Qatar is home to a wide variety of cuisines – Chinese, Thai, Lebanese, Turkish, Italian, French, American – you name it. But you can’t leave Qatar without trying the Qatari cuisine at traditional and modern local restaurants across the country.
Qatari cuisine shares many traditional dishes with the Middle East and North African (MENA), and especially the Gulf. Their food consists of meat, grain, and dairy as well as vegetables with many stew-like and rice dishes often cooked in a single pot. Traditional dishes include harees, mathrooba, margooga and machbous as well as sweet dishes such as balaleet, luqaimat and esh asaraya. Other popular Qatari dishes include mandi, mansaf, kabsa and biryani. However, these dishes are not originally Qatari, but are variations of common Middle Eastern dishes. In addition, coffee and tea are important to the daily lives of Qataris. Similar to the well-known Arabic coffee, Gahwa helw, also known as ‘sweet coffee’, Qatari coffee is a bright orange mixture with cardamom, saffron, and sugar. It can also be served with milk.
If you want to try the best of the Qatari cuisine, there are plenty of choices. You’ll be spoiled for choice at Souq Waqif and Souq Al Wakra. Local restaurants and cafes to look out for are below
Al Jasra Traditional Food
A group of five Qatari women run the traditionally decorated restaurant serving home cooked meals prepared with fresh local ingredients.
Souq Waqif Doha, 5529 8871
Bayt Sharq
Located inside the Al Khulaifi Heritage House, Bayt Sharq is Qatari restaurant that is open all day from breakfast to dinner. You can order à la carte, but the set menus offer the chance to try all of the dishes. Choose between the traditional Qatari option with plates such as balaleet, machbous and more, and dishes from the wider region such as falafel, foul, and lebneh, cheese and zaatar fatayer. It is an open courtyard filled with greenery and outdoor seating that is perfect for the cooler winter months, and there is also a main dining room and private cabanas. At the restaurant, there are boats and fishing materials paying tribute to Qatar’s maritime history, a vintage car, a well, old photographs of Qatar and Qatar’s royal family, and there is even a small museum with documents from the family who previously lived here.
Ras Bu Abboud | 7770 4589
Fouj Café
Fouj Café is a Qatari restaurant that serves international dishes with a Qatari twist. The restaurant and coffee shop serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, with Qatari dishes the main feature in addition to international dishes.
Grand Hamad Street, 4431 9552
Karak Mqanes
Karak Mqanes is a popular karak tea restaurant. It offers traditional food prepared according to age old recipes by Qatari women. Visit Karak Mqanes for a delicious Qatari breakfast and dishes such as balaleet, biryani and omelets; popular Qatari deserts such as luqaimat, saffron cakes; and authentic karak.
3394 9898, 4444 0439
Mugalat Harees Al Waldah
Mugalat Harees Al-Waldah is an authentic Qatari restaurant, offering home-cooked meals such as harees, mathrouba, mandi, beans, motabaq and more.
Salwa Road, 4444 0059
Nassayem Qatar, Diplomatic Club
The Diplomatic Club’s signature Qatari restaurant, Nassayem Qatar, was created to respect and highlight the indigenous cuisine of Qatar. Local enthusiasts will savour traditional food infused with contemporary presentation and a thoroughly modern style of cooking. Lunch and dinner, served with an accompaniment of beverages, are reflective of the agricultural produce of Qatar.
The Diplomatic Club, 4484 7444
Saasna
Located in Msherieb Downtown Doha, Saasna is developed based on 100% pure traditional Qatari cuisine with a modern twist, serving madrouba, majbous, biryani, saloona, mashkool, and more. Saasna derives its meaning from the word “Asaasna”; our origins. The concept is cuisine of Qatari culture blended with modernity.
4038 1081, 5519 7131, saasnaqatar.com
Walima, Mondrian Doha
Enjoy delicious Middle Eastern cuisine served up with the famous Qatari hospitality at Walima in Mondrian Doha. In addition, enjoy a selection of Mediterranean Fusion-inspired plates with a Middle Eastern spin, ranging from traditional mezze and mixed grills to a selection of tasty tacos, seafood paella, and Bao beef buns.
4045 5999
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