DUBAI, 8 January 2022 – Not only can visitors to Expo 2020 Dubai see the best parts of the 192 participating countries, but they can taste some of the best cups of Joe the world has to offer.
You can find some of the most esteemed brews at the event. These are 10 favourite hotspots where you can get your caffeine fix:
- Burundi Pavilion, Opportunity District
The Republic of Burundi, located in the Great Rift Valley where the African Great Lakes region and East Africa converge, offers an enchanting mix of inland lakeside beaches and stunning mountains. The heart-shaped country is well-known for its high-quality coffee and mountain tea, and we highly recommend heading to the Burundi Pavilion for daily tastings of one of the world’s best coffees, as recognised by United Nations’ Alliance for Coffee Excellence, and to sample their authentic mountain tea and honey.
- Canvas by Coffee Culture, Mission Possible – The Opportunity Pavilion, Opportunity District
This is the go-to spot for local coffee, art exhibits, curated music mixes and an all-day menu. Co-founded by Stephan Bhoyroo and Abdulla Ibrahim Suhail, Canvas by Coffee Culture is designed to welcome Dubai’s ever-evolving creative community who seek a space in which to work, meet, design and create. The bespoke coffee/co-working space is filled with a cultural programme to enrich the experience of community members, in minimalist industrial surroundings. - El Salvador Pavilion, Mobility District
El Salvador coffee beans are known for their strong citrus taste, and are some of the highest-quality beans available in the world today. You can explore the Central American country through its pavilion, which includes a multisensory 3D immersive show that highlights the country’s main development projects. Afterwards, emerge into a specially designed café, decorated with surfboards, which serves up the real deal. - Ethiopia Pavilion, Opportunity District
The coffee ceremony, which involves processing raw, unwashed coffee beans into finished cups of coffee, is considered to be the most important social occasion in many villages in Ethiopia, and it is a sign of respect and friendship to be invited to a coffee ceremony. A visit to the Ethiopia Pavilion includes an interactive screen presentation of the agro-process of indigenous coffee, from bean to cup, and concludes in the ‘Origin of Us’ zone, a garden of calla lilies – the Ethiopian national flower – where visitors can enjoy a classic coffee ceremony. - Gabon Pavilion, Sustainability District
Head to Gabon Pavilion’s Café Alanga every Thursday from 1000 to 1500 GST for a chance to sample and also receive a package of the best coffee capsules produced by Café Alanga. And if you need any further persuasion, alanga – the only coffee grown in the Gabonese rainforest in Haut-Ogooué province – received a Gourmet Gold award in the “Round and Balanced” category in the fourth edition of the International Roast Competition by Agricultural Products Valuation Agency (APVA). - Indonesia Pavilion, Opportunity District
Indonesia has been producing and exporting distinct, delicious coffee for centuries and is one of the largest coffee producers in the world. Presenting a rich panorama of the nation’s natural and cultural treasures, from its traditional dances to the Java-grown coffee that perks up the entire world, the Indonesia Pavilion offers a stylish bridge between history and modernity. - Panama Pavilion, Jubilee
Brewed from the finest variety of Arabica beans known as geisha – grown in the Chiriquí highlands, in the adjoining region of Volcan Baru – Panama’s geisha coffee is known for its unique sharp taste, flowery scent, and fruit-like zest, a mild degree of acidity and the perfect level of sweetness. Head to the Panama Pavilion to explore the country’s mist-shrouded coffee plantations and take a virtual reality 360-degree tour of a coffee farm in Boquete; discover the nation’s five fascinating UNESCO World Heritage Sites; plus there’s a virtual reality journey through the Panama Canal. Conclude your visit in the pavilion’s store to stock up on coffee beans, including the famous geisha. - Rwanda Pavilion, Opportunity District
The favourable climate of Rwanda coupled with the high-quality processing makes for some seriously flavoursome coffee. We suggest concluding your visit of the Rwanda Pavilion – which takes visitors on a journey through a space inspired by the king’s palace, and a virtual gorilla trekking experience – at Café Rwanda to taste authentic home-grown coffee. - Venezuela Pavilion, Jubilee
If you are looking for a delectable pairing of coffee and chocolate, look no further than the Venezuela Pavilion’s restaurant and dining room. Known for its Arabica coffee (the most notable area where it is grown is located near the Andes mountain ranges), the classic Venezuela coffee flavour is deeply sweet with notably balanced acidity. The country is also famed for its legendary cocoa beans – their popularity comes from the abundance of the criollo beans, which are known for their secondary taste notes. - Yemen Pavilion, Sustainability District
Yemen has a coffee history that stretches back more than 1,000 years, with the first archaeological evidence of beverage coffee use uncovered in the Yemeni city of Zabid, according to World Coffee Studies. To satisfy local demands, the nation began cultivating coffee in the 15th century so a visit to the Yemen Pavilion is a must for every coffee connoisseur. The pavilion includes a display recounting the nation’s delicious connection to the Yemeni coffee bean, plus an olfactory experience.
