Where to Buy Alcohol in the Northern Emirates
By Yvonne McGahren
March, 03 2022
WHERE TO BUY ALCOHOL IN THE NORTHERN EMIRATES
Alcohol stores in Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah
The Northern Emirates maintains a vibrant trade in keeping residents topped up with their favourite beverages. Not to mention the swathes of Dubai liquor lovers who make regular pilgrimages to stock-up. And it’s worth noting that the alcohol laws in Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah are more relaxed, with no alcohol license required, less tax, and most importantly, no cap on how much you can spend. As The Tasting Class is no stranger to exploring the Northern Emirates, we hope you find this list helpful. And if you find yourself venturing out, enjoy the rugged backdrops and coastal hotels along the way. Here’s a post we did with some ideas for pit stops on the way – there’s actually a few cool things you can do to make the most out of your next alcohol shop.
AJMAN
The smallest of the seven emirates has a fair few stores serving alcohol. Oscars used to have a reputation for being well stocked in spirits, though perhaps lacking in their wine and beer selection. However, during our last visit, we were pleasantly surprised to see the enhanced wine selection, including some old favourites and some less known regional varieties (Romanian wine, anyone?). And judging from their website, the range seems to be expanding. There are also several branches of Unisat Liquor. Two of their stores deliver (see below for details), and they have sommeliers on site.
Oscars Grand Cellar
Click & Collect
Oscars Grand Cellar do not deliver (but plan to soon). In the meantime, their Click & Collect service is convenient if you are able to pick up from one of their selected stores.
Tel: (06) 748 8022.
Oscars Grand Cellar – Jurf
Al Jurf 3 (Near China Mall), Ajman.
Weekdays 9.30am-10.30pm, Fri 9.30am – 12pm & 1.30pm – 11pm. Tel: (06) 748 8022.
Email: [email protected]
SPECIALITY: This store has a drive through counter if you are pushed for time. And as this is the biggest of their three stores it holds their largest collection of wine and spirits. There is ample parking space.
Oscars Grand Cellar – Corniche Road
Corniche Road, (Next to Ajman Beach Hotel), Ajman. Sat – Weds 10am – 10.30pm, Thurs 10am – 11pm, Fri 10am – 12pm & 1.30pm – 11pm. Tel: (06) 742 3058.
Email: [email protected]
Oscars Grand Cellar – Sanaya
Amrlbn El Aas Street, (Next to Al Mass Gym, Between Roundabouts Dar Mix and Lucky), Ajman. Weekdays 10am-10pm, Fri 10am – 12pm & 1.30pm – 10pm. Tel: (06) 882 1537.
Email: [email protected]
Unisat Liquor
Delivery
You can order on the Unisat Liquor website and they deliver to locations in Ajman only. Minimum purchase AED 200 (Free delivery).
Tel: 056 996 6527.
Unisat – Emirates Road
Emirates Road (Across from Wasit Power Station), Ajman Industrial 2, Ajman.
Sat – Weds 9am – 1am, Thurs 9am – 2am, Fri 9am – 12pm & 1pm – 1am.
Tel: 056 119 9527.
They claim that this is one of the biggest liquor stores in UAE.
Unisat – Lucky Roundabout
Lucky roundabout (Across Sun City Supermarket), Ajman Industrial 2, Ajman.
Sat – Weds 9am – 1am, Thurs 9am – 2am, Fri 9am – 12pm & 1pm – 1am.
Tel: 056 119 9518.
SPECIALITY: There is a sommelier available at both stores.
UMM AL QUWAIN
Umm Al Quwain is home to the Barracuda Beach Resort, which has an on-site liquor shop, The Original Barracuda. The store offers more than six thousand different products that change all the time, making it a popular place to stock up on a booze run. For wine lovers, there are three wine advisors on-site to offer guidance/assistance, even qualified sommeliers on hand to advise. They also specialise in craft spirits and craft beer, stocking brands that are hard to find elsewhere.
Barracuda also has a mobile app (iOS and Android) featuring a click and collect service and a ‘loyalty points’ rewards system. You can also gift a monetary amount or your loyalty points to a friend – making it easier to manage those gifting dilemmas! (Pssst…we know what we’re asking Santa for this year.) The immense selection combined with the deals and discounts made for a rewarding booze run. The staff at Barracuda are knowledgeable, too. Be sure to ask for Frenchman, Hubert Salin. He may not work on the floor these days but has incredible wine knowledge and is super-friendly to boot!
Before reaching Barracuda, you may want to check out some smaller outlets with affordable prices, such as Lighthouse Liquor store & Pearl Retail. And there are many places to stop along the way to make a road trip out of it. Check this post out for some inspiration.
Lighthouse Liquor Store
Sheikh Saud Bin Rashid Al Mualla Street,
Al Maidan, Umm Al Quwain.
