Café culture is big in Bahrain and for good reason. Among the best cafés in Bahrain are some beautiful bistros, cute-as-a-button bakeries and terraces made for watching the world go by.
Plus, with Time Out Market Bahrain now in town, you have even more fabulous options to enjoy your perfect cup and bite.
You’ll find delicious food, with most cafés offering an all-day menu as well as the traditional pastries, cakes and baked goods, and great coffee, tea and juices, too.
Our favourite thing about the best cafés in Bahrain? Most of them stay open super late, with midnight and 1am closing times not unusual.
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So that gives you even more opportunity to sample everything from breakfast to dinner, plus of course, countless cakes and sweet treats.
It’s time to embrace café culture (if you haven’t already).
Check out the best cafés in Bahrain…
Auro Chocolate Café
What’s a day out without a little chocolate? If you’re out and about looking for the best cafes in Bahrain, pay a visit to Auro and you’ll understand why this is an award-winning premium bean-to-bar chocolate brand. Everything on the menu is gluten-free and the chocolate they use is organic. Delicious coffees, pastries, and baking ingredients to take home? Sounds terrific.
Sat-Wed 8am-11pm, Thu-Fri 8am-11.30pm. Amwaj Island. bh.aurochocolate.com (3775 1513).
Azure Café
Some of the best cafés in Bahrain don’t require you to spend a fortune to enjoy their treats. Enter: Azure. Head here on Friday and Saturday to get a coffee and cake for BD3.5 plus a brilliant view of the sea – the perfect trio.
Open daily, 7am-11pm. Grand Swiss-Belhotel Waterfront, Seef District. @grandswissbelwaterfront (1717 7333).
Café Chantilly & Pâtisserie
Everything about Cafe Chantilly is pretty – as is the case at most of the best cafés in Bahrain. Its renowned for its elegant French pastries, and you’ll be hard pushed to go there and not snaffle one of these, but it also serves breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. The only problem is that whatever you order might just look too good to eat.
Unlicensed. Daily 7am-11pm. Al Markh. @chantilly_bh (1720 0071).
Café Lilou
One of the best cafés in Bahrain, step inside Café Lilou and find yourself transported to a traditional Parisian brasserie with a Middle Eastern twist. This haunt has long been a favourite among locals and tourists alike thanks to its cake and pastry selection, along with its fantastic coffee. Come for the delicious food, stay for the perfectly-Instagrammable interiors.
Unlicensed. Sat-Wed 8am-11.30pm; Thu-Fri, 8am-midnight. Road 3803, Adliya @cafelilou (1771 4440).
Cantine
Not every meal out needs to involve an indulgent, calorie-laden feast. Cantine focuses on nourishing meals with fresh ingredients, with options for all sorts of dietary requirements, all served up in a light, airy space.
The summer rolls with peanut sauce are a menu classic and there are plenty of sweet treats, too – making this one of the best cafés in Bahrain for a guilt-free treat. A new branch has just opened at The Courtyard Seef, meaning it’s even easier to try it.
Unlicensed. The Courtyard, Seef District (1769 5655) Al Liwan, Hamala (1769 5444) @cantinebh .
Chai Café
When on the hunt for the best cafés in Bahrain for traditional food, Chai café is the perfect place to stop off for a quick breakfast.
Head for the terrace, sit back and soak up the culture. Make sure you try out the freshly baked bread, you won’t regret it. It’s been around a long time and is still one of the best cafés in Bahrain.
Daily 8am-11pm. Ramli Mall, Daih. @chaibahrain (1756 4858).
Chaise Café & Art Gallery
Portions here are generous and most of the dishes have an Arabic twist, making Chaise one of the best cafés in Bahrain. It’s the fruit juices, fruit salads and homemade sodas that we keep going back for. You’ll get your five-a-day with one glug at Chaise Café & Art Gallery.
Unlicensed. Daily, 7am-1am. Bani Otbah Ave, 2508, Manama. @chaisecafe (1771 3533).
