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Just over 15 years ago, I posted a review of a then-newly opened restaurant in the city called Little Ruby’s. The place had a very cozy interior, and I loved the food as well as the atmosphere. But Little Ruby’s has grown up, which is why they decided it was time to drop the “Little” from the name and refresh the menu. Little Ruby’s is now just Ruby’s.

The two things I always loved most at Ruby’s were their salads and sandwiches. Thankfully, my favorites are still on the menu, including the Bronte Burger, which now has a new name. Their Mango Chicken Salad and one of the best Philly Cheesesteaks in Kuwait are also still available. But the majority of the menu has been updated to fit the new, more mature Ruby’s.

Kuwaiti chef Khaled AlBaker (@chefkb) really elevated the menu, starting with the pastas, which are now all freshly made in house. He also introduced new appetizers like Cacio Pepe Fries, Steak Skewers, and Chimi Arrayes. The biggest changes are in the mains, with new items like the Soho Cut made with sliced tenderloin in porcini mushroom sauce, the Club Sandwich which I need to try, and a Parma Chicken I’m saving for a cheat day.

Even the kids now have their own dedicated menu, with options like Little Tenders and Sliders.

The new branding and menu have only been rolled out at their flagship location in Assima Mall. The remaining five locations will be revamped throughout the year. So if you want to try the new menu, the Assima location is open daily from 12PM to 11PM. @littlerubys

Kuwait Flour Mills & Bakeries opened their Kuwait Airport branch in Terminal 4 this morning. I had a friend flying out and managed to take some photos which he shared with me. It’s pretty smart that they’re selling their coffee and baked goods there, but also a bit odd that they’re selling dry pasta and flour?

Anyway, Kuwait Flour Mills ran into a bit of controversy with their affordable 750fils latte and 500fils Americanos and Espressos back in April. I’m pretty sure the coffee shops at T4 aren’t going to be too excited about them opening up next to them. @kfmkuwait

Thanks Zaydoun!

HBR, the locally created burger concept, just opened their first international location in London. I think this actually makes a lot of sense since I’ve always thought our burgers here were better than the ones I had in London (and other places). Now that I think about it, more of our burger concepts should be opening abroad.

HBR launched just five years ago with one goal: to serve good food and create a spot where customers can kick back and relax. Since then, they’ve grown to nine locations across Kuwait, with their first international branch now opening in the UK.

Not only that, but HBR is also taking the local dessert brand Bascota with them to London as part of the HBR menu. Bascota is known in Kuwait for their signature cookies topped with ice cream and their popular Lava Cookie Experience.

The grand opening was today, so if you’re in London or heading there this summer, make sure to pass by. @hbr.ldn @hbr.kwt

Pantera Furtiva is a Kuwaiti brand that was born from the owner’s (Yousef) fascination with minimalism and his appreciation for quality craftsmanship. The name, which means “stealthy panther” in Italian, captures Yousef’s style: quiet, powerful and built to last.

Yousef doesn’t believe in fast fashion, flashy logos or overpriced clothing made in sweatshops. He wanted to create pieces that last, are made ethically and can fit seamlessly into any wardrobe.

And his stuff is actually really cool, as evident from their first sneaker launch. Made from Grade A Italian leather and crafted by hand in Portugal, I think these sneakers look very clean and understated. They’re actually so my style, especially since the branding doesn’t stick out, but is still there if you look for it.

I also find it interesting how Yousef kept mentioning how important sustainability was to him and his team, and it’s also highlighted all over their website. Sustainability isn’t something that most of us have grown up with here and doesn’t play a major role in our lives, so to hear him talk about how crucial it is to his brand makes me want to start being more sustainable myself.

When it comes to the leather they use, Yousef makes sure to source it from a certified, environmentally conscious factory that avoids harmful dyes and mass production. Even the soles are made from recycled rubber, reducing the brand’s overall carbon footprint. Most of the packaging is also recycled, except for the thank-you card and bag, which Yousef plans to replace with recyclable versions soon.

If you’re traveling this summer, these shoes are the perfect pair to take with you since they go well with casual wear but also work if you want to go somewhere nice at night. They’re also 20% off right now, which makes them a pretty good deal.

If you want to find out more about the brand, head over to @panterafurtiva our head over to their website panterafurtiva.com

Pro tip: Women should go up one size when ordering, as the sizing runs small.