Weekdays 9am-12am, Fri 9am-1am, Sat 9am-11pm. Tel: (06) 766 6778.
Pearl Retail
Sheikh Khalifa Bin Al Nahyan Street (Next to Pearl Hotel),
Al Khor, Umm Al Quwain.
Everyday 8am – 11.30pm. Tel: (06) 766 5922.
SPECIALITY: Not strictly a shop highlight but there is a pretty beer garden at the hotel next door.
The Original Barracuda
Barracuda Beach Resort, Al Shebeakah, Umm Al Quwain.
Everyday 8am – 10pm. Tel: (06) 768 1091.
Email: [email protected]
SPECIALITY: A dedicated Malt Room with over 400 malt whiskeys from around the world. The pork specialty store next door, Thunder Road Barracuda for woodfire pizza and a T-bone. Plus the staff really know their wine and liquor!
RAS AL KHAIMAH
There are several stores of note in Ras al-Khaimah. The Cellars is run by African & Eastern, with a good selection of wine and a pretty decent list of whisky and beer. Al Hamra Cellar has an excellent choice, which is unsurprising as its sister company is MMI in Dubai and Le Clos at Dubai airport, with surprisingly reasonable prices. They also have a click & collect service.
Centaurus is a smaller store with lots of big names on offer and some enjoyably random options. They also add a personal touch to their service. And Richmond Cellars deliver. Finally, the JMK Cellars Instagram is worth a gander. When not posting price lists or the latest deals (which we’re not a big fan of) ‘Big Daddy’ and the team are innovating with often hilarious dance routines, in-store customer interviews, give-away games and more.
Richmond Cellars
Delivery
Fill out an order form on their website and email PDF to:
Delivery timings: 9am – 7pm (Cash only on delivery). Delivery service only available in Ras Al Khaimah. Orders made before 4pm will be delivered the next day.
Richmond Cellars
PO Box 86173, RAKIA, Ras Al Khaimah
Everyday 9am-12am. Tel: (07) 243 8843.
055 336 5850 (Whatsapp).
The Cellars Ras Al Khaimah
Al Shohadaa Road (Behind Acacia Hotel), Ras Al Khaimah
Everyday 9am – 9pm. Tel: (07) 243 2630/055 300 4972
JMK Cellars
PO Box 41344
07/7 Warehouse, Rakia Freezone, Ras Al Khaimah.
Everyday 7am-12am. Tel: 056 935 9597.
Email: [email protected]
Al Hamra Cellar have a Click & Collect service if you are able to pick up from their store.
Tel: 056 219 4976.
Al Hamra Cellar
Stockholm Street (Off Sheikh Muhammad Bin Salem Road)
Al Hamra Village, Ras Al Khaimah. Everyday 9am-9pm. Tel: (07) 244 7403.
Centaurus International
Electricity Road, Ras Al Selaab, Ras Al Khaimah
Everyday 9am-12am. Tel: (07) 226 0244/050 654 9920
Grand Cellar RAK
Next to Al Zain Hotel (Near to Fathima Supermarket),
Al Nakheel, Ras Al Khaimah.
Everyday 9am-12am. Tel: 052 600 1729.
And finally…
FUJAIRAH
The following three stores are all attached to beach resorts, Holiday Cellar, which claims to be the first alcohol store set up in Dibba Al Fujairah. Sandy Cellar is the only alcohol shop in Al Aqah, and the flagship branch The Beach Shop is closer to Fujairah centre.
As well as lovely beaches, Fujairah also offers The Cellars, a store with a similar, if not more robust, selection of wine, whisky and beer than their sister branch in Ras al-Khaimah. It’s also the go-to spot in the country if you love Belgian or American craft beers.
Holiday Cellar
(Holiday Beach Resort), Dibba, Fujairah.
Everyday 9am-1am. Tel: 054 306 5016.
SPECIALITY: Has a drive through counter for grab and go orders.
Sandy Cellar
(Sandy Beach Hotel and Resort), Al Aqah, Fujairah.
Everyday 10am-1am. Tel: (09) 244 5163, 054 306 5016 (Whatsapp)
SPECIALITY: Also has a drive through counter for grab and go orders.
The Beach Shop
(Rear of Fujairah Hotel and Resort), Fujairah.
Everyday 9am-1am. Tel: (09) 228 1173, 056 545 5441 (Whatsapp)
SPECIALITY: Fujairah’s largest alcohol store with an extensive range of wines, including rare and limited vintage bottles. They also stock hard to find spirits with competitive pricing.
The Cellars Fujairah
(next to Tennis & Country Club), Fujairah.
Everyday 9am-12am. Tel: (09) 222 0665/055 300 2083.
This concludes our series of the where to buy alcohol in the UAE…for now! And in case you are not aware, if you are taking your purchases back to Dubai then please bear in mind the licensing laws there.
