This cafe is brewing the world's most expensive coffee at a whopping $1,000 a cup

In a city that has turned luxury into an art form, Dubai’s latest indulgence comes not in gold or gemstones, but in a cup. Local speciality café Julith has announced that it will serve the world’s most expensive coffee, the Nido 7 Geisha , priced at Dh3,600 (about $980) per cup. The rare Panamanian coffee, grown on the slopes of the Baru volcano, is no ordinary brew. Its beans were the highlight of this year’s Best of Panama auction, the world’s most prestigious coffee competition. Scoring a record-breaking 98 points out of 100, Nido 7 shattered every previous benchmark in the world of speciality coffee , six of the 22 international judges even awarded it a perfect score.


Julith, a homegrown Dubai brand located in the city’s creative district of Al Quoz, outbid some of the world’s top roasters and collectors to secure the entire 20-kilogram lot for Dh2.2 million ($604,000). The bidding reportedly drew 549 offers from coffee professionals around the globe before Julith emerged victorious. The café now holds the record for the highest price ever paid for coffee at auction.

But to Julith’s co-founder and head roaster Serkan Sagsoz, the focus isn’t spectacle - it’s substance. He describes the Nido 7 Geisha as a coffee defined not just by its price, but by its craftsmanship, rarity, and story. Every cup, he says, represents years of careful cultivation, precise roasting, and the kind of dedication that turns coffee into an experience rather than a commodity.

The Nido 7 Geisha is known for its floral aromatics and tea-like clarity, a flavour profile far removed from the bitterness most associate with coffee. Notes of jasmine, bergamot, orange blossom, and apricot define its character, rounded by a delicate sweetness reminiscent of honey.


Those fortunate enough to try it will be able to do so from November 1, when Julith launches two tasting formats: a single-cup service and an exclusive “Panama Geisha Experience” for up to four guests. The experience takes visitors through the coffee’s entire journey, from the high-altitude farms of Panama to the precise roasting and brewing techniques used to unlock its complexity. Each session ends with a single, meticulously brewed cup, served simply, without the gold cups or gimmicks Dubai is often known for.

For a city that has long pushed boundaries, home to the world’s tallest building, an island shaped like a palm, and an indoor ski slope in the desert, a thousand-dollar coffee fits almost seamlessly into its landscape of extravagance. Yet this time, the opulence comes with restraint.



A small reserve of the beans has been set aside for Dubai’s ruling family, while collectors and coffee enthusiasts across Asia have already begun reaching out to secure a taste. Yet Julith plans to keep the experience exclusive and limited, with only about 400 cups expected to be served before the rare beans run out for good.

In a city defined by grandeur, Julith’s Dh3,600 coffee might seem like yet another record. But for Sagsoz and the world’s coffee lovers, it’s more than that; it’s a moment of quiet luxury, where rarity meets reverence, and every sip tastes like history.