Food & Beverage

CAFÉ YOUNES: THE LEBANESE HOMEGROWN CONCEPT MAKING NOISE ON THE MIDDLE EAST’S COFFEE SCENE

PRET A MANGER OPENS ITS FIRST SHOP IN KUWAIT WITH FRANCHISE PARTNER ONE PM

The sensory coffee experience delivered by Café Younes, a Lebanese family-run business, has without a doubt contributed to its success in Egypt and UAE. Here, Amin Younes, the mastermind behind the renowned brand, shares some exciting news about the firm’s regional footprint and why Café Younes is the name on everyone’s lips.

You’ve recently opened a branch in El Gouna. Why did you set your sights on Egypt and what has been the market response?

Café Younes already began its regional expansion with Black Coffee by Café Younes in Dubai. Egypt was the natural choice after Dubai, as it is the most populated country in the Middle East, and our market search and discussions with our partners reaffirmed our belief that the specialty coffee scene there is growing both exponentially and rapidly. Egyptians have always been coffee lovers, but specialty coffee and the craftsmanship behind it are witnessing greater appreciation today, especially among the younger generations. Against this backdrop, with the inception of Daily Dose by Cafe Younes, we took a conscious decision to fill the biggest gap, which is in El Gouna; it has now become an all-year destination that caters to foreigners and locals alike.

Are you considering any additional franchises?

Café Younes has grown from one coffee roaster in Lebanon in 1935 to a brand with 13 locations in three countries. It is already attracting potential investors that are specifically choosing Café Younes for

A number of high-profile guests were present at the ribbon-cutting event, including: H.E. Belinda Lewis, the British Ambassador to Kuwait; Pano Christou, CEO of Pret A Manger; Eira Jarvis, managing director of Pret A Manger Asia; and Hamad Al-Sayer, Chairman of One PM Franchising. its heritage, premium coffee and unique atmosphere that blends authentic charm with a contemporary setting, while vividly bringing back the memory of old Beirut. Europe’s specialty coffee shop franchise market is becoming sizeable. Whether in Germany, France, Portugal, Greece, the UK, Netherlands or untapped regions brimming with possibilities, Café Younes is seriously looking to export its franchise, highly scalable and unique concept to enable coffee aficionados to experience something completely new. What can Café Younes’ clients in Lebanon and the UAE look forward to?

In Lebanon, we’ve recently launched our e-commerce platform, allowing customers the freedom to choose from more than 10 specialty coffees on three continents. The freshly roasted Costa Rica, Guatemala and Marjeiouni blends are a click away! As for our plans in the Emirates, building on the success of our Black Coffee by Café Younes flagship store on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai and ensuing strong brand loyalty, we have decided to open a second store in the heart of Dubai’s Media City. The opening is planned for December 2022. cafeyounes.com

British food and coffee giant Pret A Manger has partnered with Kuwait-based franchise group One PM Franchising to open a flagship shop in the heart of Kuwait City, at Al Hamra Tower. The launch marks a major milestone in the brand’s expansion in the Middle East. Christou stated: “We’re excited to be opening our first shop in Kuwait with our new franchise partner, One PM. We have ambitious plans to bring our freshly made food and organic coffee to more people across the world and we’re pleased to be growing Pret’s presence in the Middle East. We’re looking forward to working more closely with the One PM team, and we can’t wait for customers to visit our shops to try our high quality and great tasting food.” Pret Kuwait is set to build on Pret’s long-standing commitment to helping those in need and give back to the local community through the work of The Pret Foundation. The brand has partnered with Refood, the first non-profit company dedicated to reducing waste in Kuwait’s food and consumer goods sector, to donate unsold food to those in need and reduce food waste.

Kuwait’s opening is part of Pret’s ambitious plan to double the size of its business in the next five years. It follows recent international openings in Canada and Ireland, with further branches slated for India, Spain and Portugal. pret.co.uk

SADELLE’S OPENS AT MANSARD RIYADH

SALMONTINI LE BISTRO OPENS ITS DOORS AT DIFC, DUBAI

Mansard Riyadh has announced the opening of New York’s iconic restaurant Sadelle’s, which is owned by Major Food Group (MFG), the luxury hospitality company and creative force behind some of the world’s most celebrated restaurants.

