Al Quoz industrial area, where the city's specialty coffee and contemporary art scenes grew up in warehouses: the Melbourne-style Tom&Serg (2013), the Alserkal Avenue compound with about 25 galleries and the Gulf's first arthouse cinema, and RAW, one of the first to bring specialty coffee to the region.
Best time: Weekend morning to afternoon (Tom&Serg Sat-Sun 08:00-18:00, RAW daily 07:30-18:00); stay for an evening film at Cinema Akil. In summer (May-September) drive or taxi between stops: there is little shade.
The route, stop by stop
- 1Tom&Serg
Two-storey warehouse cafe that started the Melbourne-style cafe movement in 2013; order the Baghdad Scramble. Mon-Fri 08:00-17:00, Sat-Sun 08:00-18:00. 45 min.
- 2Alserkal Avenue
Former warehouses turned galleries since Ayyam Gallery moved in in 2008; more than 60 art and design venues and Concrete, designed by OMA. Coffee stops inside: Nightjar (Warehouse G62) and Subko (Warehouse 15). 90 min.
- 3Cinema Akil
Arthouse cinema in a 133-seat warehouse; its tea bar is Project Chaiwala. Check the programme. 15 min, or stay for a film.
- 4RAW Coffee Company
One of the first specialty-coffee roasters in the UAE, with a rotating art gallery; Warehouse WH10 next to the RTA car park. Daily 07:30-18:00. 30 min.
More walks in Dubai
- Al Fahidi lanes to the Bur Dubai souk
- Bur Dubai creekside to Al Shindagha
- Deira souks and Al Ras
- Safa Park to the Jumeirah heritage sites
- Oud Metha, Karama, Zabeel Park and the Dubai Frame
- Downtown: Burj Khalifa to the Museum of the Future
- Satwa and Al Hudaiba: Union House to Ravi's
- Deira back streets: Naif Souq to Al Ras
- Kite Beach to the Burj Al Arab at dawn
- Karama: market, Kerala breakfast and manakish
- Hatta: waterfall dam, heritage village and the lake