In a city that’s constantly rewriting the definition of luxury, Dubai has now given the world something entirely new to marvel at – a cup of coffee priced at an astonishing AED 3,600 (about US$980). Served at Julith Coffee in the Al Quoz district, this is not just a caffeine fix. It’s a story of craftsmanship, rarity, and indulgence brewed into one unforgettable experience.
I know, many people roll their eyes, saying Who will ever pay that much for a cup of coffee?, but as someone who starts her year with caviar and other treats and who is a fan of exquisite, luxury experiences, I know that it is not about the money. It is about the experience, about savouring something special.
And as limited-edition luxury cars, this coffee will not be available forever. The coffee itself is limited. All the more reason to try it!
As a note, yes, I would book a flight right now to taste this as I am a coffee lover – I cannot because I have a knee issue keeping me on the sofa for a while! Anyway, let’s get back to the topic at hand.
The star of the show is the rare and nearly mythical bean known as the Nido 7 Gesha, grown on the volcanic slopes of Mount Barú in Panama. Only around 20 kilograms of the lot exist worldwide, and Julith paid roughly AED 2.2 million (around US$600,000) for it at auction.
That size of investment for a roaster marks a new threshold in the world of specialty coffee.
When head roaster Serkan Sagsoz describes the taste, he does so in poetic terms, quoted by The Independent: “there are white floral notes of jasmine and citrus flavours like orange and bergamot and a hint of apricot and peach,” followed by “It’s like honey – delicate and sweet.”
The brewing is treated less like a café workflow and more like a tasting ritual: the “Panama Geisha Experience” caters to one to four guests at a time, each cup served with precision, and numbers are strictly limited so that only a few hundred cups will ever be poured.
For the person who seeks the extraordinary, this cup represents the essence of modern luxury. Where once the brag might have been a penthouse view or a limousine ride, now it can be a singular coffee moment.
Dubai, a city built on spectacle and superlatives, has brought that same ethos into something as intimate as a coffee cup. It isn’t about gimmicks; it’s about taste, provenance, and story.
Speaking of Dubai, before planning your trip, make sure you read this article on what NOT to do in Dubai if you do not want to be fined or arrested.
Global Indulgences: When Food Becomes Experience
While the coffee commands the spotlight, the appetite for ultra-luxury food experiences is broader and growing.
Again, it is not only about the ingredients – though they were a novelty when these dishes launched – it is more about the experience itself and about the fact that you are among a smaller number of people enjoying the dish/experience.
It is the exclusivity that draws – but, at some point, this becomes a lifestyle.
Exquisite cuisine, healthy and luxury goods, experiences, and being able to enjoy the best and the newest dining and drinking (as the Dubai coffee mentioned above) experiences.
Gold-Leaf Pizza with Caviar
One of the more extravagant food experiences currently on the radar is a pizza studded with edible gold leaf and topped with premium caviar.
I recall reading about pizza covered with edible gold years ago – and being fascinated.
In Dubai, at the restaurant Via Toledo – Address Beach Resort, a version of this pie goes for AED 5,200 (about US$1,400) and features three types of caviar and red-prawn tartare, finished with gold leaf.
But the concept stretches beyond the UAE.
In Italy, the ultra-luxury pizza known as the “Louis XIII” by chef Renato Viola is served only with advance notice, topped with Norwegian lobster, multiple cheeses, caviar, and edible gold, and priced at around US$12,000.
Elsewhere, in locations like Tunisia and Canada, variations with truffles, lobster, and gold also exist.
Even in Romania (Bucharest) and other European cities, gold-leaf pizza has made appearances in upscale hotel restaurants or novelty menus. In fact, at such a restaurant, I have a birthday planned – yes, pizza covered in gold is on the menu!
24-Karät Gold Ice Cream
Head to Scoopi Cafe in Dubai for the iconic Black Diamond ice cream, a masterpiece of Madagascar vanilla infused with rare Iranian saffron and black Italian truffle, all elevated by a lavish dusting of 23-karat edible gold flakes.
For a regal twist on traditional Indian sweets, Dhaba Lane offers its exclusive Gold Kulfi across all Dubai outlets, meticulously wrapped in a generous layer of 22-karat gold leaf – a frozen dairy dessert that delivers pure opulence and indulgence.”
Beyond the UAE, gold-leaf ice-cream shows up globally: in Mumbai, at ice-cream parlours such as Huber & Holly, you’ll find a dessert called “The Mighty Midas” that uses 24-karat gold foil and a host of indulgent ingredients.
In other regions – for example, in upscale dessert shops in Thailand and Southeast Asia – you’ll also encounter ice cream or desserts topped with edible gold or silver.
In fact, my recommendation is this: When you plan your next trip, no matter the continent and country, search for such delicacies as you may be surprised to see that you have many options!
White Truffles & Gourmet Hunting Experiences
ID 131990013 ©Nuvisage | Dreamstime.com
Luxury edible indulgence doesn’t stop at gold and caviar. Another major thread is the allure of rare ingredients, especially the white truffle from Italy.
In the countryside of Piedmont (particularly around the town of Alba) you can join a truffle-hunting excursion – walking in oak or hazel woods with a trained dog, unearthing the “white gold” of gastronomy, and then enjoying a meal featuring it.
These experiences span continents: truffle-hunting and gourmet truffle tours now exist in Croatia (Istria region), Austria, France, even North America and Australia.
Ultra-Exclusive Dining & Culinary Showpieces
Finally, there are multi-course experiences where the dish itself becomes a spectacle. One example is the restaurant Sublimotion in Ibiza, Spain: here, dining merges with technology, art, and high theatre, with menus around US$2,000+ per person.
While not a single food item like the previous sections, these dining journeys represent the ultimate in edible luxury – immersive, experiential, and designed for people who want more than a meal. They serve well as reference points if you want to show how the coffee experience you started with ties into this broader trend of food becoming experience.
Luxury Chocolate as Culinary Souvenir
ID 307865527 © Belinda Wu | Dreamstime.com
And let’s not forget: luxury edible experiences aren’t just for dining out. They also translate into collectible, travel-worthy purchases. Take the luxury collaboration between Louis Vuitton and pastry-chef Maxime Frédéric – the “Le Chocolat Maxime Frédéric” line blends French craftsmanship with fashion branding, turning chocolate into a souvenir of travel and indulgence.
These chocolate collections, whether in Paris, Singapore, New York or Shanghai, show how the edible-luxury trend extends beyond the restaurant table and into retail and travel culture. They form a natural companion piece to the ultra-premium coffee story you’ve just framed.
More Than a Meal
From gold-flecked desserts to a near-$1,000 cup of coffee, these indulgences share a common thread: they turn ordinary pleasures into something extraordinary.
They blur the line between consumption and experience, transforming travel from “going somewhere” into “tasting somewhere”. Dubai’s $980 coffee may be the headline, but it’s also a symbol of how modern luxury is evolving.
Today’s people aren’t only looking for “the most expensive option” – they want something unique, ephemeral, and memorable. A once-in-a-lifetime flavour that can’t be ordered online.
In a world saturated with fast content and fleeting trends, perhaps the real allure isn’t the gold, or the price tag – but the feeling of sipping a moment that exists only once.
Photo sources – apart from Dreamstime: 1, 2