The New York-inspired lifestyle concept is an ode to the city's tradition of all-day dining. Since opening its first location in the heart of SoHo in 2016, the brand has reached great heights thanks to its sophisticated atmosphere and award-winning menu, including bagels, sliced-to-order salmon, salads and triple-decker sandwiches. Among its many accolades, Sadelle’s was named an essential brunch destination by Harper’s BAZAAR and Cosmopolitan, and its sticky buns were ranked one of the Best Dishes of 2015 by the New York Times. Sadelle’s currently has branches in New York, Las Vegas, Miami, Paris and Dallas. Commenting on the opening, Firas Mneimneh, general manager of Mansard Riyadh, said: “I am delighted to welcome Sadelle’s, all the way from New York, to our exceptional hotel. I look forward to having our guests experience Sadelle’s signature dishes while overlooking Mansard Riyadh’s outstanding plaza.’’ sadelles.com/location/riyadh

Opened in November, Salmontini Le Bistro is the bistro version of the popular concept Salmontini Le Resto, which provides guests with a place to enjoy salmon, meat and sushi.

Launched 22 years ago in Downtown Beirut, the concept by Hussni Ajlani gained massive recognition, becoming the go-to restaurant for salmon, meat and sushi lovers. Similar to the Beirut branch, Salmontini Le Resto quickly became one of the most popular seafood restaurant chains in Dubai.

At Salmontini’s bistro edition, which is located in DIFC, guests can enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner, and savor succulent smoked salmon, eggs benedict, homemade lobster rolls and mouth-watering classics that have made Salmontini’s stellar reputation in a laid-back environment. Although salmon remains the signature dish at Salmontini Le Bistro, the restaurant offers a much wider variety of food and excels in seafood specialties, meticulously prepared meat dishes, fresh salads and sushi.

Ajlani said: “Salmontini is loved by customers and employees alike, who describe it as a one-of-a-kind restaurant thanks to its professional, high-quality service, amazing team and delicious offering. Salmontini Le Bistro is set to become a must for those seeking an all-day bistro-like food experience in DIFC. This project has been in my mind for quite some time, and I am ecstatic that it is finally becoming a reality.” salmontini.com

IN BRIEF

BEIT KANZ by Beit el Baraka debuts in Lebanon Beit Kanz, a Lebanese cultural hub featuring a local terroir shop, an artisanal boutique and a café-restaurant, has opened its doors on Sursock Street, Beirut, Lebanon.

The heritage building dates back more than a century and offers a visual feast of architectural styles-Lebanese, Ottoman and Art Deco-with exquisite woodwork and a splendid array of patterns and colors. instagram.com/kanz.beitelbaraka

Barbar opens in KSA Following the success of its UAE launch, Barbar has opened a branch in the KSA, bringing its authentic taste of Beirut to Taliyah Street. The Taliyah Street opening is part of the brand’s ambitious expansion plans, with a further three regional openings slated by the end of this year in Qatar’s new Place Vendome Mall and Al Sadd District, as well as New Cairo, Egypt. eatbarbar.com

Roadster Diner expands in the UAE Homegrown Lebanese concept Roadster Diner has opened its first branch in the UAE.

The new venue, located in Dubai Hills Mall, is the result of popular demand from the Lebanese diaspora, who crave the comfort food that has been served at Roadster Diner for over two decades.

Lebanese expats can finally visit their favorite casual diner, while UAE citizens can discover Roadster Diner’s fuss-free food. The menu includes BBQ buffalo chicken wings and strips, mozzarella sticks and potato dippers, as well as the diner’s signature burgers and sandwiches. roadsterdiner.com

Atelier House to open its second Mohalla restaurant in Saudi Arabia Dubai’s homegrown Indian street food concept has opened at Riyadh Front. Mohalla’s Riyadh Front venue will retain the aesthetic of the brand’s existing outlets while also featuring new, exciting design elements, promising to transport guests to the eclectic streets of India. The new outpost’s menu will offer many of the dishes from existing Mohalla restaurants, including signature crowd favorites such as Raj Kachori, Avocado Papdi Chaat, Tender Chicken Kebab and Rayalaseema Prawn Curry, with some new additions to surprise and delight returning diners. atelierhousehospitality.co