We all joke about rushing the barricades and beating down the doors of our favorite cafes and restaurants (after the beauty salons of course) when they finally reopen. But what will Doha’s dining scene look like after the dust settles? As we begin to eat out again when restaurants reopen, the question will be less about the food, and more so about what steps the restaurant has taken to ensure the health and safety of diners. One thing is certain, it won’t be the same. But how will it have changed? 1. Fewer outlets The sad reality is, many smaller (and maybe some bigger players) won’t be able to survive…
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Your February Hit List – Where to Eat and Drink in Doha this Month
And here we are – my inaugural 2020 Hitlist – where to eat and drink in Doha in February. After the longest January in the history of Januarys, there is a lot to be excited about! New happy hours, new restaurants and a couple of surprises – here is the list you have been waiting for… La Bodega Negra Hot off the plane from London’s Soho, this Mexican joint has won me over with its atmosphere and well executed food. It’s located adjacent to the less than swoonworthy HuQQA at the St Regis Doha. When I say this place is about the “vibe”, I mean it. The bar area is…
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Your December Dining Hit List – Where to Eat and Drink (and be merry) in Doha this Month
And just like that, it’s December and we’re staring down the barrel of the festive season! While this month may be all about Christmas, there are others like Marhaba Qatar who do full round -ups of what’s on offer. My list is more about where to eat, drink and be a little merry in Doha this December… Torba Farmer’s Market The new season of the Farmer’s Market at Qatar Foundation has really impressed me. They have been a little more selective about their stallholders this year and there is now a new emphasis on food – eat in and to go. Favorites include Fresh Doha and their vegan bowls, BAO…
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Your November Hit List – Where to Eat and Drink in Doha This Month
Buckle up folks! This is the business end of the eating and drinking year. And this is a bumper edition of the Life on the Wedge round up of where to eat and drink in Doha. New openings, new concepts and new menus (and some very strong rumors relating to certain laws being relaxed) as we slide towards 2022 – Doha is is a pretty good place to be right now. So here’s my November must eat and drink list: El Cedro Tasting Room: Located in a redesigned space that was once home to the Sharq Village and Spa’s discrete bar, the menu and drinks at this place is a…
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Your October Hit List – Where to Eat and Drink in Doha This Month
We are at the pointy end of the year and for foodies this is great news. The weather starts to change oh so slightly, events start rolling into the city and this is the time when new menus, new restaurants and more start to open. So here is your October Hit List – where to eat and drink in Doha this month… 1. Pizza Box Another pizza place…yes. But this one is a little different. It offers New York style pizza – the pie is larger, the dough thinner and the toppings a bit more eclectic. You can buy by the slice or the whole pie. Toppings include traditional pepperoni,…
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Your April 2019 Doha Dining Hit List – Where You Should be Eating and Drinking this Month
Wait…wasn’t it just February a red hot minute ago? April is here already and frankly I am not ready for it. Just a few weeks until Ramadan, Summer is looming and….Well, at least we have some amazing new restaurants, menus and dining concepts in Doha to ease us through the transition.Here is Life on the Wedge’s Doha dining hit list – your top eating and drinking in tips for April (new addition this month – a price guide) so there is no excuse not to eat well this month: Izu It took me two visits but this restaurant at the brand spanking new Mandarin Oriental Doha has grown on me.…
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Sticker Shock – Seven Places to Enjoy Happy Hour Post Qatar Alcohol Tax Increase
It came like a bolt in the dark in the dying days of 2018 – the new “sin tax” due to take effect on 1 January 2019 would in fact include alcohol. Some labelled it the end of days. Unprecedented apocalypse-looming style lines formed at the QDC. Wailing was heard. Now, the dust has settled, QDC has lowered some of its prices ever so slightly, hotels have taken stock and we can see start to see what this actually means to the average diner and drinker. As a keen observer of the food and beverage trends in this city, and having spoken to drinkers, hoteliers and others in the industry:…
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Qatar Food Trends 2018 – the Good, the Bad and the…please just stop
There is no doubt about it….Qatar loves a food trend. Remember when elaborate cupcakes popped up like wildflowers? Then cookies filled with all manner of sweet fillings…2018 is no different. Here’s my tongue-in-cheek look at the best and the…worst food trends of 2018. Peruvian Food: Yep, with the opening of La Mar and Manko, this intriguing and addictive cuisine that is a mix of Japanese, Spanish, Chinese and South American – has Qatar’s foodies talking – and it’s all good. The Intercontinental Doha has taken the “go hard or go home” approach, putting serious cash behind it with a custom built venue, celebrity chef endorsement and frankly it has paid…
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La Mar, La Vista 55 and Maya – Doha’s 3 Hottest New Restaurants and Bars Reviewed
It seems like they came all at once – a flurry of new restaurants and bars opening in Doha within days of each other after a long period of stagnation in the food scene. Always willing to put myself in the line of fire, I checked out Peruvian restaurant La Mar, Mexican offering Maya and Cuban joint La Vista 55 – all in the name of research – and there’s a lot to be excited about. Here’s my take on each of them, what to expect and what you should order: La Mar: I’m not going to lie, La Mar and its upstairs bar Manko are among the most exciting…
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Seven New Restaurant Openings to Look Forward to in Qatar in Before the End of 2018
With a slew of new restaurant openings it looks like the last quarter of 2018 is going to be one of the most interesting and delicious Qatar foodies have seen. After the uncertainty of 2017, investment and creativity is flowing and food lovers have a lot to look forward to. Here’s a look at what’s opening in coming weeks and months and a peek at what we can look forward to in 2019. A word of caution about opening dates – as is always the case, they are fluid. But buckle up this should be a fun end of the year! La Mar Doha’s future dining has a distinctly Peruvian…
