Dubai today is the most famous specialty coffee destination in the world. The brand has become a symbol of how the city blends innovation, authenticity, and luxury — and now it has gone one step further by setting a Guinness World Record.
An Emirati coffee shop in Dubai recently set a new world record for the most expensive cup of coffee ever served, a whopping 2,500 dirhams ($680).
For Dubai, this moment confirmed the city’s role as a hub not only for luxury and lifestyle, but also for coffee culture at the highest level.
Roasters, a posh coffee shop with four branches across Dubai and 11 branches across the UAE, is the new Guinness World Record holder for ‘the most expensive cup of coffee’. On September 13, at the company’s flagship location on Boulevard Downtown Dubai, the Roasters staff hand-poured a lucky patron a dose of coffee brewed using the V60 method into a bespoke, handcrafted Edo Kiriko crystal glass from Japan, known for its beautiful patterns. The brew was made with extremely rare Panamanian Geisha beans from the world-renowned Hacienda La Esmeralda farm in Panama, and served alongside a piece of tiramisu and a chocolate ice cream infused with the same Geisha beans.
After stunning the global coffee industry by purchasing the entire 20-kilogram lot of washed Geisha coffee from Hacienda La Esmeralda for $604,000 at last month’s ‘Best of Panama 2025’ auction, Roasters reached a new milestone with its recent successful world record attempt, cementing its reputation as a luxury coffee shop.
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Known for their floral, fruity, and citrusy notes, the rare Geisha coffee beans were the main attraction of the record-setting event. A dedicated barista prepared the coffee tableside using a temperature-controlled kettle and a V60 dripper, and the mystery client, who paid 2,500 dirhams ($680) for the privilege of enjoying the world’s most expensive cup of coffee, could read about the brew and the Geisha beans on informational cards prepared as part of the unique experience.
The client’s name has not been revealed to the public, but Roasters promoted the event as part of its marketing efforts, with co-founder and CEO Konstantin Harbuz saying that the Guinness Record acknowledgement “celebrates our team’s dedication and reflects Dubai’s growing reputation as a destination for exceptional coffee experiences.”
The new record staggered some people, though residents also said it was par for the course for the desert city with a luxury lifestyle.
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Dubai has the ambition and capability to stand at the top of the global coffee industry.