Back in February, the second phase of the waterfront project opened up. The second phase starts at the Swimming Pool Complex near SVN resort and ends at Green Island, while the first phase of the project starts at Green Island and ends just past the Kuwait Towers.

Since the full waterfront opened, I hadn’t ridden it from end to end. But this morning, I did go out for a ride and noticed a bunch of issues.

First, the good stuff. The bike path is amazing. It’s a massive difference from the path I used to ride. Back in 2020, I sold my mountain bike and got a road bike. I loved the bike but was kinda regretting not getting a mountain bike, since without any suspension and with skinny tires, it was a pretty rough ride in some areas. The new bike path, on the other hand, is super smooth, and my bike is perfect for it.

I think that’s the only good thing I have to say about it. But I do have a lot of negative opinions I want to vent about.

There is no shade. ANYWHERE. Like, nowhere at all. I used to park my car outside the Swimming Pool Complex parking. It was a shaded lot, but it’s not anymore. They removed all the shaded parking, so I now have to park further down at SVN where it’s shaded. Not that big of a deal, but I don’t understand the thinking process here. It’s as if the people who worked on the project have never been to Kuwait before.

Car shade aside, there isn’t any shade for humans either. They removed all the large trees, so no tree to stand under and catch your breath. Weirdly, they also removed all the shaded cubicles which people used to chill and BBQ under (at least in the second phase of the project). Why?

I rode my bike this morning from SVN to Green Island, and the only shade I found was the shaded pathway that takes you into Green Island. What do they have against shade? I don’t get it.

I wish they had cool-down areas along the way. Like a bit of shade and maybe a water fountain. I love that they’ve fixed up the waterfront, but I feel like the people who worked on it had never engaged with the waterfront before or have never been to Kuwait.

I remember when I first posted about the first phase completion, a lot of people complained about how the benches don’t have any back support. And I remembered that when I used to ride my bike, I used to see a lot of people chilling on the benches, talking to each other, maybe reading a book, or just staring into the horizon. You can’t do that anymore. It’s like they don’t want people to spend time at the waterfront, and there’s a term for this:

Hostile Architecture.

The architects of the new waterfront designed it in a way that purposefully changes the behavior of the previous “customers” (not sure thats the right word but you get what I mean). So for example, instead of providing comfortable seating for the people who used to spend hours sitting and reading, those people now have to find another place to sit due to the lack of comfortable benches. Instead of creating an area for summer runners and riders to cool down and take refuge from the sun, they designed it in a way that makes the waterfront hostile to summer daytime users.

I love the bike path and will continue to use it, but all I’m asking for is for a bit of shade (something like the photo above) and water fountains.

The 61st exhibition by the Palestinian Culture Center kicked off today, celebrating the heritage, resilience, and artistry of Palestinian women.

The center has been active in Kuwait since the early 1970s, and each year they host this exhibition to help keep Palestinian culture alive while supporting underprivileged women and children in refugee camps.

The exhibition features handmade embroidery, ceramics, traditional foods, and books for sale. Every item reflects the rich culture of Palestine and supports the women who continue to preserve it with care.

Date: Thursday, May 15 to Monday, May 19
Time: 10AM to 8PM
Location: Women’s Cultural and Social Society (Google Maps)

For more info, head to @palestiniancc

Starting today, it’s Puff Week! Puff Kuwait’s biggest sale of the year is here, just in time for summer. Beat the heat with ice-cold sips in colors that match your vibe.

The sale is live now on Boutiqaat, and starting tomorrow, you’ll also find it in-store at Assima Mall, Gate Mall, Marina Mall, and Kout Mall.

For more info, head to @trypuff.

A couple of weeks ago the Ministry of Interior announced that expats are now able to get a physical driving license printed for a KD 10 fee. A lot of people were asking what the process was, and thanks to the Reddit user InsecureInflux, there are now instructions. Here are the steps he took to get his physical driving license:

• Go to your respective Muroor.
• Visit the typing section and request a physical license.
• Provide your civil ID and license; they’ll type out a form for you (fee: KD 1).
• Take the form to one of the counters inside; they’ll give you a paper with your license details.
• Take both papers to the stamping officer; pay KD 10 for the stamp.
• Obtain the manager’s signature on the stamped papers.
• Submit the signed papers at one of the counters.
• Wait approximately 10–15 minutes to receive your printed license.

