A Café Community
ANKITA MAMGAIN The Kingdom is home to a thriving café culture that is both ubiquitous and versatile. Bahrain’s eateries boast a style and sophistication comparable with the best facilities available anywhere in the world.
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Cafés are an integral part of the Kingdom’s social culture, serving as a place to enjoy light bites, warm beverages, catch up with friends or just unwind after a long day. Although the modern prototype for cafés is strongly associated with France, the Middle East is where modern coffee consumption, as we know it, was born. It evolved sometime around the 14th Century after coffee was first discovered in Ethiopia. Since the first cup of brew was enjoyed more than
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600 years ago, coffee has been at the heart of Middle Eastern culture and is used as the standard welcome at hotels and homes. Although café culture has evolved over the years, the concept remains remarkably unchanged. In fact, some of the traditional ghahwas or coffee houses can still be found in the souq, with high wooden benches lined up outside in the narrow side lanes. The advent of Western café chains gave a boost to café culture and saw the growth of a number of international and homegrown across the island. Adliya and Juffair soon became the epicentre of coffee consumption. Al Bindaira Café is just one of the many quality establishments in Adliya, which include Don Vito Cafe, Chaise and Extrovert Café to name but a few. Veranda is one of the oldest venues with branches in Adliya, Amwaj and Adari Park. Hop across to Juffair’s American Alley and you can find international chains including Starbucks, Caribou, Costa Coffee, Columbus Café, Seattle’s Best Coffee and Dome Cafe. However, as the Kingdom develops, more and more venues are popping up from one end of Bahrain to the other. Riffa continues to add new venues at locations such as Enma Mall while Amwaj Lagoon is home to chic outlets like The Tea Club and Tche Tche Café. You can also take a breather at Le Bateau on Budaiya Highway or head to Esquires in Saar. If that doesn’t float your boat, Aroma Café in Seef Mall provides guests with a mix of great beverages, food and n inviting ambience. Some rather elaborate restaurants in Bahrain have adopted the café mantle, giving a casual edge to a fine dining setting. Some good examples include: the very chic Café Amsterdam, Engie’s Restaurant & Café, Lumee Street Café, Café Lilou and Paul’s Café & Restaurant. Meanwhile, places like Maya La Chocolaterie, Le Chocolat and Cake Boutique combine a dessert shop with a café, presenting something new. Whatever your preference, the Kingdom has it covered!
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