Glossary

Coffee and karak glossary

This glossary explains 52 coffee and karak terms in plain English, from shot, doppio, crema and tamp to Arabica, V60, gahwa, dallah and zafrani chai, so you can order with confidence in any Dubai café.

Where a drink is on the ROAST menu, the entry links to it. Written 10 October 2026.

A

Aeropress

A plunger-style brewer that steeps coffee in a small chamber and presses it through a paper filter. It makes a clean, smooth cup quickly and is popular with travellers.

Affogato

A scoop of ice cream or gelato topped with a hot shot of espresso, served as a dessert.

Americano

Espresso topped up with hot water, giving a long black coffee that is lighter than espresso but stronger than filter coffee. On our menu: see it on the menu.

Arabica

The most widely grown coffee species, valued for sweetness, aroma and acidity. Most specialty coffee is Arabica.

B

Barista

A person trained to prepare espresso-based drinks, steam milk and keep the coffee tasting consistent.

Blend

A coffee made by combining beans from more than one origin or lot, usually to balance flavour, body and consistency.

Body

How heavy or thick a coffee feels in the mouth, from light and tea-like to rich and syrupy.

Brew ratio

The weight of coffee compared with the weight of water or the finished drink. A change in ratio changes both strength and flavour.

C

Cappuccino

Espresso with steamed milk and a thick layer of foam, traditionally in roughly equal parts, in a smaller cup than a latte. On our menu: see it on the menu.

Cardamom

A fragrant spice that is central to gahwa and karak, usually added whole or crushed during brewing.

Chai latte

Spiced tea concentrate mixed with steamed milk, a milder drink than karak. On our menu: see it on the menu.

Chemex

A glass hourglass-shaped pour-over brewer with thick paper filters that give a very clean, bright cup.

Cold brew

Coffee steeped in cold or room-temperature water for many hours, then filtered. It tastes smooth and low in bitterness and is served over ice. On our menu: see it on the menu.

Cortado

A small drink of espresso cut with an equal amount of warm milk, with little or no foam. On our menu: see it on the menu.

Crema

The golden-brown layer of tiny bubbles that forms on top of a freshly pulled espresso.

D

Dallah

The traditional Arabic coffee pot with a long curved spout, used to pour gahwa at a majlis.

Dark roast

Beans roasted longer until they are dark brown. The flavour leans towards bittersweet and smoky, with less of the bean’s original acidity.

Date latte

A latte sweetened with dates, a flavour with deep roots in Gulf hospitality. On our menu: see it on the menu.

Dial-in

Adjusting grind size, dose and time until the espresso tastes balanced. Baristas dial in at the start of the day and again when conditions change.

Doppio

A double shot of espresso, the standard single serving in many specialty cafés. On our menu: see it on the menu.

Dose

The weight of ground coffee placed in the portafilter or brewer before making a drink.

Dubai chocolate latte

A latte inspired by the Dubai chocolate bar trend, typically combining chocolate with pistachio and crisp pastry flavours. See our Dubai chocolate latte guide. On our menu: see it on the menu.

E

Espresso

Coffee made by forcing hot water under pressure through finely ground coffee, giving a small, concentrated drink with crema. On our menu: see it on the menu.

Extraction

The process of dissolving flavour from ground coffee into water. Too little extraction tastes sour and thin; too much tastes bitter and harsh.

F

Flat white

Espresso with steamed milk that has a thin layer of fine microfoam. It is stronger and silkier than a latte, in a smaller cup. On our menu: see it on the menu.

French press

An immersion brewer where coarse coffee steeps in hot water before a metal mesh plunger separates the grounds. It gives a full-bodied cup.

G

Gahwa

Arabic coffee, lightly roasted and brewed with cardamom, sometimes with saffron or other spices. It is served in small handleless cups, usually with dates. See our gahwa service.

Grind size

How fine or coarse the coffee is ground. Espresso needs a fine grind; filter and French press need coarser grinds.

K

Karak

A strong, sweet, spiced milk tea popular across the UAE, made by brewing black tea hard with milk, sugar and cardamom. Read what is karak chai. On our menu: see it on the menu.

L

Latte

Espresso with a large amount of steamed milk and a light layer of foam, served in a tall cup or glass. On our menu: see it on the menu.

Light roast

Beans roasted for a shorter time so they stay lighter in colour, with brighter acidity and more of the bean’s original flavour.

Lungo

A longer espresso made with more water through the same coffee. It is larger and milder than a regular shot, with more bitterness.

M

Macchiato

An espresso “marked” with a small spoonful of foamed milk. It is a short, strong drink, different from the large layered drinks sold under the same name elsewhere.

Majlis

A traditional Arabic gathering place, and the hospitality that goes with it. At events it is often recreated with gahwa, dates and karak. See our majlis service.

Masala chai

Indian tea simmered with milk, sugar and a blend of spices such as ginger, cardamom and cloves. Karak is a stronger, sweeter cousin. On our menu: see it on the menu.

Medium roast

A balanced roast between light and dark, with rounder sweetness and moderate acidity.

Microfoam

Steamed milk with very small, even bubbles, giving a glossy, velvety texture. It is what makes latte art possible.

P

Piccolo

A small drink, usually a single ristretto or espresso shot topped with warm milk in a small glass.

Pistachio latte

A latte flavoured with pistachio, served hot or iced. Pistachio is a popular flavour in Dubai coffee. On our menu: see it on the menu.

Pour-over

Any manual brew where hot water is poured by hand over coffee in a filter, such as the V60 or Chemex.

R

Ristretto

A short, concentrated espresso made with less water. It tastes sweeter and heavier, with less bitterness.

Robusta

A hardier coffee species with more caffeine, a stronger bitter flavour and heavier body. It is often used in espresso blends for body and crema.

S

Saffron chai (zafrani)

Karak or milk tea flavoured with saffron. “Zafrani” means saffron-flavoured. On our menu: see it on the menu.

Shot

One serving of espresso, the base of most coffee-shop drinks.

Single origin

Coffee from one country, region, farm or lot, chosen to show the character of a specific place.

Spanish latte

A latte sweetened with condensed milk, giving a creamy, sweet drink that is popular iced. On our menu: see it on the menu.

Specialty coffee

Coffee of high quality, assessed by tasting and handled with care from farm to cup. In practice it means good beans, fresh roasting and skilled brewing.

T

Tamp

To press ground coffee flat and level in the portafilter with a tamper before brewing, so water flows through it evenly.

Turkish coffee

Very finely ground coffee simmered with water in a small pot and served unfiltered in a small cup, with the grounds settling at the bottom. On our menu: see it on the menu.

U

Under-extraction and over-extraction

Under-extracted coffee tastes sour, salty and thin because too little was dissolved. Over-extracted coffee tastes bitter, dry and harsh because too much was.

V

V60

A cone-shaped pour-over dripper with a spiral-ribbed interior. It gives control over flow and a clear, bright cup.

Y

Yield

The weight of liquid coffee produced, such as the grams of espresso in the cup. Dose and yield together give the brew ratio.

Common questions

Related: What is karak chai? · Specialty coffee in Dubai · All guides.