Basta Art Café

Sun-drenched courtyard in historic Bastakiah 2 Reviews

© ITP Images

From Time Out Dubai Eating Out 2009

Whisk yourself back in time with a visit to the serene Basta Art Café on the edge of the historic Bastakiya district.

Hugged in the friendly branches of the Narra tree and surrounded by greenery and blossoming pot plants, this leafy courtyard café makes you feel you’re a million miles away from the hustle of Bur Dubai.

Enjoy a lazy afternoon in the sunshine with friends, browse through original artwork that lines the walls, flick through books for sale or mooch through local handicrafts and jewellery in the gift shop.

For refreshments, you could do worse than the wide selection of sandwiches, salads and baked potatoes, plus breakfast options and a limited dessert menu. The salad bowls are colossal, but once you’ve nibbled away at the scrummy stuff on the top, you’re left with a hefty bowl of rabbit food.

The sandwiches are tasty and reasonably priced, and with an extensive assortment of fresh juices, teas and beautifully served Arabic coffee, there are few better locations to soothe away the madness of Dubai.

• Previous reviews
  • 06 April,2010- reviewed by Time Out Dubai staff
  • 29 March,2010- reviewed by Time Out Dubai staff
  • 26 March,2008- reviewed by Jeremy Lawrence
  • 12 March,2007- reviewed by Time Out Dubai Staff
  • 01 August,2005- reviewed by Matthew Lee
  • 01 February,2003- reviewed by Rob Orchard
  • 01 June,2002- reviewed by Carolyn Robb

Time Out reviews restaurants anonymously and pays for meals. Of course, we cannot guarantee the accuracy or independence of user reviews.