Get a free consultation
Elena Ovchinnikova
Managing Partner
Get a free consultation
Andrey Ovchinnikov
Managing Partner
Get a free consultation
Grace Oyinkansola
Business Setup Advisor
Get a free consultation
Aidina Kursantbek
Business Setup Advisor
HIGHLY ReCOMMENDED
service 2026
A tea shop or cafeteria license in Dubai is a mandatory authorization that allows entrepreneurs to legally operate food and beverage businesses such as tea shops, cafeterias, or similar establishments. It is issued by Dubai Economy and Tourism (DET, formerly the Department of Economic Development – DED) for mainland businesses or by the relevant free zone authority, and ensures compliance with local regulations, including hygiene, food safety and municipal guidelines.
A tea shop license, often synonymous with a cafeteria license, applies to businesses that specialize in serving beverages, snacks, or light meals to customers. Basically, both of them are simply business licenses (also known as trade licenses), and the tea shop/cafeteria part specifies the particular business activities conducted under the license.
In DET’s activity classification, most tea shops and cafeterias fall under the same activity group “Restaurants and Coffee Shops”, commonly using activity code 552001. The difference between a tea shop and a cafeteria is therefore more about branding, menu and size of operations than about a completely separate legal license type.
| Business type | Key activities | Scope of operations | Example businesses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tea shop | Serving tea, coffee, and light snacks | Limited menu, small-scale operations | Bubble tea shops, chai cafes |
| Cafeteria | Offering beverages and quick meals | Expanded menu, small to medium-sized venues | Coffee shops, casual cafeterias |
| Restaurant | Full-service dining, extensive food preparation | Comprehensive menu, large-scale operations | Fine dining restaurants, family diners |
All of the above typically fall under the “Restaurants and Coffee Shops” activity group in DET’s classification.
Choosing the right business type depends on your business concept, scale, and target audience.
from 6,000 AED
Registration in 2 weeks
Flexi-desks, offices, warehouses, plots of land
RAKEZ is a designated free zone ideal for trading companies, offering a wide range of business activities and warehouses of all…
12,500 AED
Registration in 3 weeks
Flexi-desk, offices, warehouses, land plots
Dubai South is a well-connected free zone next to Al Maktoum Airport, just 30 minutes from Downtown Dubai. It offers convenient…
12,000 AED
Registration in 2 weeks
Workstations, office spaces, light industrial units
Dubai Silicon Oasis offers an affordable setup for IT companies within a modern technological park featuring ready-made…
15,020 AED
Registration in 4 weeks
Commercial and retail spaces, offices, warehouses
Dubai Internet City (DIC) is a globally recognized free zone, home to leading multinational IT giants. It’s an ideal choice for IT…
8,000 AED
Registration in 3 weeks
Flexi-desks, offices
Nestled within the heart of Dubai's commercial hub, DWTC presents an exceptional environment that is not only perfect for startups…
52,636 AED
Registration in 2 weeks
Offices, warehouses, plots of land
A lot of well-known food and consumer goods manufacturers are located in JAFZA, thanks to its wide range of warehouses and…
12,500 AED
Registration in 6 days
Flexi-desks, offices
Meydan Free Zone offers low-cost licenses and fully remote company formation. It also allows businesses to rent office space…
35,484 AED
Registration in 2 weeks
Flexi-desks, offices
DMCC is a prestigious free zone in the heart of Dubai and a top choice for foreign investors and entrepreneurs. It allows up to…
Smooth and speedy process from the initial contact to the final visa approval. Wale was super helpful and professional and always answered promptly all my questions.
Emirabiz is a red carpet service worth paying for and I want to thank Helen and her team for her dedicated support and her amazing follow-through. To launch a business in UAE and get…
Hi, I am Eric, from France. I am very satisfied by the work performed for me by Emirabiz. I was based in Saudi Arabia last year and I wanted to create my Company in UAE. I did everything…
Local Consultancy is quite simply excellent at what they do and the services that they provide. Business owner Elena is completely hands on, looking after my needs as a client personally,…
Strongly recommended! I needed to setup a company in the free zone and I ended up in the right place. Natela and Natalia were super helpful in assisting me in the process from the beginning…
Amazing company to work with. Very fast and efficient. Got all of our Paperwork done and visas + Emirates IDs in a very timely manner. Princess was wonderful and always followed up with me…
It's one of the best services that I received. I keep my relationship with this company for years now. Everything from Visa or Company related matters are resolved here with a very little…
From a scale from 0-10 in which 10 is out if this world amazing, Timi and her team deserve a 11! I decided to move to Dubai with my family and Working with Timi was by far the best decision…
Emirabiz Consultancy has consistently provided reliable and outstanding service for my visa renewal needs. I've been working with them for years, and I am very happy and satisfied with…
I worked with Timi on my golden visa process and she did an amazing job. Everything went smooth and fast! Highly recommend!
Assisted me in obtaining my Golden Visa. A big thank you to Parul Parikh for guiding me through the process and for ensuring that my application was successful. Craig
I had a wonderful experience with Emirabez. Parul Parikh helped in doing my Golden visa. It was completely smooth and hassle free. It was done very quickly. Parul was very cooperative and…
I'd like to thank Mrs. Parul from Emirabiz who has helped me sort out the UAE Residency paper for me. She was incredibly professional, very responsive, knowledgeable about the process, and…
Thank you very much for your service. All was done in a short time and in a very comfortable conditions. The level of Anna Soloviova is high. All her explanations and details of new company…
Your Service was fantastic and flawless! And a very, very special „Thank You“ for Nadia! She provided assistance to solve problems, responded immediately to E-Mails, amazing customer…
I am satisfied with the process, steps and speed of my company incorporation also you helped me a lot and very quickly.Turkey
Hi, I meet Natalia Consultant she help me a lot for my business information with quick response great job Natalia.Pradeep, Sri Lanka
We were considering options for opening a company in one of the free zones in the UAE and sought preliminary advice from Emirabiz. Consultant Natalia provided the most complete information…
I contacted Emirabiz for help in choosing and registering a company in a free zone in the United Arab Emirates. Natalia Maslina, a Business Setup Advisor, provided me with comprehensive…
So First of all thank you so much for your continuous help and quick reply for all my questions and doubts about the formation and setups. Also I am recommending this company for everyone…
I would like to acknowledge an outstanding customer service and comprehensive business development advice provided to me by Natalia. Her high level of professionalism and thoughtful…