As unlikely as it is that someone would look at Zamalek’s 26th of July Corridor and think, “I think what this street needs is one more café”, the creators of Oroblanco, the newest coffee shop on Cairo’s beloved island, managed to bring something entirely ahead of its time to the table.Stepping into Oroblanco feels like an instant teleportation into one of Frank Herbert’s Dune’s space guilds, except less world-ending, and instead of an incessant addiction to spice melange, everyone is dependent on freshly brewed coffee. The spot’s arched walls, pod-like seating, nude palette and futuristic paraphernalia encapsulate visitors in an extra-terrestrial trance as they chat and/or work.Take for example the spot’s signature Nitro coffee. The beverage consists of an elusive cold brew infused with nitrogen gas that gives it a creamier texture and acts as a natural sweetener. But it’s not the drink’s chemical make-up that enthrals visitors, it’s the gyroscopic presentation of it in a spinning-top-shaped glass you can twirl as you sip.

True to the promise of specialty coffee, Oroblanco also serves the more esoteric brews and blends: V60, Chemex and tonic coffee being a few. Ristretto-based piccolos also make an appearance, hand in hand with the simpler pistachio lattes.While their caffeine-based delicacies will undoubtedly draw in even the most reformed of junkies, Oroblanco offers an extensive array of herb-based drinks and juices for those of us who cling onto their early bedtimes for dear life. Indulge in the spot’s refreshing Naranja or the warm embrace of a lavender latte for a change from the well-trodden cappuccino.As for food, Oroblanco’s stunning selection of fresh sandwiches, pastry, salads and desserts is difficult to resist, but not as alluring as the granola and acai bowls that would so delicately pair with our turmeric lattes.