FURN Bistro & Bakery
This modern café bistro offers a full menu focused on Middle Eastern cuisine with a Western twist. The Arabic breakfast is a must-try and this is a great shout if you have kids – there are often special activities for them underway.
Unlicensed. The Westin Bahrain City Centre, Manama. furnbahrain.com (1717 1441).
Hopscotch
This family-run bakery and café prides itself on empowering female-led businesses, with coffee beans sourced from a woman-owned supplier and a mainly female team of baristas.
Choose from delightful baked goods, pastries and sandwiches, with literally everything on the menu set to make you salivate. If you’re a savoury fan, opt for the beef bacon, egg and cheese on a homemade pretzel bun and if you’re sweet-toothed, bite into the vanilla bean sponge with saffron mango & passion fruit jam. Or if you’re like us, just get both.
Unlicensed. Daily 7am-9pm. Saar, @hopscotch.bh (1769 1124).
Le Chocolat
Whatever meal you’re in the mood for, you’ll find it at this fancy French cafe and patisserie, which has eight locations across Bahrain. There’s baguettes and quiches a plenty, but also Neapolitan wood-fired pizza, pasta, sushi, delicious seafood, traditional Bahraini dishes and more.
For those with a sweet tooth, there are 30+ desserts to choose from, including a number of delicious-looking cakes, and it’s a great place to pick up a chocolate-y gift, too.
Hours vary, multiple locations. lechocolatbh.com (7738 3383).
Mockingbird
Unmissable, thanks to its fuschia pink door, inspired by local bougainvillea, Mockingbird is a cute café with the prettiest china and the most delicious sweet treats. A top spot for breakfast and brunch, and one of the best cafes in Bahrain.
Unlicensed. Daily 7am-11pm. Hala Plaza, Manama. @mockingbird_bh (1770 1454).
Nomad Urban Eatery
This two-storey cafe and restaurant is awash with greenery and modern, industrial charm. Nomad is a top shout for breakfast, lunch or dinner, but it’s the bagels, housemade butters (try the cornbread and marmite) and sweet pancakes (it’s a yes to the Eton mess) that we love. A real crowd-pleaser, the prices are decent and there are heaps of gluten-free dishes and fresh pressed juices too.
Unlicensed. Sun-Wed 8am-11pm, Thu-Sat, 8am-11.30pm. The Courtyard, Seef. nomadeatery.com (1700 0330).
Ohana
If we learned anything from Lilo & Stitch, it’s that ‘ohana’ means family – so if you’re looking for a brilliant time with family – drop by Ohana at the Cineplex. This friendly neighbourhood café is cosy and a terrific spot to hangout. They host various events and workshops that is perfect for a relaxed get together. Head here if you’re looking for the best cafes in Bahrain and give their Cookie Dough latte a try. Thank us later.
Sun-Wed 7am-8pm, Thu-Sat 7am-12am. Amwaj Island. @ohana_amwaj (1602 2022).
Time Out Market Bahrain
We definitely don’t go messing around when it comes to food and drinks, and at Time Out Market Bahrain, you’ll find the best of the city including one of the best cafés in Bahrain.
Goodness makes for the perfect stop especially if you’re a fan of all-day breakfasts and freshly baked goods. Head here for their third-wave speciality coffee, handcrafted sandwiches, flaky pastries, and more.
Sun-Wed 10am-10pm, Thu-Sat 10am-midnight. Hotels at City Centre Bahrain, Seef District. @timeoutmarketbahrain.
The Orangery
It may be billed as a ‘tearoom and patisserie’, but The Orangery offers far more than just one of the best cafes in Bahrain for a cuppa and a cake. You can have breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner and it’s a more refined setting than your average all-day dining cafe. Expect a fusion of European and Arabian flavours in the main dishes, and pastries that are as pretty as a picture. We’re rather partial to The Palmyard hotel location, but there are also branches at The Avenues Mall and Al Liwan Mall, in case those locations suit better.
Unlicensed. The Palmyard Hotel, Adliya, orangeryme.com (1736 9696).
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