It seems that Summer is on the doorstep, if not very much knocking on the door, with prejudice. It always escalates so quickly – one minute we’re still in long sleeves and enjoying a cool winter’s evening and wondering when the mosquitos will just rack off. The next we’re taking photos of the outside temperature gauges in our cars and pining for the January chill. There’s no in between!
So, May, that period between Eid and Summer vacation season. Still much to see, do, eat and enjoy! Here are my top picks for the month ahead.
The Tomahawk Experience at Bentley’s Grill
One of my comfort food places, Bentley’s mixing it up with a new menu and some new offers. Top of my list is this Sunday deal. at QR560 for two people, the 1kg plus tomahawk arrives in a flourish. It’s dissembled (sliced) tableside, and served with a choice of baked potato or home made fries, and sauces. But this is only the second course!
The starter is a trio of salmon dishes – all different presentations – smoked, cured and served tartare style. And dessert, well that’s a crowd pleasing berry pavlova. Let me be clear – this is a LOT of food and it’s all delivered pitch perfect. The beef itself, despite its Flintsones like appearance, cuts like butter (for want of another analogy). It’s well seasoned and treated with respect. Add to this the friendly and attentive service from Melanie and her team, plus a couple glasses of the good stuff from their wine list? This is Sundays done right!
Must order: Well, the beef. It’s a showstopper.
The Salt Road at Andaz Doha
Dubbing itself “an international cuisine with South African influences” (their verbiage, not mine), The Salt Road was founded by South African chefs, Craig Cormack, and Beau du Toit , it’s helmed by Chef de Cuisine, Calum Anderson. It’s a brave choice for Doha, where South African cuisine isn’t exactly a known quantity. But this is a thoughtful outing in keeping with the Andaz brand, and they do hedge their bets, with the menu giving a more crowd pleasing global outlook with some forays into the continent.
The menu is interesting – a sunchoke risotto, US and Australian steaks, Cape Malay carrot salad, biltong beef consomme, and a whole salt baked celeriac. Salt is the culinary narrative thread that does run through the menu, which unlike many offerings in Doha does come with explanations and context. I do love a backstory and this is done well.
Must order: The Koji lamb shoulder, a beautifully cooked disc of lamb, topped with crispy rice (the fermented koji). Served with slivers of golden beetroot, a tangy whipped labneh, and toothsome brown lentil stew and zataar, it’s a nod to the local palate but a solid dish.
The Camel Cafe
Ohhh boy, I adore this quirky little place in Al Jazeera Tower with my sandwich loving heart. Who would expect that a tiny cafe in West Bay could turn out immaculate Korean style bagels and sandwiches, and some decent coffee every day (except Monday).
The bagels are softer and chewier than the American style ones. The bagel selection (from QR15) changes daily, but favorites are the turkey and cheese and the “everything” options. Filled bagel sandwiches are packed with chicken salad, salmon or egg. My favourite is the carrot bagel – a veritable rainbow of shredded veggies with mustard and sliced cheese – the range from QR40 to QR55. This sandwich reminds me of tuck shop salad sandwiches of my childhood. They open at 7am and stay operating until the bagels sell out.
Must order: The carrot sandwich is a must, but the smoked salmon also hits hard.
Generous April Electric Diner
The Electric Diner at The Ned Doha has, in my opinion, the best burger in Doha at the moment. And, again, for May, they are offering buy one, get one on all à la carte menu items at this venue. The other news is they have adjusted the pricing on the menu – which is a welcome change for Doha!
The burger itself is well constructed, filled with quality ingredients and very generous – it comes in a single (QR70) or double (QR95) which is my go-to.
My picks of the menu items include the loaded hot dogs (QR55) and the fresh and tangy prawn cocktail (QR80) also worth a look. Can we also normalize having a dedicated pickle plate (QR25) on menus here? Or pickles generally. Check out the chicken parmigiana (QR95) for something more substantial.
Add in the family-friendly 1950s retro diner vibe, a lovely outdoor terrace which we can still enjoy in the evenings and of course, The Ned itself is swoon worthy.
Must order: the double beef burger and the pickle plate. That is all.
And there we have it – your May 2025 Doha dining hit list: the hot, new and just-reviewed places to check out, right now.
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Please note:
While I pay for a large portion of my experiences that I write about, I am sometimes provided meals and other experiences free of charge or at a reduced rate. However, I make it clear that I am under no obligation to give a positive review.
