Souq Waqif

"A historic market in Doha offering spices, textiles, perfumes, home goods, and more, with a Persian restaurant Parisa famous for its stunning interiors."

"Souq Waqif is a century-old shopping landmark—an extreme rarity in this young city of designer boutiques and air-conditioned mega malls—that recalls a time when bedouins would trade spices, pearls, and food."

"Stay, Eat, Shop, Bargain at Souq Waqif Souq Waqif is one of the top tourist destinations in Doha and one of the most traditional markets in the region. A hundred years ago, this was the place where the Bedouins traded livestock, spices and general goods, but now, the old souq has been restored and the new one looks like a 19th-century Qatari market, with mud shops, exposed wooden beams, antique shops, modern art galleries, a wide variety of restaurants, and divan-like outdoor cafes to smoke shisha and drink chai-karak, the local tea. This is the perfect place to look for traditional Qatari clothing for men and women, spices, antiques, pearls, and oud--an incense as well as a perfume made from agarwood. The market is patrolled by the Heritage Police Officers who wear uniforms from the 1940s and ride regal Arabian horses. As any traditional market, bargaining is expected. Most of the shops in the souq close around 1pm and reopen at 4pm, but the many cafes and restaurants remain open all day."

"Authentic Qatari Food Shay Al Shoomoos, located in one corner of Souq Waqif, is a restaurant owned and actively run by Shams Al Qassabi, a Qatari mother of five. Shay Al Shoomoos’ specialty is Qatari food. Their menu includes hot plates of baid o tomate (eggs and tomato), baid shakshoka (scrambled eggs), aseeda (local porridge made from wheat or corn), khobiz regag (crepe-like bread), macboush (rice with chicken, lamb or goat, smeared with a tomato paste marinade, then crisped up in a hot oven), and balaleet (sweet egg omelet breakfast dish made with vermicelli, turmeric, and sugar), among others. This restaurant not only serves authentic Qatari food, it also serves as a symbol of women’s financial freedom in a country where they have traditionally played a domestic role. This distinction got a stamp of approval when Sheikha Moza visited the restaurant and its owner in 2014. Lining the restaurant’s walls are the pictures of numerous regional celebrities, Kuwaiti footballers, ministers, and food critics. It’s not a fancy place; instead Shay al Shoomoos is a gem of authentic Qatari food, in the most authentic place in Qatar: the beloved Souq Waqif."

"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?"