Known as ‘the Green Zone’ for various reasons, the popular cry of Bahrain’s party people used to be – ‘Amwaj - well it’s very pretty but we can’t live there, there’s nothing to do’.

And for a long time they were correct, villas and apartment blocks sprung up at the speed of light but apart from Al Osra and the little 24-hour supermarket, which never actually seemed to be open, there really was nothing there.

Oh how things have changed is just 2 short years.

The Dragon Hotel opened in 2009 and started to attract visitors with its regular party nights such as the brilliant Café del Mar and Friday jazz brunches at its restaurant lounge Muju – which often move out onto the terrace.

And slowly but surely, the long-awaited outlets in the Lagoon began to open until now there are more than 25 up and running. From the Waitrose supermarket, much beloved of the British ex-pat community, to the MAZ business centre, salons, spas and a wealth of new restaurants, with several more due to come online in the coming months.

There are also festivals, markets, sports and a whole host of other things to do.

We bring you a round-up of what’s available in The Lagoon and around the islands.

The Lagoon

Restaurants
The Cave: Looks just like its name with Rainforest Café inspired décor, kind of Indiana Jones meets George of the Jungle. The food’s a mix of Asian fusion and Arabic with a chef brought in from one of Pakistan’s five-star hotels. It can seat up to 320 diners and aims to be a good value eatery. Visit after dark to get the full effect of the stone-age exterior.
Call 39606231.

Leewan Al-Khoor: Traditional Bahraini cuisine right on the water next to Waitrose. Opening hours are 12.30pm to 11pm and the venue can seat up to 120. Average price is around BD4.5 per person.
Call 16010666 or 33132437.

Burger Lounge: Burgers as fine dining? Not so sure about the concept but that’s what’s promised here with all Angus beef fashioned into creations such as the farmer burger, royal burger and, of course, the lounge burger. There’s also a wide selection of salads and appetizers. Burger Lounge seats 80 and is open from noon to midnight.
Call 77055772 or 39158592.

La Veranda Café: Much anticipated younger sister to the hugely popular Veranda in Adliya and due to open this month, the café will serve an a la carte menu blending traditional Eastern dishes with the latest trends from around the world in an inside/outside setting with Veranda’s traditional sheesha.
Call 16010099.

Houseboat: One of Time Out’s fave Amwaj eateries (just a shame it’s not a real houseboat, now that would be really something for The Lagoon). Offering enormous portions of Pan-Asian cuisine, with Thai a particular speciality, Houseboat has a great atmosphere with indoor seating and abundant outdoor space – ideal for the current cooler evenings.

The stir fries are a great favourite and this place seems to be building a loyal following with its trendy contemporary décor and friendly, knowledgeable staff.

Johnny Rockets: Family favourite, traditional American-style diner with yummy burgers, fries and chicken all served with a hint of the 1950s. Make sure you try the lemonade, it’s delish.
Call 16011199.

Mei n Yu Lounge: Cleverly named (pronounce it me and you), the menu is a la carte and has influences from Asia, Europe and America. You’ll see seafood tagliatelle next to crayfish thermidor and a great selection of grills, homemade burgers and Thai fish cakes.

The deserts are proper comfort food, we particularly like the banana fritters (echoes of long ago school dinners) and it’s, so far, the only lincensed venue in The Lagoon.
Call 16010160.

The Persian Room: Serves up a host of regionally-inspired cuisine including mezze, kebabs, rice dishes, stews and a range of fantastic desserts. On the last Thursday of the month, there is even a special ‘Taste of Persia’ night, where for just BD8++ per person you can sample a number of dishes from the menu.
Opening hours Sat-Wed noon-midnight, Thu-Fri noon-1.30am. Call 16010166.

Tea Club: With upwards of 500 different teas this place, which relocated from tiny premises in Exhibition Road, is a connoisseur’s delight and a great alternative to the hundreds, or possibly even thousands, of coffee shops dotted around Bahrain.

It has a real community feel, a place to read the paper, chat or just while away the hours and it was also recently the venue for a recycling event by a group of young Bahrainis.
Call 38887107.

Levante Café: Lebanese influenced but with international dishes and a big outdoor sheesha terrace.
Call 16030393.

Curry Tree: Traditional Indian cuisine plus sandwiches and café drinks. The Curry Tree can seat 30 and, with an average price of BD6, it’s good value in such great surroundings.
Find it upstairs at entrance 6.
Call 16030660/16030661/39268415.

Beirut Café & Restaurant: Upstairs from Levante offering traditional Lebanese food with a big outdoor terrace and sheesha.
Call 38329940 or 36060821.

Opening soon:

Papa John’s (pizza), Chillies (burgers, steaks etc), Whopper Bar (posh Burger King), Pizza Express, Noodle Factory, Al Forno (Italian), Sarai (Middle Eastern) and others still to be announced.

Other Lagoon outlets include:
ID Design - Swanky furnishings for Amwaj’s swanky homes – the Tuga Bakery – one of the first outlets to open and still a favourite for bread fresh from the oven and great pastries – Pink Diamond – sister to the Riffa outlet, selling designer clothing, accessories and all things sparkly – and Monica’s Chocolate Boutique, a chocoholic’s heaven.

Either already open or soon to launch are the Nail Bar, The Tailor Shop, Top Cut gents’ salon, Dinoura ladies’ spa, a pottery store and of course the ever-present Costa and Starbucks.