Category: Food & Drinks

Joe & The Juice is opening a new spot at Al Shaheed Park tomorrow (Tuesday, October 7). It’s right by the big lake in Phase 2 and feels like the perfect stop for a juice or a light meal if you’re walking around the park, out for a jog, or just hanging out with family or friends.

I passed by earlier today around sunset and the place looked great, with warm light coming in through the large glass windows designed to connect the indoors with the surrounding greenery. The interior seating is cozy, but since it’s in the park there’s also plenty of outdoor seating. You can sit overlooking the lake or catch the sunset from the other side.

The new location will be open daily from 5AM to midnight, making it perfect for early morning joggers. To stay up to date on their new menu items or locations, head over to @joeandthejuicekuwait

I usually post about brands and their products, but this one’s a bit different since it’s about the company behind the brands. You’ve probably never heard of SocialEats, but you’ve definitely heard of their concepts. SocialEats is a creative hospitality group that started in Kuwait in 2016 with its first brand, Chocomelt, and has since grown to multiple brands and over 30 branches across the GCC. Some of their brands include:

Chocomelt
A flagship dessert spot that’s been serving handcrafted creations for over 10 years across the GCC.

Chutney & Co
An Indian tapas concept bringing elevated Indian cuisine to Kuwait and soon Qatar.

B.Social
A creativity-driven brand for custom cakes and desserts made for every kind of celebration (including allergen-free).

The Neighbourhood
A nostalgic space built around good vibes and balanced food, and home to their award-winning matcha.

MoG
A specialty coffee concept known for its signature menu and attention to detail in every cup.

From Kuwait to the world, SocialEats is growing fast and going global with plans to expand beyond the GCC into the UK, Turkey, India, and Iraq. What started as a shared passion for hospitality has turned into a diverse portfolio of brands, from award-winning desserts and elevated Indian cuisine to specialty coffee and custom cakes. Check them out socialeats.com

Back in 2019, a small Bhutanese spot called Momo Zaa opened in Salmiya and quickly became popular for their delicious momos (steamed dumplings). Sadly, the pandemic hit the following year and they ended up closing. The good news is they’re now back, this time with a new name and a new location.

Lepo & Lemo opened this past August in a new location in Salmiya. I actually prefer this new location because it’s walking distance from my place, like literally a 10 minute walk which is great. The restaurant is small but cute, with a good amount of seating for the space, including some seating outdoors.

We were a total of three so we ordered a bunch of things to try:

Crispy Chili Potato KD 1.850
Veg Juma (Vegetarian Sausage) KD 1.850
Chicken Momo (Dumpling) KD 1.850
Beef Momo (Dumpling) KD 1.950
Kewa Datshi (Potato Chili Cheese Stew) KD 1.750
Norsha Pat (Stir-fried beef) KD 2.650
Steamed Rice KD 0.750
L&L Signature Fried Ice Cream KD 2.650

For some reason my food photography skills seem to get worse with age, but trust me, everything looked great and tasted even better. Like, unexpectedly delicious. It’s been a while since I last had their food, so I’d forgotten how good it was. Everything was full of flavor and by the end I couldn’t decide what I liked most. The sausage I think really surprised me with how good it was, but I’d say the beef dumplings were my favorite dish. The cheese stew was my least favorite but even that wasn’t bad, it’s just everything else was much better.

I try not to post about food unless it’s something special, and L&L is definitely special. Even if you’ve never had Bhutanese food before, their dishes feel approachable and not at all intimidating. They had some unusual items like noodles with laban, which I’m saving for my next visit, but the dishes I mentioned above are all pretty beginner friendly.

We were three people and the bill came out to KD 13.650. They gave us the dessert on the house.

If you want to check them out, Lepo & Lemo open from 3PM to 11:30PM and are located in Salmiya right behind the 4th Ring Road fire station (Google Maps). They’re also on Instagram @lepo.lemo

Deliveroo just did something pretty cool and fun. They took four of Kuwait’s favorite chefs and sent them abroad to cook, learn and trade recipes with some of the world’s top chefs.

The Kuwaiti chefs that took part in this program were:

Faisal Al Nashmi (Table Otto, San Ristorante, and more)
Ghalia Hayat (Oh G!)
Khaled AlBaker (Little Ruby’s, Young Po, and more)
Sawsan Daana (Matbakhi by Sawsan)

The idea? Bring back the secrets behind viral global dishes while sharing Kuwait’s own flavors with the world. They sent Faisal to Rome, Ghalia to London, Khaled to Seoul and Sawsan to Athens. Think of it as a culinary exchange program and going by the videos Deliveroo have been publishing, it looked pretty fun.

