Msheireb Downtown Doha is one of my favourite places to explore. It’s full of exciting new restaurants and cafes. It’s got a cool, urban vibe, and yet with its award-winning mosque, architectural language, heritage houses, and Islamic motifs, Qatar’s past is very much present.
Msheireb is also host to Qatar’s future dreams. Here you’ll find an art gallery, a creative hub (M7), and a new design district. The Barahat (the central square) is an arty, ‘Grammable space lined with restaurants and cafes. So, where to head?
Cafes
% Arabica
This cool Japanese café franchise has enjoyed a warm welcome to Qatar… I’ve never seen it empty. The minimal design extends itself to the menu – it’s mostly coffee and small bites. I guess that if you’re going to boast specialty coffee, coffee should be your specialty.
Ministry of Coffee
A larger café – with an appealing deli counter that will lead you down the path of forgetting about your diet for yet another day. There’s plenty of outside seating if you fancy getting some rays or just enjoy a spot of people watching. It’s also a good spot to catch up on a bit of work or meet new clients.
While I’ve heard the French Toast is a-MAZE-ing, I can vouch for the Uncle Sam sandwich, coated chicken meets rivers of cheese on brown toasted bread, and The Ministry a stack of sweet potato hash browns with black bean salsa, avocado, and a poached egg. Hitting all your breakfast/Brunch goals.
Prices are reasonable (well by Qatar standards) and the there’s an option of beans for the coffee lover.
Anis at Park Hyatt Hotel
Whether you want a spot of breakfast, lunch, or coffee and cake (again, your deli counter is sure to sway you away from any silly ‘dieting’ ideas you may had), this café is a nice place to take a break or get some work done. I go here for the restroom moisturiser (it’s Le Labo).
Rusk
This is an artisanal bakery come café, which offers a small but perfectly formed menu. As has become the norm for coffee and café prices in Qatar, it’s not exactly cheap, but at least you can feel and taste the quality of ingredients. I tried a deliciously spiced pumpkin soup served up with a swirl of cream and a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds. My partner enjoyed burrata flatbread, and we also enjoyed a rather rich lasagne. I can’t comment on the coffee, but I would go back to try this with a dessert.
Caffeinated
This little coffee shop offers a minimal menu – coffee and a small selection of cakes. It has European coffee shop vibe – nice interiors and some design books, which I’m always drawn to. Their coffees are for people who like coffee s not those flavoured milk drinks which also have a smidgen of coffee and about a thousand other ingredients.
Restaurants
O’Glacée Poolside Restaurant
Enjoy alfresco dining at Al Wadi Hotel. The menu is simple European pub or bar food and not extensive (I’m a fan of a small menu) and they offer a regular happy hour until 8 pm, which means it the perfect spot for sunset sips—a great venue for families or groups of friends.
Trapani
An Italian-inspired menu – featuring those favourites: risotto, pasta, pizza. The interiors are classy, it’s always busy, and service is on point. The flavours are good, and portions are small yet filling. It’s a great place for dining out with family or friends – somewhere most people are going to find something on the menu they like.
Liang
This restaurant is part of Mandarin Oriental and serves up authentic Chinese dishes in a calm, grown-up dining room. Décor and service are impeccable. Great for date night, wooing clients, or catching up with girlfriends over delicious dim sum.
Have you been to any of these restaurants or cafes? Or do you have a recommendation for us to try? This article will be continued once we’ve visited more destinations at Msheireb.
