Breakfast and coffee at Al Qudra: the early-morning stop

There are no cafes at the lakes, none on the cycle loops and none among the dunes. If you are riding at dawn, setting up for a sunrise shoot or packing down after a night of camping, the choice is simple: eat and drink before you turn in, or go without.

Zad is a full cafe and minimart at the Last Exit on Al Qudra Road, open 24 hours a day, every day, with hot coffee poured before sunrise. This guide covers what to order, what it costs, how to pre-order and how to time the start of your morning.

1. Why stop here first

Al Qudra mornings are the best part of the day, and the only comfortable part from late spring to early autumn. Zad sits at the gateway, so you pass it on the way in, and parking is free and right outside. There is a shaded terrace, and the lights at the Last Exit never go off. Riders already call it "Zads" and use it as both the start and the finish of the ride.

2. Coffee and hot drinks

Prices below are from our menu and cyclist stop pages. They are indicative and may vary.

Karak chai at AED 7 is the camper favourite. Bring a vacuum flask (flasks are AED 25 at Zad) and fill it for the lake.

3. Breakfast to eat now or carry

• Croissants: plain AED 14, chocolate or cheese AED 15, a top seller on the track.
• Ola Nata: the Portuguese custard tart, AED 20, warm and flaky and good with coffee.
• Bacon and egg wrap: AED 26. Other wraps run AED 26 to 32, and the sandwiches include a BLT at AED 32.
• Smoothies: 16 flavours, AED 26 each, blended to order for after the ride.
• Dates and snacks: dates are in store, with protein bars (AED 15 to 18) and nuts and dried fruit (AED 15 to 47) for the pocket.
• Water: 500 ml is AED 2 and 1.5 L is AED 3, with bottle refills from AED 2.

For something to eat once you reach the water, the desert picnic ideas include a sunrise breakfast that needs no cooler.

4. For cyclists: before, during and after

The Al Qudra cycle track is smooth, traffic-free tarmac with nothing to buy on the loops, so fuel before you roll out. Zad stocks an energy-gel wall: Maurten Gel 100 and 160 are AED 15.75 and AED 19.95, GU Roctane gels and stroopwafels AED 10.50 to 25, and Pocari Sweat 330 ml is AED 8. After the ride, a smoothie, a big wrap or fresh orange juice does the job.

Riding with a club? The Rider Breakfast is AED 38 per rider for clubs of 6 or more: a cappuccino, a chocolate or cheese croissant and a Pocari Sweat 330 ml. Order the evening before and it is ready when you roll in. Details and booking are on the outings page, and the full list of fuel is on the cyclist stop page.

5. For campers: the morning after

Waking up cold and hungry in the dunes is easier if you planned ahead. A camping gas stove starts at AED 25 and frying pans and kettles are AED 25 to 60 at Zad, so you can cook a pan breakfast at camp (see campfire cooking ideas). If you would rather skip the setup, pack down, drive out and have coffee and a croissant on the way home. The Stargazing Kit for Two (AED 129) includes a flask of hot karak and two croissants for a cold-night start.

Remember the rules: no fires on the sand, camping and fires at the lake edge are restricted, and every scrap of rubbish goes home. See Dubai camping rules and permits.

6. Timing your start

Plan to arrive at the water 30 to 45 minutes before sunrise. On the 15th of the month in Dubai time, sunrise is about 06:17 in October, 06:35 in November, 06:56 in December and 07:06 in January, from the computed table in our sunrise and sunset guide. Working back, allow 15 to 20 minutes for coffee and bottles at Zad, plus your drive from there.

For photographers, the photography guide covers where to stand. For when to visit across the year, see best time to visit Al Qudra.

7. Two sample mornings

• The sunrise ride (winter): arrive at Zad in the dark, order a cappuccino and a croissant, fill two bottles, pocket a gel, then roll out onto the loop so you are riding as the light comes up. Finish back at the terrace with a smoothie or a wrap before the drive home.
• The sunrise photo stop: buy a flask of karak and a croissant, check your sunrise time, and be at the water 30 to 45 minutes before the sun. Eat while you wait for the light, then take a bag of ice home if the day is warming up.
• The family weekend: a relaxed stop mid-morning for juice, smoothies and ice cream (from AED 12) before a picnic by the water, with the Lake Picnic Box (AED 199 for four) pre-ordered if you would rather not shop.

None of these need more than 20 minutes at the shop, which is the point: everything is in one place, at any hour.

8. Order ahead on WhatsApp

You can message your order to 050 502 5856 on WhatsApp and we will have it bagged and ready. Tell us your pickup time and what you need. For club breakfasts, order the evening before. On weekends, public holidays and big event days, message us the day before.

Frequently asked questions

Zad Food Store is open 24/7 at the Last Exit, Al Qudra Road (Seih Al Salam), Dubai, the last stop before the desert since 2013.