Shopping in Qatar WINTER 2022/23 WHERE TO SHOP MAP OF SOUQ WAQIF SHOPPING IN QATAR FEATURES: A BRIEF HISTORY OF SHOPPING IN QATAR HOMEGROWN PRODUCE NO MORE SINGLE-USE PLASTIC BAGS! 85 ISSUE
20
Barwa Family Housing, Madinatna
Giardino, The Pearl Island
Lulu Mall
Shopping Shopping Telephone numbers and location details for some of the most popular retail outlets Where to Shop • Malls • Mall Listings including Department Stores and Shops • Al Furjan Markets • The Central Markets • Barwa Village • The Pearl Island • Souqs • Gold Souq Shopping in Qatar Finding your way around the souqs has never been easier Map of Souq Area Feature – A Brief History of Shopping in Qatar Malls, malls and more malls. A new one opens every few months. But what was Qatar like before all the malls? Where did people shop? marhaba.qa PRINT and ONLINE © MARHABA WINTER 2022/23 The information contained in this guide has been checked and verified as correct as at
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Doha Festival City Landmark Mall Mall Of Qatar Villaggio Mall
A 1 B C D E 2 3 Salwa Rd Bridge 55 55 55 56 56 38 52 52 37 36 53 53 53 53 54 54 54 35 34 70 70 70 70 30 31 67 33 32 51 51 51 51 68 68 5 2 1 6 4 3 Al Waab City Medical QNA GAC Traffic Dept HQ Hyatt Plaza KidsZania Villaggio Qatar Veterinary Centre Royal Vet Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium (Al Sadd Club) Garvey’s Al Rayyan Security Dept Racing & Equestrian Club Al Rayyan Traffic Police Awqaf Zakat Fund Al Maamoura Traffic Police Jarir Bookstore Food Centres Ansar Gallery Wathnan Mall Royal Hall Al Rayyan Municipality Academy Aspetar Aspire Park Al Aziziyah Boutique Hotel LuLu Al Gharrafa Sports Club Qatar Veterinary Centre Park View Pet Centre Dahl Al Hamam Family Park Doha Shooting Club Qatar Guest Centre FAHES Abdullah Bin Khalifa Stadium (Al Duhail Sports Club) Doha Festival City Duhail Water Pumping Station IKEA Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute (QEERI) QSTP Car Park Gate 2 AmiriGuard Celebration Hall Mall of Qatar Al Wajba QNCC Gate 5 / Chef’s Garden Aspire Zone Al Rayyan MoI Immigration Department Directorate of Passports Al Gharrafa Park Rayyan 2022 Alfardan Gardens 4 Ain Khaled Gate Al Sulaiti Tebah Gardens Aziziya Beverly Hills Beverly Hills Gardens Messila Beverly Hills Al Rayyan Riviera Gardens Jelaiah Complex Education City Community Housing 1 2 Alfardan Gardens 2 NBK Mercedes Hyundai Auto Class MG / Maxus Mitsubishi Porsche Quick Service Dukhan Zekreet Al Sheehaniya Sheikh Faisal Museum Al Shamal Al Ruwais Ras Laffan Al Zubara Al Khor Umm Garn Umm Slal Ras Laffan Al Shamal Al Zubara Al Khor Al Shamal Rd Lusail Al Mazrooah Al Shamal Rd Al Khor Semaisma Lusail Int’l Circuit Omar Bin Al Khattab Qatar Nat’l Library EC Golf Club Mathaf Al Shaqab Education City College of Islamic Studies Education City Mosque Oxygen Park CGIS QATAR Map of Greater Doha prepared in cooperation with Hotel Shopping Mall Cultural Landmarks Government Office Housing Complex Auto Dealer Health Centre Legend Hospital Bookstore Sports Stadium School, College, Club Club Restaurant Road Interchange Mosque Religious Complex Petrol Station Veterinary Clinic Sub-station Non-stop Expressway Cycling/Jogging Track EducationCity (EC) 1. Academic Bridge Program (ABP) 2. Al Shaqab 3. Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar (CMU-Q) 4. Ceremonial Court 5. Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) 6. Education City Golf Club 7. Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) 8. Education City Mosque 9. Multaqa (Student Center) 10. Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q) 11. Oxygen Park 12. Qatar Academy Doha (Primary School) 13. Qatar Foundation Headquarters 14. Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC) 15. Qatar National Library (QNL) 16. Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP) 17. Sidra Medicine 18. Texas A&M University at Qatar (TAMUQ) 19. Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUarts Qatar) 20. Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q) 21. Academyati Al Aziziyah
Al Messila Al Rayyan Al Qadeem Al Shaqab Qatar National Library Education City Al Sudan Sport City Qatar University Lusail Al Waab Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium Lusail Stadium Al Bayt Stadium Al Bayt Stadium is in Al Khor City, 30 km to the north on Al Khor Road 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum Education City Stadium Khalifa International Stadium AlMajdRoad 2 AlTarfaStreet Lusail Al Khor Road Jeliah St Al Khafji St Al Markhiya St Khalifa St Omar Bin Al Khattab St Al Jaz ra Al Arabiya St J a s i m B i n H am a d S t Al Rayyan Road DohaExpressway Wholesale MarketSt mU m AlMearadSt SalwaRoad Ain KhaledSt KhaledBinAhmedSt AlAziziyaSt A s pire ZoneSt/S portsCityRd Al Sidr St AlWaabSt SabahAlAhmadCorrid o r UmmLekhbaI/C –HIA AlAmirSt Al Rayyan Al Jadeed St AlRayyanAlAteekStHuwarSt AlMadeena St 22 Feb St Makkah St Makkah St Al Luqta St Thani Bin Jassim St A l G harrafa St AlDuhailSt Zekreet S t AlIzghawaSt AlGhezlaniyaSt ZekreetSt Al Shamal Road Al Rufaa Street Ghaffafa A l Rayyan St AlTerhabSt AlLuqtaSt Al WajbaSt Al Shafi St A Q alah S t Al Wajba St AlFurousiyaSt Rasheeda St Al Salam St Al KhufousSt Sedaira St AlSailiyaRoad Al Furousiya St Dukhan Road Al Ghaf HazmAlM Jasi m Bi n Hamad S t (S treet 245 was Arab L e a g u e S t ) Al Majd Road J e r yan N e j a m a S t e e Jeryan Nejaima Street JassimBinAliSt Bangladesh Qatar Scientific Club Dreama ASD AIA Step by Step CESK British Council Study Plus Debakey DESS English Modern School University Foundation College Philippine School of Doha Little Academy Edison Starfish Lane Kids Elder Tree KG Compass French Nursery Swiss International Compass ACS Int’l School Edison Qatar Canadian School University of Doha for Science and Technology Starfish Lane Kids 2 Qatar Finland Int’l School Newton The International School of London in Qatar ACS Gulf English School Driving School Appletree Nursery University of Calgary Belgravia Lycee Voltaire Newton Doha Academy Al Waab Campus Summit Academy Doha British Elder Tree Nursery Edison Sherborne Japan School Compass Compass Newton Doha College Al Wajba KhaledBinAhmed Al AlRayyan AlGharrafa Duhail UmmLekhba AlJahhaniyaI/C Izghawa AlKharaitiyat Al Meera Al Mall 01 Mall Dar Al Salam Mall Lulu North Gate Gulf Mall Landmark Mall Ezdan Mall Tawar Mall J Mall Souq Al Ali Doha Metro Network All trains connect at Msheireb Station Green line Al Riffa Mall of Qatar - Al Mansoura Red line Lusail QNB - HIA T1 - Al Wakra Metro Stations Gold line Al Aziziyah - Ras Bu Abboud ORANGE LINE LUSAIL Legtaifiya to Energy City South Madinat Khalifa Abu Bakir Siddique Mesaimeer Vaccination Unit AlRayyan Hotel Ezdan Palace Imperial Suites Premier Inn Doha Education City Hotel Torch Al Messila Resort & Spa THE ZONES OF DOHA (zones comprise one or more districts, some of which are listed below) Full details of Qatar s districts