It’s been the best of times… it was…actually it was a pretty incredible year. And the food scene in Qatar was as vibrant as ever – dozens of new openings, new hotels, new cuisines. So selecting my best restaurant dishes in Qatar for 2022 was actually tougher than I expected. But needs must….here is my list of best Qatar restaurant dishes of 2022 in no particular order… Malaysian butter chicken at Mama Rozie This dish started as a one-off and grew to be a phenomenon. More creamy than the usual butter chicken we know, it’s the perfect comfort food. The chicken is fried before adding to the sauce. You can…
-
-
Five Delicious Things to Do When Visiting Doha
Doha, Qatar isn’t just about FIFA football these days. There is of course the museums and galleries, the desert and, a thriving restaurant and cafe scene. You can dine around the world in a day but there are a few foodie goals you should be kicking while here. So here are five delicious foodie things to do when visiting Doha: 1. Take a Wander Around Souq Waqif From the main drag full of cafes, restaurants and outdoor seating for people watching to the winding alleys of the covered souq lined with spice shops and other goodies, this should be your first stop. Must visit foodie spots include the cheap as…
-
Doha hit list October 2022: Hot, new and just-reviewed restaurants and offers to check out, right now
We are literally counting the days now until the kick off of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and honestly I can’t wait. Here is my freshly pressed Doha hit list for October 2022 – what’s hot, new and just reviewed restaurants and offers you need to check out now. Scroll to the end for what to look forward to in coming weeks. Tex Mex Classics are back at Paloma Doha Paloma has something for everyone – a menu of fun and fresh Tex Mex classics, margaritas the size of your head and even a live band. After closing for two years thanks to COVID-19, it’s back just in time for…
-
Mid-Year Report Card 2022 – The Qatar Dining Scene
Summer beckons, kids are graduating, and for many vacations await so this means it’s time for my Mid-Year Report Card 2022 – The Qatar Dining Scene. For those new here, the Mid-Year Report card is my annual check-in about the the Qatar dining scene – what’s great, what’s leaving us a little cold, like the AC in malls. It’s also a chance to look ahead to what’s happening and what we can look forward to. What I’m Loving New Coffee Spots! Juan Valdez at Katara and the soon to open Toby’s Estate are great examples of the move away from the fancy coffee we’ve seen pop up around town in…
-
Seven New Restaurants Opening in Qatar in 2022
This is Qatar’s year and all signs point to the 2022 FIFA World Cup. And, it’s fair to say that the food and beverage scene is matching that energy. Believe it or not there are more than 3000 restaurants, cafes and eateries in Qatar and that number is growing every day. But here are the seven restaurant openings I am excited about opening in Qatar in 2022. Jean Georges at Four Seasons Doha The master is back in Qatar with this contemporary dining concept at the ever evolving and exciting Four Seasons Doha. Expectations are high, Jean Georges previously opened two spots at the W Doha, so diners here know…
-
Your Essential Guide to Eating and Drinking in Doha in November 2021
November is here and if you get up very early the temperature is in the early 20s! Just kidding! We are at the business end of the year in Qatar – when the weather is glorious and the eating and drinking options in Doha plentiful. Finally dining outdoors doesn’t require a personal AC. And we have some huge events – Arab Cup and the Formula 1 Ooredoo 2021 Grand Prix to name just two. So here is my essential guide to eating and drinking in Doha this November: Riyasat I’ve written about this place a few times, but it’s worth a visit or a revisit. Approachable yet beautifully executed Indian…
-
Five Great Restaurants to Try That Are Not in West Bay or The Pearl
Newsflash! Great food in Doha does start at The Pearl and end just before you hit the Corniche. There are some great restaurants offering really diverse cuisines outside the rarefied confines of these two areas – and I’m here to help you find them. The options include – Spanish, Thai, brunch classics, Brazilian meat palace and a homegown Qatari concept. And all have the Life on the Wedge seal of approval. So grab your friends and get out there and try these gems (and if those mates don’t want to go that far, question whether or not they are REALLY your friends) – maybe add in a nearby happy hour…
-
Doha Dining Scene’s Mid Year Report Card 2019
We’re halfway through this year so it’s a good time to take stock of what’s happening – think of it like the Doha dining scene’s mid year report card 2019. After a year or two of stagnation, the restaurant scene really kicked into gear in late 2018 and early 2019 with a raft of new openings and a real buzz. There’s a lot to like but also a lot to be skeptical about. Here’s a look at what we’re loving, what’s leaving us cold and what we are looking forward to: What I’m Loving New restaurants! This year continues to see an exciting new upswing in the number of new…
-
Is The Pearl Social the Best Restaurant in Doha You Have Never Been To?
Doha’s dining scene can be fickle and driven by fads, as anyone who has seen a line outside the latest specialty coffee house can attest. A few weeks ago I went for my third visit to The Pearl Social at the Kempinksi Marsa Malaz. For a Friday night, the restaurant was at half capacity. The bar (aka the Diver’s Club) upstairs was busy. But the restaurant was not. Occupying the spot that was once home to the overrated, overpriced and over itself Antica Pesa, the Pearl Social completes the trio of restaurants on the hotel’s mini island. This venue has been hit and miss – the location on the water…
-
Novikov Doha – Does it Live Up to the Hype?
It’s the restaurant with the Russian name and pan-Asian menu. Beloved of celebrities and the brainchild of a main who is mates with Vladimir Putin, I did want to not like Novikov Doha. But I was also curious – the first “big name” to open alongside Galleries Lafayette in Katara’s faux European boulevard 21 High Street (admit it, you also want to say 21 Jump Street).Also the final restaurant in the much anticipated quartet of openings in Doha over the last six months and the reviews had ranged from rapturous to tepid. This is also a market crowded with pan-Asian and Japanese restaurant, many of them excellent. Did we need…
