“The difference between something good & something great is attention to detail.” Kulture House
Mismatched chic best describes Kulture House, a multi-purpose concept housed in a large converted villa in Jumeirah 1, Dubai. This quirky homegrown, vibrant gem is part cafe, part eclectic retail space and part gallery. It’s a place where cultures blend together, a place that welcomes local artists to display and sell their work and a place to meet and relax.
I loved the overall design, the clashing patterns, traditions and colours married together to offer one exciting lifestyle concept. Visitors are taken on a journey through the rooms that reflect the owner’s love of travel and immersion in different cultures and their support for local artisans. The vision is constantly evolving with regular pop-ups and events that support the local creative community.
The majority of the space is consumed with the cafe with its various seating areas that can accommodate different sized parties, a large communal table and an outdoor courtyard. Different cultures are represented in the art, furniture and textiles that adorn the space, the ceiling is covered in bamboo and a giant matryoshka (Russian doll) stands tall against one wall.
The wide ranging menu offers something for everyone with healthy options and caters for those with specific dietary requirements with vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and nut-free options. The all-day breakfast dishes had us salivating, but with lunch and dinner options to also consider it was tricky to decide. The menu takes you on a global journey with dishes such as Turkish Eggs, Mexican inspired Huevos Rancheros, Kulture Smash burger, Black Tropic with turmeric and activated charcoal. Desserts of Fried Oreos and regional Kunafa Triangles are joined by an Italian Tiramisu.
We settled on a fluffy souffle omelette (delicious but way too huge for me to finish), tasty Halloumi Fries served with truffle aioli, a spicy Shakshuka and a sweet kale salad with apple, candied walnuts and topped with parmesan. The food was great as was the coffee which is provided by Encounter Coffee from Dubai based aficionados Tom & Serg.
Goods sourced worldwide make quite the statement in the retail area at the entrance. Beautiful candles, Morrocan objects and African textiles sit alongside Portugese ceramics, delicate stackable jewellery and Colombian beaded bracelets, ethically sourced toiletries and heavily patterned notebooks. It’s a vision for the eyes, you can recreate the vibrant look with the range of home accessories.
Just past the very Instagrammable hanging chair with its backdrop of woven textiles, is a narrow corridor filled with shelves lined with photographs of the UAE royals that leads to The Green Room. A feast for the eyes, this room is home to rows of beautiful handcrafted woven beach baskets of all colours and sizes, botanicals galore and racks of stunning bright coloured dresses. Leave your credit card at home if you’re a keen shopper with no willpower.
In the year when travel is restricted why not visit Kulture House and be inspired by the owner’s travels around the globe. It’s a place to peruse fair-trade trinkets and colourful textiles, floaty dresses and kaftans as well as covetable baskets, art and plants. A cafe that serves breakfast all day and evening is always going to a hit with me. This is definitely a daytime haunt for the local ‘Jumeirah Janes’ much like it’s neighbour Comptoir 102, we went for dinner at 6pm and were the only two people in the whole place. I will definitely return in the daytime for a coffee fix so I can relax and not feel like they are waiting to close.
Kulture House
Location: 106 Jumeirah St, Jumeirah 1, Dubai
Telephone: 056 328 8817
Opening Hours: 9am – 8pm (current restricted hours)
Shop online via @shopkulturehouse
All views are my own based on my experience. Unless otherwise stated all photos © Jo Brett 2020. All rights reserved. Exterior photo used with courtesy of instagram.com/kulturehousedubai