Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates is known for its luxurious hotels and at one those hotels – the Emirates Palace – you can find a cappuccino priced at a whopping 80 AED ($A32), but most of that price is due to the gold embellishment.
This is a hotel with suites ranging from $2050 to $11,500 a night, which come with their own 24-hour butler service. The Palace is also decorated with swathes of gold leaf and marble detailing, along with almost 1000 Swarovski crystal chandeliers. It has a helicopter landing pad as well as 1.3km of private beach and marina.
And at the hotel’s Le Cafe by the Fountain, the $32 cappuccino – called the Emirates Palace Golden Cappuccino – is not the only item on the menu you can find sprinkled with the precious metal.
There is also a camel milk vanilla or chocolate ice cream with 23-karat gold leaf for $29 and a mocktail topped with 23-karat gold flakes – called the Hawaiian Candy Colada – for $26.
As many would do when travelling the world and buying a coffee sprinkled with gold, tourists have shared videos of the unique purchase on social media.
One video shows a barista shaking a can of gold flakes over a row of cappuccinos, as though he were sprinkling on the standard cocoa powder.
A second video posted by a worker shows her carefully adding gold flakes with a spoon.
Another clip shows a waiter carrying eight on a tray to a big table.
One reviewer on TikTok wrote: “The gold cappuccino was 8/10 but the vibes were 100/10.”
Another simply said: “It tastes like rich.”
A third agreed, “It tastes expensive.”
Brodie Vissers, a Canadian coffee content creator who goes by the name The Nomad Barista, reviewed the luxurious coffee in a YouTube video last month.
“Our drinks have arrived, I’m a little bit nervous. It used to be 24-karat, now they’ve reduced it to 23-karat but it is still gold sprinkled on this coffee,” he said.
“I don’t even know what to expect from this drink,” he said before taking a sip.
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“It’s actually not bad. Of course the foam on the latte is not like a perfect flat white or anything. It’s actually not as sweet as I expected. It’s got a nice balance to it. It’s an interesting drink.
“We cannot forget about the dates. Having dates with coffee is a very traditional thing here in the Middle East.
“Let’s see how that pairs with the latte. Wow, that is so good. I recommend it if you’re around. It’s a kind of unique opportunity here in (Emirates) Palace. What better place to drink coffee with gold on top.”