The chefs are now back in Kuwait and they’re each working on creating a dish based on their experience abroad. These 4 new dishes are going to be exclusive to Deliveroo, so you won’t find them anywhere else. To find out when they drop, make sure you are following @deliveroo_kw

Frankie’s was one of my favorite breakfast spots in the city before they went on hiatus 3 years ago. Now they’re back after finding a new home in Cantina. Previously, Frankie’s would pop up in the mornings at Little Ruby’s, and now they’ll be popping up at Cantina in the mornings.

Some of the original signatures will still be on the menu, like their French toast and breakfast tacos, but I’m looking forward to the new items specially the Steak & Eggs which look amazing in the photo. Chef Basmah also mentioned the new menu will feature Palestinian za’atar and family heirloom recipes.

If you’re looking for a new breakfast spot to try, Frankie’s will be serving breakfast from 8AM to 12PM starting this Friday and Saturday. @cantina_kw

It’s been a few months since Jar’s, the pizza spot, opened and today marks the start of their next chapter.

I’ve posted about the owner of Jar’s, Abdullah AlJarallah twice so far (here and here). Initially when he was making and delivering pizzas out of a commercial kitchen as a side hobby, and then again when he eventually opened his spot in Hawalli. It was a small cozy hole-in-the-wall that just made pizzas and had a set menu. Now Jar’s is expanding with more seating, a larger menu and they’re making a few other changes as well.

In addition to pizzas, Jar’s is now introducing two highly requested items, steaks and pastas. With these new additions, they’re moving away from the set menu, so you can now order freely without limitations. Like with their pizzas, they’re using top quality ingredients and making as much as possible in house. So fresh tomatoes, and plenty of good aged cheeses. All your favorite pizzas are still there as well.

The second biggest change is the addition of more chairs and tables. Jar’s outgrew the small space, so what used to be indoor seating is now a larger kitchen with a small gourmet merch section, while a new seating area was built outside. With the addition of more seating, you no longer need a reservation, you can just walk in.

Since I’ve been posting about Abdullah and his pizzas from the very start, it feels like I’ve become his official documentarian along the way, and it’s been fun watching Jar’s grow. Swipe left to check out some photos of the new items and then make sure you head over to his Instagram account @atjars

I’m a fan of Jimmy’s smashburgers, but I was never into their old location. It reminded me too much of Supernova’s interior in London and it was also tiny. Their new spot, on the other hand, is hot.

Jimmy’s just opened a much larger branch in Shuwaikh and it was designed by TWENTYONE Architects. TWENTYONE gave the brand a completely new look that is an elevated take on the American diner. The heart of the space is the open bar where you can watch them smash and cook the burgers for you. Part of the reason for the open bar is also for the sounds and smells, they want the customers to hear the sound of the grill and smell the meat as part of the experience

I love the checkered flooring and the warm walnut wood, and I think the space finally matches the quality of their burgers. If you want to check out more photos of the interior, click here.

Photos were taken by Sarah Jamaan.

The Chinese food delivery service Keeta launches in Kuwait today, taking on Talabat, Deliveroo, Jahez, and Cari.

Keeta is the overseas brand of the Chinese company Meituan, the world’s largest food delivery platform. They launched in Saudi Arabia last year and it took them just four months to become the third-largest food delivery platform there. So I’m very curious to see how they’ll perform locally.

At launch, they’re offering a discount on your first order plus free delivery. After that, you’ll continue to get free delivery on all orders of KD3 or more (with no subscription needed). @kw.keeta

If you’re looking for something different to add to your Friday rituals, Altitude Roasters have a weekly event dedicated to crafted cocktails.

Altitude Roasters started out as a roastery back in 2020, and one of the things that set them apart from much of the local coffee market was their approach to roasting. They leaned toward lighter profiles at a time when that wasn’t common in Kuwait, and that quickly became their signature. They carried that same approach over to their coffee shop when they eventually opened it last year.

Their coffee shop is one I’ve been meaning to feature under my design highlights. It was designed in collaboration with the local creative Studio Nesef and has a retro-futurist, 70s-inspired aesthetic. That 70s vibe is also what inspired their Cocktail Fridays.

Cocktail Fridays is their way of creating and introducing new altered coffee drinks. The menu changes slightly week to week, but three of their most popular drinks are The Marlon, The Jetson, and The Ron.

The Marlon: a refreshing sparkly coffee cocktail with mixed berries and cold brewed coffee.

The Jetson: a seasonal latte made with a Kuwaiti farm produce infusion.

The Ron: a deep burgundy shot of espresso paired with the juice of the best red grapes.

If you’re into experimenting with coffee or just want something new to do on a Friday, Cocktail Fridays at Altitude are worth checking out. They’re located in LOT 90 in Shuwaikh and are open 7AM to 10PM on weekdays, and 9AM to 10PM on weekends. @altituderoasterscafe

The team behind the popular fried chicken brand BEAK just opened their second concept, a sliders brand called Anji.

Like with BEAK, they’ve kept the focus on sourcing the best ingredients. But, what also makes them stand out is that they’ve perfected the beef-to-bun ratio, so you get the experience of a full-size burger in slider form. And if you like your burgers meaty, you can stack up to four patties in your slider.

