The Ethiopian coffee ceremony — called Bunna in Amharic — is one of the world's great hospitality rituals. It begins with raw green coffee beans and ends, an hour later, with three rounds of coffee each with distinct character, the room full of frankincense smoke and conversation. Dubai has several Ethiopian restaurants where you can experience it authentically, though the quality and completeness of the ceremony varies enormously. This guide tells you exactly where to go and what to expect.
What Is the Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony?
Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee — the legend of Kaldi the goat herder discovering coffee's energising properties in the Kaffa region is part of the national story. The coffee ceremony (Bunna) evolved as the central act of Ethiopian hospitality: a way of welcoming guests, marking special occasions, and creating space for community and conversation.
The ceremony is traditionally performed by women, and in Ethiopian culture, refusing an invitation to a coffee ceremony is considered impolite. The process takes 45 to 90 minutes from start to finish. Coffee is served in three rounds: abol (the first brew, strongest), tona (the second, from the same grounds), and baraka (the third, lightest — meaning "blessing"). Popcorn or bread is always served alongside. Frankincense (etan) burns throughout, creating the aromatic atmosphere that makes the ceremony unmistakable.
Ethiopia is the world's fifth-largest coffee producer, and the coffee used in the ceremony — single-origin Ethiopian varieties including Yirgacheffe, Harrar, and Sidama — is extraordinary. This is not a ceremony you endure to be polite. The coffee is genuinely some of the best you'll ever drink.
The Ceremony Step by Step
Washing the Green Beans
The ceremony begins with raw, unroasted green coffee beans spread on a flat pan and washed in front of guests. This is the start signal — the moment that marks the beginning of the ritual and signals that this will take time. Be patient. There is no hurrying a coffee ceremony.
Roasting on Charcoal
The beans are roasted over a charcoal brazier (makda) in a long-handled pan, shaken continuously. The room fills with the extraordinary fragrance of fresh-roasting coffee. When roasted to a deep brown, the host passes the pan around the table so each guest can fan the rising smoke toward their face — a blessing and a gesture of welcome. This is one of the most sensory moments in any dining experience in Dubai.
Grinding by Hand
The roasted beans are ground using a wooden mortar and pestle (mukecha and zenezena), the rhythmic pounding becoming part of the ceremony's soundtrack. The grounds are fine — similar to Turkish coffee grind. This step takes 5–10 minutes and is deeply satisfying to watch.
Brewing in the Jebena
The grounds go into a jebena — a black clay pot with a spherical base and long neck — filled with water and placed on the coals. The coffee brews by boiling and is then strained through grass or horsehair filter into a second jebena. The liquid is dark, fragrant, and full-bodied. Sugar is typically added by the host; if you prefer your coffee without, say so before the brew.
Pouring the Three Rounds
Coffee is poured into small handle-less cups (sini) from height, creating a cascade. Three rounds are served: Abol (first, strongest, most complex), Tona (second, from the same grounds, lighter), and Baraka (third, the blessing — weakest and sweetest). You should drink all three. Leaving after one round is like leaving a meal after the starter.
Popcorn, Frankincense & Conversation
Throughout the ceremony, incense burns and popcorn (kolo) or toasted barley is served. These are not afterthoughts — the smoke and the snacks are integral parts of the ritual. By the time you finish the third round, you'll have been sitting for the better part of an hour, deeply caffeinated, with a sensory memory that outlasts any restaurant meal.
Where to Experience It in Dubai
Queen of Sheba — Karama
Queen of Sheba offers the most complete Ethiopian coffee ceremony in Dubai. The full ritual — green beans roasted tableside, hand-grinding, jebena brewing, three rounds of coffee with kolo popcorn and frankincense — takes approximately 60 minutes and is performed in the restaurant's cultural dress. The atmosphere (woven basket tables, murals, low lighting) makes it genuinely immersive rather than touristy.
Booking is essential and requires 24 hours' advance notice. The ceremony is typically added on to dinner (AED 60–110 per head for food) and begins after the meal. Groups of four to eight work best — the ceremony has a natural communal rhythm that single diners or couples don't fully unlock. Request the ceremony specifically when booking via WhatsApp.
Ask for the Yirgacheffe coffee specifically — Queen of Sheba imports single-origin Ethiopian beans and the difference compared to commodity coffee is significant. You can usually purchase 250g bags to take home (AED 55–65).
Habesha Restaurant — Bur Dubai
Habesha doesn't run the full ceremony every evening, but by request (ideally 24 hours in advance, or ask when you book your table), the kitchen will prepare a partial ceremony — roasting and grinding skipped, but jebena brewing with three rounds, popcorn, and frankincense intact. The coffee quality is excellent and the price is a fraction of Queen of Sheba.
On busy Friday evenings when the restaurant is at capacity, the coffee ceremony atmosphere is enhanced by Ethiopian music — it becomes a genuinely joyful occasion. The Habesha Special Combination dinner (AED 120 for two) followed by ceremony coffee is a perfect evening out for around AED 80–100 per person all-in.
Ethiopian Coffee vs Regular Coffee: What to Expect
Ethiopian coffee brewed in a jebena is very different from espresso or filter coffee. It's prepared similarly to Turkish coffee — finely ground, boiled, then poured off the grounds — but the Ethiopian varieties (Yirgacheffe, Harrar, Sidama) have completely different flavour profiles. Yirgacheffe is floral and tea-like with jasmine notes. Harrar is wild and winey with blueberry overtones. Sidama is rich and full-bodied with dark chocolate and citrus.
The first round (abol) hits you immediately: rich, intense, aromatic. By the third round (baraka), the same grounds have given everything they have — the coffee is light and gentle, more like a fragrant warm water. Drinking all three is a full arc of experience.
The sugar question: Ethiopian coffee is traditionally sweetened — sometimes heavily. The sugar balances the intensity of the first round. If you drink coffee black by habit, try the abol with a half-spoon of sugar before deciding against it entirely. You might be surprised.
Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony FAQs
What is the Ethiopian coffee ceremony?
The Ethiopian coffee ceremony (Bunna) is a ritualistic coffee preparation involving roasting green coffee beans, grinding by hand, brewing in a clay jebena pot, and serving three rounds of coffee with popcorn and frankincense. It takes 45–90 minutes and is the central act of Ethiopian hospitality.
Where can I experience an Ethiopian coffee ceremony in Dubai?
Queen of Sheba in Karama offers the most complete ceremony (advance booking required). Habesha Restaurant in Bur Dubai offers a ceremony by request. Both serve authentic Ethiopian coffee in a jebena pot with proper accompaniments.
How long does the ceremony take?
A full ceremony takes 45–90 minutes. At Dubai restaurants, expect 30–60 minutes. The experience is not rushed — plan it as an evening activity, not a quick coffee stop.
How much does it cost?
At Queen of Sheba: approximately AED 35–55 per person as an add-on to dinner. At Habesha: AED 12–18 per cup for ceremony-style coffee. The full evening (dinner + ceremony) typically runs AED 80–120 per person.
Do I need to book in advance?
Yes — both Queen of Sheba and Habesha require at least 24 hours' notice for the coffee ceremony. Queen of Sheba is especially busy on Thursday and Friday evenings; book three to four days ahead for weekend visits.