Ghazi Sultan (1941–2007) was a Kuwaiti architect and urban planner. He was regarded as one of the key figures in Kuwait’s modernization and is best known for the Gulf Road waterfront project, including Green Island. The project also included a number of smaller artificial islands along the coast with my favorite being Turtle Island (Google Maps).

Turtle Island is a small artificial island located behind the Italian restaurant Johnny Carino’s. It has a children’s play area featuring a giant fish structure in the middle, while the rest of the island is filled with large turtle sculptures.

Part of the Ghazi Sultan photography archive includes photos he took when the project was completed. Although the photos aren’t dated, I’d assume they were taken in the late 80s. The island looked so different back then compared to today!

First off, what happened to all the colors? The island used to be so much more vibrant — a bright orange frame structure, colorful toys, and the giant fish even had a crawl space for kids. Even the turtles that surround the island were painted olive green with brown accents. Today, the island feels monotone. The orange frame is now white, the fish lost its crawl space and just looks like a grey blob, and the colorful toys were swapped out for dark red ones that are now in bad shape. As for the turtles, they’re now just dull grey concrete color.

To find out more about Ghazi Sultan, visit ghazisultan.com or @ghazihamadsultan

A couple of weeks ago, Kuwait Flour Mills introduced coffee at some of their branches, and it’s been causing quite a bit of drama. Why? Because of the prices. KFM is selling espresso and Americano for 500 fils, and a latte for just 750 fils. That’s around half the price, or even less, compared to most coffee shops.

They aren’t skimping on quality either. KFM are using proper grinders (Eureka) and coffee machines (IBERITAL) to pull the shots, and their beans are from 48 East who also provided the training.

I passed by the Yarmouk branch this morning to see what the fuss was about, but the line was so long I decided to drive to their Fahad Al Ahmad branch instead. It also had a line, but a much shorter one. I tried both the hot and iced latte and although they weren’t better than the coffee I make at home, it definitely was better than most coffees in that price range.

Some coffee shop owners are upset about the pricing and have been voicing their frustration online. Since Kuwait Flour Mills is government-owned, they feel it’s unfair for them to sell coffee this cheap.

It costs me around 360 fils to make an espresso at home using beans from %Arabica, so it definitely costs coffee shops and KFM even less with wholesale pricing. So are coffee shops being greedy, or is KFM undercharging?

Personally, I think the hype might hurt some coffee shops for now, but eventually people will go back to buying coffee from their favorite (and usually most convenient) spots.

Scrolling through the Instagram account @kap.posters, you’d think you’ve stumbled upon retro blueprints from Kuwait’s golden era of architecture. But what you’re actually seeing is the creative work of Ahmed Safer, an architect and visual artist who creates digital posters of Kuwait’s architectural landmarks.

Kuwait’s modern architectural identity began to take shape in the aftermath of 1946, the year crude oil exports first took off. With newfound wealth, Kuwait became a melting pot of global influences. Western art, literature, technology, and architecture poured in. Brutalism and Modernism, the global architectural trends of the time, found a strong foothold here, and Kuwait embraced it. A wide spectrum of structures were constructed, everything from massive rigid buildings, to colorful and playful villas all reflected this new wave of architecture that defined the 50s through the 80s.

But now, a lot of those buildings are being demolished, and that entire era is disappearing.

KAP Posters is a visual archive, a growing collection of digital illustrations that pay tribute to Kuwait’s architectural gems. These aren’t just digital sketches though. Because Ahmed is an architect, he approaches each building with discipline, precision, and care. He told me he tries to be as accurate and original as possible with his illustrations. He doesn’t draw building extensions or alterations for example. His illustration of the National Council for Culture, Arts & Literature (NCCAL) building for example (above) took 12 days to complete because he had to replicate the exact same number of tiles on the building.

His whole process actually starts with a lot of research, scanning old books, digging through the internet, or photographing buildings in person, often with a drone. He then corrects distortions and stitches the reference images together in Photoshop. Only after that does he start tracing, layering, coloring, and adding subtle details.

