10 Best Qatari Foods and Where to Find Them in Doha

Saloona is a classic Arabic stew that's often cooked at home for family dinners. It's designed to be made with whatever you have on hand, but usually starts with beef, lamb or fish plus seasonal vegetables flavoured with garlic and ginger. It should be eaten with a generous helping of bread to soak up the broth.

Walima does a contemporary twist on this and other Qatari dishes at their gleaming, modern restaurant, which is decorated with light colours and Middle Eastern touches like coloured glass lamps. Their take on saloona is a rich and satisfying version, based on chicken and served with thin slices of lime.

Stuffed vine leaves are common to most Middle Eastern cuisines, but the Qatari ones are especially tasty. Warak enab usually contains minced beef or lamb and rice, seasoned with garlic, pepper and coriander. It's best to enjoy this Qatari dish with slices of fresh lemon.

Located in the courtyard of La Cigale Hotel, Shisha Garden makes you feel like you've escaped the hubbub of downtown Doha. The verdant greenery and soft waterfalls create a lovely, peaceful atmosphere. It's a great place for casual snacking on finger food like warak enab and enjoying a cup of coffee or a shisha.

Majboos is Qatar's national dish, making it a must-try when visiting Doha. It's usually made with either lamb or chicken and is slow-cooked to give it a depth of flavour. It's served on a bed of seasoned rice accompanied by salad and homemade tomato sauce.

You can eat this dish in practically any Qatari restaurant in Doha, but if you want to push the boat out a little, go for Al Manchab. This swanky restaurant serves a fragrantly seasoned Majboos that's slow-cooked to perfection and topped with rosemary. Cosy décor with well-cushioned benches and family portraits add real authenticity and make it feel like you're dining in a Qatari home.

Madrouba is a savoury rice porridge that can be eaten for any meal. It's cooked with milk, butter, cardamom and chicken (sometimes beans), then simmered for hours until it becomes mushy. Each place has its own unique recipe, but toppings often include cardamom ghee or fried onions.

The maze of courtyards and alleyways at Souq Al Wakrah is a great place to eat this traditional dish. Café Easir is housed in a cool clay building near the waterfront and serves up a range of Qatari snacks and delicacies, including a mouth-watering chicken madrouba.

Kousa mahshi are Middle Eastern courgettes stuffed with minced lamb and vegetables and seasoned with parsley and mint. You can also find many Doha restaurants serving chickpea versions for vegetarians. Dip them in tomato paste or yoghurt for the complete experience.

Dining at Al Shami Home Restaurant often results in a unique experience. It's decorated like a traditional Berber tent, with fabric hung from the ceiling and a marble fountain. The authentic kousa mahshi here are packed with flavour and come in generous portions.

A ubiquitous dessert in Qatar, luqaimat are sweet dumplings flavoured with cardamom and saffron, which are deep-fried and drenched with sugar syrup, a little bit like a doughnut. The ideal luqaimat is crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.

Chai Halib offers luqaimat in a staggering range of flavours, from the fairly traditional date to chocolatey Snickers ones. The café is modelled after a traditional Arabic tearoom and your luqaimat pairs well with a cup of strong Arabic coffee.

Umm Ali is a type of dessert most associated with Egypt, but Qatar does its own equally delicious version. It's similar to bread pudding, made with raisins, chopped nuts and sweetened milk and baked until brown and crispy on top, then sprinkled with cinnamon. It's probably one of the sweetest of Qatar's desserts.

Even though Karaki specialises in the sweet Karak tea it's named for, they're also making a name for themselves with desserts and pastries. The Umm Ali here is creamy and filling, with lots of dried fruit and a beautifully aromatic blend of spices.

Khanfaroosh are something in between a biscuit and a cake – discs of dough made with rosewater and saffron and deep-fried before being served with either a dusting of icing sugar or a drizzle of honey. The rosewater gives them a slightly floral fragrance and a delicate taste.

Hawn Café may have a small menu, but just about everything is done brilliantly. The khanfaroosh are no exception, as they're fried until crispy on the outside and then completely drenched in honey. Grab a seat by one of the café's high-arched windows, order a platter of this local snack with some mint tea, and watch the world go by.