and zones at gisqatar.org.qa 1 Al Jasra 2 Al Bidda 3 Mohd Bin Jasim 4 Mushaireb 5 Barahat Al Jufairi 6 Old Al Ghanim 7 Al Souq 10 Wadi Al Sail 11 Arumaila, Armeilla 12 Al Bidda 14 Abdul Aziz 15 Al Doha Al Jadeeda 16 Old Al Ghanim 17 Sharg Zone/ Al Hitmi/Al Rufaa 18 Sharg Zone/Slata 19 Doha Port 20 Wadi Al Sail 21 Al Rumeila, Armeilla 22 Bin Mahmoud 23 Bin Mahmoud 24 Rawdat Al Khail 25 Al Mansoura/ Bin Derhem 26 Najma 27 Umm Ghuwailina 28 Sharg Zone/ Al Khulaifat 29 Ras Bu Abboud 30 Duhail 31 Umm Lekhba 32 Madinat Khalifa (N) 33 Al Markhiya 34 Madinat Khalifa (S) 35 Kulaib 36 Al Messila 37 New Al Hitmi/ Bin Omran Hamad Medical City 38 Al Sadd 39 Al Nasr/Al Sadd Al Mirqab Al Jadeed 40 New Slata 41 Nuaija 42 Al Hilal 43 Al Maamoura, Nuaija 44 Nuaija 45 Old Airport 46 Mesaimeer/ Al Thumama 47 Al Thumama 48 Doha Int'l Airport 49 Hamad Int'l Airport/ Banana Island 51 Al Gharrafa/ Bani Hajer 52 Al Luqta/Lebday Old Al Rayyan/ Al Shaqab 53 New Al Rayyan Muaither, Al Wajba 54 Al Soudan, Mehairja, Muraikh, Luaib, Baaya 55 Al Soudan, Al Waab 56 Bu Hamour, Mesaimeer, Ain Khaled 57 Industrial Area 60 Al Dafna 61 Al Dafna, Al Gassar 62 Lekhwair 63 Onaiza 64 Lejbailat 65 Onaiza 66 Legtaifiya, Onaiza 67 Hazm Al Markhiya 68 Jelaiah, Al Tarfa 69 Al Egla 70 Wadi Al Banat, Al Ebb Rawdat Al Hamama Al Gharrafa Park See more details of the area in our map of INDUSTRIAL AREA See our map of the area north of Doha MAP of AL KHOR
Al Riffa - Mall of Qatar
A B C D E 4 5 OldAirportStreet 56 48 49 41 42 43 40 39 37 69 66 65 64 33 63 61 62 60 66 20 1 3 13 14 15 16 17 27 26 25 24 22 23 6 7 4 5 44 46 45 45 47 47 2 10 11 12 61 Ras Bufontas Qatar Free Zone Qatar Free Zone Fox Hills North Beverly Hills Lusail Crescent Park Fox Hills South Place Vendome WOQOD WOQOD WOQOD Marina District QIPCO QT MOCI Doha Heliport Imam Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahhab Al Mourjan Cruise Ship Terminal Museum of Islamic Art Doha Port Viva Bahriya Oyster Diplomatic Club Marsa Katara Porto Arabia Medical City Lusail City Island Island Qatari Diar Katara Hospitality Katara Legtaifiya Lagoon Doha Golf Club Ooredoo Hotel Park Tornado Tower Alfardan Tower Barzan Financial Square Al Jabor Vision Marhaba Jarir Cafe Batteel QNA Al Bidda Park Amiri Diwan MIA Park Souq Waqif Qatar Sports Club Honda Civil Defence MoI HQ QBS QTV Khalifa Tennis & Squash Complex Qatar National Theatre Qatar Post Sub-station Commercial Avenue Meteorology Drainage Dept Qatar Red Crescent Kahramaa Awareness Park Kahramaa QDC Mesaimeer Services Indian Cultural Centre Tank Farm Immigration Regency Halls Ministry of Education Al Jazeera Qatar Centre Hamad Ambulance Fire Station Rumailah NCCCR Heart Vet Surgery Capital Police Concourse C D A B E Gulf Warehousing Gulf Times Arrayah ME & HE Airport Al Ahli Sports Club Darwish Travel CAA Al Arabi Club Rawdat Al Khail Park Al Emadi Hospital DOHA HOP-OFF BUS SIGHTSEEING ROUTE stops at MarriottHotel SharqVillage&Spa Fisherman’sWharf MuseumofIslamicArt TheCorniche OrrieOryx CityCenter-Doha HotelPark HiltonHotel InterContinentalHotel Katara ThePearl-Qatar LagoonaMall AlBiddaPark SouqWaqif NationalMuseumofQatar GrandMosque QNCC AlShaqab MathafMuseum National Museum of Qatar Palm Towers Jarir Bookstore BoxPark The Pearl Hamad International Airport (HIA) Katara Al Dafna DIA Arrivals DIA Departures Doha Int’l Airport (DIA) Ras Bu Abboud Beach 974 Alfardan Gardens Le Mirage Al Jazi Gardens Alfardan Gardens 3 Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara