Does the title of my post sound audacious (bold) ?
Perhaps, but although I don’t travel as much as I did during my regular trips to Africa, working for the UN, transiting through Dubai and London, as well as Johannesburg, I can tell you that I never had a pleasant coffee experience to the level of what I am accustomed to in specialty coffee shops and in my home.
It was always painful for my palate after working tirelessly for a week in a foreign country and rushing to the airport either in the early hours or late evening where all you wanted was just a good cup of “specialty” coffee – no, not just coffee, but specialty.
So, late last year, after speaking at an international conference on land degradation in Riyadh and avoiding hotel coffee, I noticed that I was dropped off at the new Terminal 4 at king Khalid airport. As I walked into the gate area, after security, I noticed a huge Starbucks right in front of the departure gates area – my heart sank – but before I could scream, I looked to my extreme right and noticed a familiar sign…
Camel Step
A smile came across my face
Yes, you may have heard about them as I blogged about them when I highlighted the best ten places to drink specialty coffee in Riyadh back in 2021.
I ran there as fast as I could to get my specialty coffee fix, which was I needed after an early start (my flight was at 9am, so I left the hotel before 7am).
Camel Step have been a mainstay for specialty coffee in Saudi Arabia for a while and source good coffees. They use a Dalla Corte espresso machine for their espresso-based coffees and sell snacks, pastries, cakes and coffee beans too. On my second visit,
On my first visit, I ordered a flat white.
Wow! Look at the latte art here.
I’m not sure about other specialty coffee shops in international airports but based on the above, I’m willing to bet that this is the best latte art at an airport, as not many baristi I have come across do this on a daily basis.
On my second visit, I also ordered a flat white too.
I also couldn’t resist picking up some Kenyan arabica beans, which I have been brewing on my Hario V60 recently and its delicious. I should highlight that if you buy a bag of coffee beans, they will give you a complimentary cup of black coffee (not a milk-based – I asked and they said no.
There’s also a small sitting area, which gets occupied quickly.
So, if you happen be transiting through King Khalid international airport, Riyadh and are lucky to be in terminal 4, I strongly recommend that you pop over toe Camel step for your specialty coffee fix and I think you won’t be disappointed.
What a great way to start your journey and day, good coffee.
