Customers repeatedly praise the coffee, with Ethiopian beans and specialty coffee called out as particular strengths.
Retro7 Café
Al Khawaneej
Retro7 Café is a specialty coffee stop in Al Khawaneej, known for takeaway convenience, a cosy atmosphere and drinks such as the Spanish latte and Weekend Special. Reviews also highlight car-side pickup, making it easy to grab coffee on the way to work or during a late shift.
Reputation Score
4.3
★★★★☆
188 ratings
Source: Google Maps
The Good Stuff
Car Pickup
You can order from the comfort of your car, and one reviewer says orders were made quickly and brought to the car.
Spanish Latte
The Spanish latte is a recurring recommendation, including from a reviewer describing the service as amazing.
Cosy Atmosphere
Reviews describe the café as cosy, with a good atmosphere at the Dakakeen branch and a quieter experience at Arabian Centre.
Weekend Drinks
The Weekend Special and Weekend Special Frappe receive especially enthusiastic feedback from returning customers.
Early Opening
An early 6am opening suits commuters looking for takeaway coffee before work.
Tips for a Better Visit
Use Car Pickup. If you are in a hurry, order from your car; reviews describe quick preparation and car-side handover.
Go Early. For a pre-work coffee, the 6am opening is useful; one reviewer specifically valued it for morning takeaway.
Adjust Syrup. If you reduce the coffee shot in La Rose, ask whether the rose syrup can be reduced too, as one customer found the drink too sweet.
Check Delivery. If ordering the acai smoothie through Talabat, check availability first because a customer reported it had disappeared from the app.
Choose Takeaway. With limited seating and strong takeaway feedback, this may be more convenient for a quick coffee than a long sit-down visit.
Plan the visit
Practical details
دكاكين Dakakeen
Al Khawaneej - Al Khawaneej 1, Dubai
| Mon | 7:00 AM – 12:00 AM |
| Tue | 7:00 AM – 12:00 AM |
| Wed | 7:00 AM – 12:00 AM |
| Thu | 7:00 AM – 12:00 AM |
| Fri | 7:00 AM – 2:00 AM |
| Sat | 7:00 AM – 2:00 AM |
| Sun | 7:00 AM – 2:00 AM |
Popular Mentions
Chef B’s hot chocolate
Chef B’s hot chocolate is singled out as a reason to visit, alongside the chocolate cake.
Iced rose latte
The iced rose latte is recommended as an unusual drink choice, alongside the iced choco cornflakes latte.
Common Concerns
High Prices
Several customers consider the pricing high for takeaway coffee, with one saying specialty prices should come with more consistent quality.
Service Variability
Customer service reviews are mixed: some customers report rude or unprofessional interactions and say staff training is needed.
Inconsistent Taste
One long-term customer felt the coffee tasted better in the evening than in the morning, and later described it as ordinary.
Limited Seating
This is a small café with limited seating, so it may work better as a takeaway stop than a sit-down destination.
Order Problems
Customers have reported difficulty reaching the café by phone and an acai smoothie disappearing from Talabat.
DXB
LOCAL
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The Bottom Line
Retro7 Café is a specialty coffee stop in Al Khawaneej with a strong takeaway identity. Customers come for drinks including the Spanish latte, Weekend Special, Weekend Special Frappe and iced rose latte. The car-side ordering model is a genuine convenience: one review describes calling ahead, getting the order made quickly and having it brought to the car.
Coffee quality is the main draw, with Ethiopian and El Salvador beans mentioned alongside repeated praise for the café’s specialty coffee. The atmosphere can be cosy, while the Dakakeen branch is specifically noted for its good atmosphere and the Arabian Centre branch for being quiet. The 6am opening also suits commuters who want coffee before work.
There are some practical caveats. Seating is limited, so this is often better for takeaway than lingering. Prices have felt high to several customers, especially when the drink tastes ordinary rather than specialty-grade.
Coffee consistency has also been questioned, including a report of better evening flavour than morning flavour. Service is not uniformly reliable: reviews range from friendly and helpful to rude and unprofessional. If customising La Rose, ask about reducing the syrup along with the coffee shot, and check Talabat before relying on the acai smoothie being available.