Caffe Undici

Caffe Undici is a Sharjah institution. Open on the Buhairah Corniche for more than thirty-five years and now anchored at the Marbella Resort, it is well enough known that locals use it as a landmark when giving directions. The cafe has aged into something distinctive - part European-style coffee house, part neighbourhood living room - with indoor seating, a quieter main dining area, a sunny terrace and a separate air-conditioned smoking room that is busy most evenings. The menu is broader than the name suggests. Coffees, juices and cold beverages anchor the offer, with the Freddo chocolate and the Green Machine juice among the drinks regulars order by name. Breakfasts run from manakeesh and shakshuka to a newer buffet service; lunch and dinner cover chicken satay, grilled halloumi, Angus beef burgers, a strong chicken wing plate and a solid range of salads and snacks. Service is a genuine part of the draw. Long-tenured staff are greeted by name by regulars, and birthdays get a small bit of theatre at the table, which the kitchen and floor team clearly enjoy delivering. At peak hours the room leans towards a male business crowd nursing coffees and shisha around the TVs, which can shift the atmosphere depending on when you visit; mornings and early afternoons feel more family-friendly. Pricing sits on the higher side for a Sharjah cafe, and food quality is occasionally uneven - the kitchen is strongest on the grill and simpler plates, less so on more ambitious cooking. Wi-Fi can weaken in parts of the terrace, worth noting for anyone planning to work. For a long coffee with friends, a relaxed breakfast, or a small celebration in a room with genuine history, Caffe Undici remains one of Sharjah's more characterful addresses.