Starbucks vs Specialty Coffee
The difference in taste is not a myth
Starbucks captivates with its affordability. It is, in fact, fast food from the world of coffee: go in, get it, go on. I myself drank their lattes for years and thought that coffee was just a bitter drink with milk. Everything changed when I tried specialty. It was B60 from Ethiopia. The aroma of bergamot, the taste of black currant, the aftertaste of honey. I was shocked. Not because it was “delicious”, but because it was a different drink. Not like Starbucks at all. Since then, I have never perceived coffee the same way. Especially now that Cantata Tea & Coffee Shop has opened in Dubai.
Starbucks: bitterness, sugar, habit
The taste of Starbucks is formed around the dark roast. It is needed to:
- hide the disadvantages of the raw material (if the beans are weak, just burn them);
- create a recognizable taste (roasted, caramel, sometimes even ash);
- equalize regions: Guatemala or Brazil - there is no difference, everything is "as it should be".
Cappuccino from Starbucks is a stable 6/10. It is like a white T-shirt from H&M: convenient, familiar, does not evoke emotions. It has a lot of milk, sugar and syrup, so that no one complains. The taste of the coffee is lost, and bitterness is the only marker that it is there at all.
Specialty: the taste of the region, not the roast
In specialty coffee, the main thing is not to roast the beans until black, but to reveal their natural taste.
For example, here is what you can find in a cup:
- Columbia - orange acidity, nuts;
- Ethiopia - jasmine, blueberry, bergamot;
- Kenya — blackcurrant, wine, tomatoes.
And no, these are not flavors. These are pure beans, lightly roasted, washed and brewed with respect. Specialty is not about sugar and foam. It is about taste as art. About the identity of the region.
How they brew at Starbucks vs. Specialty
- Starbucks: machines, milk drinks, large glasses, syrups. The barista is the operator. The machine does everything itself.
- Specialty: manual brewing, precise grams, filter, pour-over, V60. The barista is your personal guide. He will tell you where the beans are from, how they were roasted, why this particular temperature. This is a completely different level.
What happens in the mouth
- Starbucks — bitterness, plenty of body, minimal acidity.
- Specialty — subtle acidity, sweetness, clean aftertaste.
Starbucks is like dark chocolate with smoke. Specialty is closer to fruit tea, but in a good way. One coffee is drunk on a machine, the other is tasted like wine.
Where to get Specialty in Dubai?
This is where the fun begins. I used to steal beans from trips — sometimes from Vienna, sometimes from Berlin. Then I looked for rare local roasts. Now everything is simpler: in Dubai Al Barsha 1, in Cantata, you can get a real specialty. No joke.
They have:
- beans from Ethiopia, Colombia, Brazil — with a rating of 84+;
- fresh roast, light, with a date on the pack;
- the employees are not just sellers, but really understand the profiles;
- you can try before buying (teapots, pour-overs, tastings).
I got Kenya with grapes and black currants from them, and it was a blow to the heart. Then there was a natural Brazilian with notes of nuts and cocoa — perfect for a filter. The most important thing: these are not sky-high prices, like in boutiques. Cantata is when it’s beautiful, tasty and to the point.
Starbucks is still for speed
I’m not a snob. Sometimes I’m in a hurry and get an Americano at Starbucks. That’s normal. But if I want taste, pleasure, aroma — specialty.
The difference is noticeable even without preparation. Especially if you compare “filter from Cantata” and “Americano from Starbucks”. The first is like a morning breeze. The second is like coal steam from a stove. Seriously.
Yes, the difference is colossal. Starbucks makes stable, mass-produced coffee. Specialty is about taste, region, personal experience.
And if you’re in Dubai and want to try specialty without searching and hassle — just go to Cantata.ae.
Most likely, you will never go back to a regular cup.
