Café Equipment List: What You Need to Open a Café in the UAE

Opening a café in Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi or anywhere in the UAE means buying a few hundred items, from the espresso machine down to the date labels. This checklist groups them by station, the way a café actually works, so nothing is missed before opening day. It comes from the café setups we have equipped from our warehouse in Sharjah.

Already have a list or a floor plan? Send us your list as a PDF, Excel file or photo and we work through it line by line. For the whole job, from fit-out to opening supplies, see café setup.

1. Coffee bar

• Espresso machine: a two-group machine suits most cafés; three groups for high-volume sites. See coffee and beverage machines.
• Coffee grinders: one for the house espresso, a second for decaf or a guest coffee.
• Barista tools: tampers, tamping mats, knock boxes, milk pitchers in two sizes, thermometers and cleaning brushes. See barista tools.
• Water filtration for the espresso machine, which protects it from scale.
• Hot water urn or boiler for tea and americanos at peak times. See beverage dispensers and urns.
• Tea and coffee service: teapots, sugar holders and serving trays. See coffee and tea service.

2. Cold drinks and blending

• Commercial blender for smoothies, frappés and shakes.
• Ice machine sized for your iced drinks, plus ice buckets and scoops. See ice machines and ice buckets and scoops.
• Bar tools: shakers, jiggers, strainers and muddlers. See bar tools.
• Squeeze bottles and syrup dispensers. See squeeze bottles and dispensers.

3. Refrigeration

• Undercounter fridge at the coffee bar for milk. See undercounter and worktop fridges.
• Display chiller for cakes, sandwiches and bottled drinks. See display fridges.
• Reach-in fridge and freezer for back-of-house stock. See reach-in fridges and freezers.
• Gelato or ice-cream display if desserts are on the menu. See ice-cream machines and freezers.

4. Kitchen and food preparation

• Oven: a convection or combination oven for pastries and warm food. See ovens.
• Panini or contact grill, toaster and microwave. See small kitchen appliances and microwaves.
• Stainless steel work tables and sinks. See sinks and work tables.
• Colour-coded cutting boards and knives. See cutting boards and kitchen knives.
• Hand tools: tongs, spatulas, ladles, whisks, measuring jugs and scales. See kitchen smallwares.
• GN pans and lids for prep and storage. See GN containers and our GN pan sizes guide.
• Food storage containers, ingredient bins and date labels. See food storage.

5. Front of house

• Cups, mugs and saucers for every drink size on the menu. See cups, mugs and saucers.
• Glassware for juices, iced drinks and water. See glassware.
• Plates, bowls and cutlery. See plates, bowls and flatware.
• Service trays, menu holders and table accessories. See service trays, menu holders and condiment holders.
• Cake stands and serving platters for the display counter. See serveware and platters.

6. Takeaway and delivery packaging

Since 1 January 2026 the UAE no longer allows trade in single-use plastic cups and lids, cutlery, plates, straws, stirrers or Styrofoam food containers. Plan your takeaway range around paper, wood, aluminium and reusable options from the start. Our guide to the UAE single-use plastic rules explains what changed.

• Paper cups and lids, cup sleeves and carriers. See cups and lids.
• Kraft and paper food containers. See takeaway containers and bakery packaging.
• Wooden cutlery and paper straws. See disposable cutlery and straws and stirrers.
• Napkins and paper bags. See napkins and paper bags.

7. Cleaning and hygiene

• Glasswasher or dishwasher. See dishwashers and warewashing.
• Colour-coded microfibre cloths, mops and buckets. See our colour-coded cleaning guide, microfibre cloths and mops and buckets.
• Hand soap and sanitiser dispensers, paper towels and bins. See soap and sanitiser dispensers, paper towels and bins.
• Cleaning chemicals for surfaces, floors and the coffee machine. See cleaning chemicals.
• Disposable gloves and hairnets. See gloves, aprons and hairnets.

8. Storage

• Wire or stainless shelving for the store room. See storage racks and shelving.
• Dunnage racks to keep stock off the floor. See dunnage racks.
• Airtight containers for beans, sugar and dry goods. See airtight containers.

How we help new cafés

Most café owners come to us with a concept, a floor plan or a partial list. We fill the gaps from what similar cafés needed, check every line against stock in our Sharjah warehouse, source the rest, and bring it together into one delivery before opening. Where an item you named is not available, we show the closest match beside it. We also handle fit-out, so one team can take a café from an empty unit to its first customer. Trade buyers can see the goods at our Sharjah warehouse, Monday to Saturday, and we deliver to all seven emirates.

Frequently asked questions

What equipment do I need to open a café in Dubai?

At minimum: an espresso machine and grinders, an undercounter fridge and a display chiller, an ice machine, a small oven or panini grill, work tables and a sink, a glasswasher, front-of-house cups, glassware and cutlery, takeaway packaging that meets the 2026 plastic rules, and colour-coded cleaning supplies. The checklist above covers each station in detail.

Can one supplier provide everything for a new café?

Yes. Bait Al Diafa supplies kitchen equipment, refrigeration, coffee-bar tools, tableware, disposables and cleaning supplies, and also handles café fit-out, so you deal with one team and receive one coordinated delivery.

Do you deliver café equipment outside Sharjah?

Yes. We deliver from our Sharjah warehouse to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and all seven emirates.

Can I see the products before buying?

Yes. Trade buyers can view goods at our warehouse in Al Sharq, Sharjah, Monday to Saturday.

Which takeaway packaging is allowed in the UAE in 2026?

Single-use plastic cups and lids, cutlery, plates, straws, stirrers and Styrofoam food containers can no longer be traded in the UAE. Paper cups, kraft containers, wooden cutlery, paper straws, aluminium containers and reusable options are the usual replacements. See our guide to the plastic rules.