Bahrain has one of the most interesting food scenes in the Gulf, shaped by pearl divers, sea traders and neighbours in Persia, India and Arabia. The island is small, so you can eat a traditional breakfast in an old coffee house, a seafood lunch near the coast and a modern tasting menu in the evening, all within a short taxi ride. This guide covers the dishes to try, the neighbourhoods to eat in and the practical points about opening times, Ramadan and alcohol.
The dishes to try
Machboos is the national comfort dish, a fragrant spiced rice cooked with chicken, lamb or fish, often with dried lime and tomato, and it appears in homes and restaurants across the island. Muhammar is a sweet rice dish flavoured with date syrup and often served with fish, a distinctly Bahraini combination. Look for grilled and fried fish from the Gulf, such as hammour and safi, and for harees, a slow-cooked wheat and meat porridge, which is especially popular during Ramadan. At the lighter end are fresh flatbreads, falafel, shawarma and mezze, plus date-based sweets everywhere.
Breakfast and coffee houses
Traditional breakfasts are hearty and sociable. Balaleet is a plate of sweet vermicelli topped with a savoury omelette, a combination that surprises first-timers but tends to win them over, and it is often served alongside bread, eggs, cheese and strong tea. The old coffee houses of Manama Souq serve sweet, milky tea, spiced coffee and snacks, and they are the best places to sit and watch the market. Cardamom, saffron and rosewater run through many drinks and desserts.
Halwa and sweets
Bahraini halwa is a glossy, jelly-like sweet made with starch, sugar, ghee and nuts, flavoured with cardamom, saffron or rosewater, and it is the island's most famous souvenir food. You can buy it in the souq in boxed assortments and try samples before choosing. Dates, dried fruit, nuts and pastries are also easy to find, and a box of halwa and dates makes a good gift. Eat small portions, because the flavours are rich.
Where to eat
The Manama Souq and the lanes around Bab Al Bahrain are best for street snacks, sweets and simple local meals, and a guided food tour is the easiest way to taste the highlights with a guide who knows the stalls. Adliya is the dining district, with independent restaurants, cafes and galleries packed into walkable streets, and many of Bahrain's international restaurants cluster there and in the hotel strips. The Gulf Hotel alone houses a large number of restaurants and bars, which makes it a handy base for food lovers. Muharraq and the old town have family-run places serving traditional dishes, and the waterfront at Bahrain Bay and the Diplomatic Area has smart hotel dining, including the Four Seasons' steakhouse.
Alcohol, Ramadan and etiquette
Bahrain is more relaxed than some of its neighbours, and alcohol is served in licensed venues, mainly in hotels and some restaurants, but it is not sold everywhere, so check with your hotel. During Ramadan, many restaurants close in the daytime and open after sunset for iftar, when large buffets are popular, and eating or drinking in public during fasting hours is discouraged. Opening hours change, so ask your hotel. Use your right hand when eating from shared dishes, accept a small cup of coffee when offered, and dress modestly in local restaurants.
A day of eating
A good day starts with balaleet or eggs and flatbread at a coffee house in the souq, followed by a mid-morning stop for tea and dates. For lunch, head to a family-run restaurant in Muharraq or the old town for machboos or grilled fish, then rest through the afternoon heat. Return to the souq at dusk for snacks and sweets, and finish with a late dinner in Adliya, where the restaurants stay busy well into the night. If you like to cook, ask a hotel concierge about cooking classes or home-dining experiences, which are growing in popularity.
Practical tips
Many restaurants close for a break in the afternoon and are busiest late in the evening, particularly from Thursday to Saturday, so book ahead for popular places. Weekends run Friday and Saturday. Cards are widely accepted, and tipping is appreciated where a service charge is not included. Tell the operator or restaurant about allergies or dietary needs, since vegetarian options are widely available but are not always labelled.
