Famous Dubai coffee chain finally opens first Toronto locations

A U.A.E.-based coffee chain with locations across the globe has finally touched down in Toronto.

North America, seemingly, has an infatuation with any trend that started in Dubai these days. Look no further than the Dubai chocolate (meaning chocolate and pistachio) fad that continues to keep bakeries and cafes across the city in a chokehold ever since it first started going viral earlier this year. Now, Dubai Croissant Pizza is all the rage.

I don't have the answers on what it is, exactly, about Dubai's approach to food that gets people whipped up into a tizzy, but I can tell you that there's a new Dubai export in Toronto that's almost certain to join the club.

Mercifully, this export from the U.A.E. is less geared towards social media influencer stardom and more likely to become part of your weekly rotation than its chocolate pistachio and croissant pizza countrymen.

Landing in the city with a bang last month, Shaghf Coffee has officially launched two Toronto locations within weeks of each other.

The first, a location in the Financial District at 170 University Ave., opened to much fanfare on Sept. 20 and, not one week later, was joined by a Scarborough location at 55 Lebovic Ave. on Sept. 26.

The two Toronto locations joined one in Mississauga, the chain's first in Canada, which opened last spring, on top of over 65 more worldwide.

The chain was founded in the U.A.E. back in 2018, and credits itself as being the "pioneer of Arab coffee culture" in its country of origin.

Its extensive menu of specialty coffees (you can choose the mode of preparation, including pourover, Aeropress and syphon), creative frappes, lattes and accompanying eats have made it a go-to, worldwide, and this is just the beginning for Toronto.

For those who still can't seem to shake their Dubai chocolate cravings, don't worry: you can pick up a strawberry cup layered with thick drizzles of melted chocolate and airy pistachio shavings at Shaghf.

Given the ability of Dubai fill-in-the-blank to become an enduring viral sensation in the blink of an eye, it seems written in the stars that Shaghf should get the same treatment.

Though there don't seem to be any more locations in the works just yet, I, for one, wouldn't be surprised to see them coming soon. For now, you can sample Toronto's latest viral Dubai venture in Scarborough and the Financial District.