Al Quoz

Arwa Hafiz, a Saudi entrepreneur and the woman behind The Odd Piece, clearly has an eye for vintage and modern finds alike. An expansive loft space in Alserkal Avenue, The Odd Piece is a haven for collectors, with gorgeous mid-century furniture placed among antique desk chairs, contemporary lamps, and all manner of home accessories, sourced from all over the globe. The Odd Piece shares their showroom with The Rug Company's handcrafted-in-Nepal, art-worthy floor decor.

Bambah, founded by the incredibly charismatic and warm Maha Abdul Rasheed, is a homegrown Dubai shop. A vintage aficionado, Rasheed started the Bambah concept as a vintage shop, grew a loyal following (women fly in from Saudi Arabia specifically to see her), and re-opened in Al Quoz, selling her own line of embellished, flirty formal and cocktail separates. Parents take note: Rasheed just debuted an insanely adorable mini-line for girls.

An open group working hub, this loft space in Alserkal Avenue has a cafe, collective library, screening room, and lots of good vibes. A4 plays host to rotating exhibitions, pop-up shops, and a range of creative events.

The Dubai OG of concept cafes with a healthy bent, The Lime Tree is a New-Zealand-style eatery that is now three locations strong. The original, opened in 2001, is near the beach, next to Jumeirah Mosque; meant to feel like a villa, with an upstairs balcony and courtyard garden, it's a popular mom-spot post dropping kids off at school. There's a location on Sheik Zayed Road in Al Quoz, and another in Al Quoz, in walking distance from the shops and galleries of Alserkal Avenue, where you're likely to find people posted up on laptops in one of Lime Tree's nooks or at the long picnic-style tables. Lime Tree serves organic coffee and teas, organic free-range egg scrambles, quiches, and salads, plenty of gluten-free bakery items. Everything is made in house.