KAP Posters isn’t just an art account, it’s turning into a time capsule. If you’re interested in Kuwait’s old architecture then check it out. @kap.posters

Ok this is an update to my 2024 post, “Everything that is closed in Kuwait Airways Terminal 4“. Here are the restaurants and coffee shops that are still operating as of March 2025:

• McDonalds
• Raising Cane’s
• Shake Shack

And that’s it. Everything else has closed down including Starbucks. On the bright side, Pret A Manger is opening up where the Shake Shack seating area used to be.

Go Greek Yogurt is an LA-based brand known for its authentic Greek yogurt, and they recently opened in Kuwait. They are a favorite among celebrities in LA, and you might have even seen paparazzi shots of your favorite star holding a cup of Go Greek Yogurt.

The local owner used to go there every day while studying in LA, which is what inspired her to bring the brand to Kuwait. They use actual Greek yogurt and not just regular yogurt. Most of their products are also imported from Greece and Europe, and their suppliers aren’t mass-market brands but family-run businesses from different Greek islands. So in terms of quality they’re really considered premium as opposed to other frozen yogurt places.

I passed by them recently to try them out so I could put together this post, and one thing I liked about them is that they don’t only carry frozen Greek yogurt, but also offer traditional classic Greek yogurt, and in different flavors.

I’m a huge Greek yogurt fan and tend to have it every morning at home with granola and berries. They had six different flavors, but I wanted to try their hazelnut-infused Greek yogurt and their honey Greek yogurt. Both were delicious, with the hazelnut one being something I’d have as a dessert after a meal, while the honey-infused yogurt would be the one I’d want to have for breakfast.

If you’re into the classic version like me, you can get it plain or topped with ingredients like honey, nuts, and fresh fruits. If you’re in the mood for something colder, their frozen Greek yogurt is a lighter alternative to ice cream but still rich and creamy. Also, if you opt to go with frozen, one cool thing they have is self-serve. You fill up the cup with as much frozen Greek yogurt you want then pay by weight.

They currently only have one location in Kuwait, located on the ground floor of Arraya Complex (Google Maps). They’re very focused on fresh ingredients and simple, wholesome flavors and I really liked their yogurt. If you want to check them out, head to @gogreekyogurt.kw

Here are some important Ramadan timings. If you have more to add, share them in the comments!

Banks: 10AM to 1:30PM (not including airport)
Government: 8:30AM ~ 10:30AM to 1:00PM ~ 3:00PM

360 Mall: 10AM to 4PM and 8:30PM to 1:30AM
Al Khiran Mall: 10AM to 4PM and 8:30PM to 1AM
Al Kout Mall: 10AM to 4PM and 8:30PM to 1:30AM
Avenues Mall: 10AM to 4PM and 7:30PM to 1:30AM
Boulevard: 10AM to 3PM and 8:00PM to 1:00AM
Marina Mall: 10AM to 4PM and 7:30PM to 1:30AM
Salhia Complex: 10:00AM to 4:00PM and 7:30PM to 1:30AM

Cinescape: 8:30PM
GrandCinemas: 8:00PM
Sky Cinemas: 8:00PM
VOX: 7:00PM

Al Shaheed Park: 5AM to 12AM
Abdullah Al-Salem Cultural Centre: 8PM to 11PM (Closed on Sundays)

Ace Hardware: 10:30AM to 12:00AM
IKEA: 10AM to 4PM and 8PM to 1:30AM
Lulu Hypermarket: 8AM to 3AM
Xcite: Open 24 hours in Al Rai, Fahaheel, and Hawally

Illustration by @windowsofuae

Season 2 of the Kuwait-based Netflix series The Exchange returns this Thursday, February 13.

‘The Exchange’ is based in Kuwait in the 80s and is inspired by true events. It follows two women who decide to work at the stock exchange, an industry dominated by men at that time. According to Netflix, Season 2 moves beyond the stock market as both main characters, Farida and Munira, face off in a battle to make their mark and claim their space as female bosses.

I really enjoyed the first season so I’m looking forward to binge watch the new season this weekend. A couple of years ago, I got invited by the The Exchange executive producer @Beyond305 to visit the set of the show and was really impressed, especially by the props, many of which you’d never notice on TV. You can check those photos and videos out by clicking here.

Speaking of Netflix, Mo Season 2 recently came out, and it’s really great, definitely worth watching if you haven’t already.