Anji’s branding looks pretty cool and so does the store which has indoor seating. Their first location is in Kaifan, right outside the Kuwait Sporting Club. They’re not on any delivery platform yet, just pick-up and dine-in. Check them out @anjisliders.

One of the best things about having so much competition now in food delivery is that everyone is upping their game. Talabat I realized have been adding a lot of new features recently and the latest one is for their Pro customers and is called “On-Time Guarantee”. If your order is delayed more than 15 minutes beyond the estimated time, then you’ll be eligible for a compensation from Talabat:

15 Minutes Late = KD 1 voucher
30 Minutes Late = KD 1.5 voucher
45 Minutes Late = KD 2 voucher
60 Minutes Late = KD 2.5 voucher

On more than one occasion when an order of mine has been late I’ve had to completely cancel it. Not because I’m trying to be a dick or anything but sometimes I have to be somewhere and if the food is delayed I’ll have to leave the house. I’m talking like estimated delivery time of 20-30 minutes and an hour later still not getting my food. In those situations Talabat have canceled my ordered and refunded me the full amount, so I’m hoping that won’t change now that they’ve introduced this compensation fee.

According to a reliable source, Spinneys, the popular supermarket chain, might be coming to Kuwait and partnering up with Alshaya.

Spinneys is considered a premium supermarket and is popular in the UAE and Lebanon, with locations also in Egypt, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. In the UAE, Spinneys also operates the Waitrose brand.

This isn’t the first time Alshaya has been in talks to partner with a supermarket chain. Back in 2011, they were reportedly in talks with Tesco before that deal fell through. At the time, I was told Alshaya was looking to replace Carrefour in The Avenues with their own supermarket concept. I have no idea if that’s still the case, but I’d imagine that would be the most likely scenario.

I don’t usually post about new coffee shops but this one opened in my neighborhood so figured I’d give it a shout out. Cuppa Joe just opened today and although it’s fairly small, it still has quite a lot of seating and a cool minimal interior that gives off a bit of a Scandinavian vibe. The owner Abdullah mentioned he was going for an American coffeehouse look with subtle Asian aesthetics but I just felt it leaned more towards Scandinavian.

Whatever the intention, the space feels relaxed and easygoing, which is exactly the vibe he was aiming for. He wants it to be a neighborhood hangout where friends can meet up or people can get work done while having a coffee.

If you want to check it out, it’s located in Ras Al-Ard, Salmiya (google maps), behind Asnan Tower and the other chill coffee spot Sluggish. They’re currently open from 5PM to 11PM since the owner has a day job, but those hours might change later so check their Instagram before heading there. @cuppajoe.kw

The popular London burger spot Supernova is coming to Kuwait. Supernova is part of BVC Hospitality, the same group behind other hit brands like CRÈME, NAC and Barnaby (my favorite).

Supernova is being brought to Kuwait by Gulf Food Enterprises Co., the same company bringing NAC, which will be opening in the Hessah District. The first Supernova location is set to open at Tilal Complex around September or October.

I tried Supernova in London last March, back when it was all over TikTok. I think I waited around 45 minutes in line? Back then it felt like I had stepped into real life TikTok since I had watched so many videos of it before. It felt weird being there in person, like I was inside TikTok. The burger was a good smashed burger, but not really worth waiting in line for. It would be a good no-frills, get your burger and leave kind of spot.

Supernova Kuwait isn’t the first Supernova outside of London, they recently opened in Bahrain.

via Dahan Fitout

Between Kuwait Towers and JŌN on the Gulf Road are three abandoned restaurants that have been sitting empty for years (Google Maps). They’re clustered together in an area that was called “Dhiafa Village.” Back in 2008, three restaurants opened there: Trader Vic’s, Letter D’amour, and Don Mario’s. I always thought the area had a lot of potential, and it looks like it’s finally going to be put to good use.

Dhow Hospitality won the bid for the location and will be opening three major concepts there:

La Petite Maison
3Fils
Matbakhi by Sawsan

LPM is a high-end French Mediterranean restaurant that most people are already familiar with. 3Fils is a Japanese concept that started in the UAE and was recently voted the No. 1 restaurant in the MENA region. Finally, Matbakhi is a local concept by chef @sawsansmatbakhi and is my favorite (and a favorite for many others) when it comes to authentic Palestinian food.

The new name for the village will be “Peninsula,” which makes sense since the property stretches into the sea and is surrounded by water on three sides. I saw renderings of the area and can confidently say there’s nothing else like it in Kuwait right now. The three concepts will have both indoor and outdoor seating, and together should create a very cool vibe.

LPM will take over the first building on the left, Matbakhi the second one on the right, and 3Fils will occupy the third building, which is the closest to the sea.

Construction on the project will start this summer, with openings expected by the end of the year.