With Mug Ways Cafe looking to expand to Dubai and Muscat, De Bruijn hopes the #muglife lifestyle will grow into a health and fitness movement. However, finding patrons to match his love for good coffee was a challenge when the cafe first opened.

Now I donвЂ™t know how they manage to get it past customs, but I remember I loved it so much, and since then I was hooked.вЂќ вЂњSome of my earliest memories of coffee are when some relatives brought over Cuban coffee to our house. вЂњI also have some Cuban heritage,вЂќ he says. He says the cafe is an avenue to explore his love for a good brew вЂ“ a passion that stretches back to his childhood in New Jersey. A limited pastry menu offers bites such as Dutch mini-pancakes (Dh15), crГЄpes (Dh25), waffles (Dh15) and chocolate cake (Dh12 per slice).Д«eale, who drives down regularly from Riyadh to RAK, was at his cafe last week enjoying iftar with an assortment of customers вЂ“ largely Emirati youngsters familiar with his spiritual and motivational online lectures, and a few hip-hop fans. Coffee prices range from Dh30 for specially brewed siphon coffee to Dh12 for an espresso. A glimmering coffee machine is also on hand for those wanting their lattes and cappuccinos. In the corner is a large coffee station set up with beakers and strainers. The cafeвЂ™s design blends well with its coastal location: there is plenty of wooden panelling, terracotta coloured walls, leafy plants, comfortable seating and #muglife painted prominently on one of the walls.

Mug life cafe