Best Cafes
Chapati & Karak Cafe
Cafe · Doha
"Flat Bread with Spice Black Tea Chapati & Karak, located by the mosque at Katara Cultural Village, offers no -frills outdoor seating, and a Qatari version of a drive-thru service, which consists in many locals driving up to the tea stall, honking the horn and waiting for their order to be delivered to the car. Chapati (plain or sweet flat bread) and Karak (spicy black tea with condensed milk, cardamom and ginger) are both part of the traditional Indian cuisine that made it to Qatar more than fifty years ago, but have become part of the Qatari culinary identity. Chapati & Karak is a great spot to stop by after walking around Katara, or after dinner, or just because. The karak is so good and the chapatti so delicious that they had just branched out of Katara to the trendy Knightsbridge area in London - UK."
Alison Nelson's Chocolate Bar
Permanently Closed
"A Cup of Hot Cocoa and a Slice of Home-made Cake Alison Nelson’s Chocolate Bar, located in Porto Arabia-The Pearl, is one of the trendiest cafes in Doha. It is a dream for chocoholics, coffee drinkers, and graffiti art deco lovers. With its retro-funky leather seats and artistic stations offering everything to satisfy the most demanding sweet tooth, Alison Nelson-Doha, is every bit as good as its mother bar in New York. Although they are most popular for their hot Belgian chocolate, they also have an impressive selection of teas and coffees, home-made pastries topped with dark chocolate, and organic salads. Nothing better than to sit outside the bar with a nice view of the marina, sipping a cup of authentic Belgian hot cocoa."
Al Jalsa
Coffee shop · Al Khulaifat
"An Arabesque Extravaganza Al-Jalsa Coffe Shop and Lounge, located at Al-Sharq Village, is one of the most elegant and beautiful cafes in Doha. The place is tastefully decorated in an Ottoman empire-meets-French boudoir fashion, with silk cushions, low and high seating arrangements, and a vast collection of brews fit for royalty. The afternoon tea, which is usually accompanied by freshly made signature Ritz Carlton scones, makes the simple act of drinking coffee an unforgettable Doha experience. Iced tea is served in elegant tall glasses, hot tea and coffee come in exquisitely decorated crockery, the waiters treat the patrons like rock stars and the snacks (macarons, sandwiches, canapés, quails eggs, etc.) are divine. Al-Jalsa makes a perfect spot on your way to the airport; it will sure send you off with a taste of true Arabesque extravaganza."
Souq Waqif
Traditional market · Al Jasra
"A Game of Checkers and a Cuppa Majlis al Dama, an unassuming coffee shop located in Souq Waqif, is popular among locals for its qahwa helw, loosely translated as sweet coffee, a mixture of coffee, orange zest, cardamom, cinnamon and saffron; the karak--strong tea with spices and full-cream milk--; and for its dama (checkers) tournaments. The Majlis Al Dama houses plenty of backgammon boards, so if you are looking for a caffeine fix, why settle for a boring Americano from one of the Western hotels, when you can have an authentic experience at Majlis Al Dama, a place where Qatari men gather daily to play the traditional game of dama, while you sip a traditional brew?"
Lagoona Mall
Shopping mall · Doha
"Mismatched chairs, 50s Flare, and a Perfect Brew Sugar and Spice, is a bakery, a coffee shop, and one of the quirkiest small bites places in Doha. It is located on the ground floor of the Lagoon Mall, adjacent to the iconic Zig-Zag Towers. Sugar and Spice is not only a sugar extravaganza of cakes, cookies, brownies, chocolate fondues, ice creams and syrups, but also the perfect place to have a cold drink or that perfect brew. The servers wear retro 50s style uniforms, Converse sneakers, and an upbeat attitude which combined with the mismatched chairs and “your home kitchen” decoration, give the place a funky, shabby-chic atmosphere. Sugar and Spice is known for its desserts but the variety of drinks is equally impressive: fresh and fizzy mocktails, hot drinks, frappes and iced teas, milkshakes, fresh juices, and a vast selection of coffees that range from espressos to Turkish to biscotti and butterscotch lattes, to three types of hot chocolate, and more."
Quick Bites
Restaurant · Doha
"Turkish Coffee and a Quick Bite Quick Bites, located on the lobby of the Marriott Hotel at the City Center Mall, is a great place for a healthy breakfast, a grab-and-go lunch, or a light dinner. It has a home-made ice cream counter with every flavor under the sun and mouth-watering baked goods. It serves a delicious Turkish coffee, a wide selection of Arabic breads straight out of their stone oven, small pizzas, and pastries filled with za’atar (a mixture of herbs, sesame seeds, dry sumac and salt). With free wifi, a selection of national and international newspapers, lots of natural light and a relaxed atmosphere, Quick Bites is the perfect place to have just that: a small bite."
Museum of Islamic Art
Art museum · Doha Port
"Coffee at the Most Impressive Atrium in the City Museum of Islamic Art Café, located in the atrium of the museum, overlooking the Doha Bay and skyline, combines French with Arabic cuisine in a limited, but superbly delectable, selection of homemade signature creations. The high-end menu, on a user-friendly iPad, includes a selection of foods created by Adam Ducasse, the famous chef preparing the food in the exclusive IDAM restaurant upstairs and a collection of teas and coffees, as well as mocktails. This mixture of Arab-French cuisine, the mind-blowing architecture of the museum, the view, the peaceful atmosphere of the atrium, make this café a mandatory stop after an afternoon at the museum or a stroll along the corniche."