Chevrolet Al Mana Chrysler Ford AAB Nissan Volvo Nissan Porsche Abu Bakr Al Mansoura Free Zone Oqba Ibn Nafie Al Matar Al Qadeem Umm Ghuwailina Al Doha Al Jadeda National Museum Souq Waqif Bin Mahmoud Al Sadd Joaan Al Bidda Corniche DECC Al Qassar Katara Legtaifiya Hamad Hospital White Palace Msheireb HIA T1 Ras Bu Abboud West Bay 5/6 Int’change Lusail Stadium Stadium 974 Al Thumama Stadium Arch at Intersection of Al Tarfa and Lusail Streets AlWakra Rd AlFadaillSt Abu AyyoubAl Ansari St NajmaSt ERingRd Oqba Bin Nafie St Ras Bu Abboud St NajmaSt E Ring Rd AirportSt DRingRd C RingRd C R n g R d Ras Bu Abboud St Grand Hamad St Al Corniche St Dafna St AlBiddaSt Onaiza St OmarAlMukhtarSt Lusail St Al Khafji St Wadi RawdanSt UniversitySt LagoonSt Legtaifiya St asuL i l tS Lusail Street AlTarfaStreet Lusail Boulevard AbdulAzizBinJasimSt AlMarkhiyaSt Ahmed Bi n AliSt Onaiza St MohammedBinThaniSt Al BiddaSt Road Jawaan S t Al Sadd St uS h a m B i n Hamad S t Bin Mahmoud St A Khal ee j S t WadiMushairebSt Expressway SalwaRoadAliBinAbiTalibSt HaloulSt D Ring Rd Rawdat Al Khail St AlMaadeedSt IndustrialAreaRd UmmLekhbaI/C – H d Ai t SabahAlAhmad Corridor Najma St B Ring Rd AlCorniche Ghaf St OmarAlMukhtarSt arkh y a S t Lusail Towers AlFunduqSt SabahAlAhmadCorridor UmmLekhbaI/C–HamadInt’lAirport CRingRoad Ideal Indian Qatar Ind Tech Al Jazeera Academy Park House Pak Education Centre Doha Modern Indian MES TEK Cambridge Girls Summit KG American Academy King’s College Berlitz Egyptian Language Qatar Skills Academy Girls Creativity Centre Montezine Newton Int’l German School Doha Doha Academy Elder Tree Nursery IAID Skills Development Center New Aslata Park CCoQ Debakey Edison SEK 5/6 Park CCoQ Kanga’s Pouch Lycee Voltaire Newton Chouiefat Newton Institut Francais du Qatar Shafallah Centre Newton Qatar Aeronautical College AhmedBinSaif Mesaimeer AirForceI/C Asiri 21 High St Al Meera Lagoona Mall Al Meera Al Hazm City Center Town Centre The Centre Al Mirqab Mall Family Food Centre Al Meera Al Meera Al Asmakh Mall Royal Plaza The Gate Zaks Uniform Store LuLu Family Food Centre The Mall Shoprite Al Meera Safeer Doha Mall QanatQuartier 1 Abraj Quartier Perlita Gardens Floresta Gardens 2 4 6 7 10 12 14 15 18 20 22 23 29 31 30 LaCoisett e L a C e tte Beach Novo Cinemas Beach GewanIsland Medina Centrale Medical Commission Mesaimeer Omar Bin Al Khattab Al Muntazah West Bay Al Ahli Hospital Doha Clinic Hospital American Hospital Turkish Hospital Staybridge Suites Hilton The Pearl Al Liwan Gulf Pearls Alwadi Park Hyatt Al Muntazah Plaza Rawda St. Regis Marsa Arabia Island Cielo Movenpick Saraya Jouri Marsa Malaz Kempinski Grand Hyatt Ritz-Carlton Mondrian The Chedi Katara Al Qassar Resort Katara Hills InterContinental Residences InterCon The City Hilton The Curve W Dusit Four Seasons Sheraton Wyndham Warwick Le Park Central Inn The Avenue Banyan Tree Sharq Village & Spa Sheraton Westin Doha La Cigale Millennium Swiss Belinn Musherib Ramada Encore Victoria Concorde Premier Inn Doha Airport Hotel Crowne Plaza Holiday Inn Steigenberger Safir Strato by Warwick Hyatt Regency Oryx Doha Holiday Villa Al Mansour Suites Radisson Blu dusitD2 New Blue Rose Le Royal Meridien Waldorf Astoria Century DoubleTree Al Sadd Sterling Sedra Arjaan by Rotana (Tower 26) Four Points Oryx Airport Hotel Oryx Garden Hotel Women’s Bin Zaid Afghanistan B3 Albania B4 Algeria C4 Argentina B3 Armenia B3 Australia C4 Austria C4 Azerbaijan B4 Bangladesh D4 Belarus B3 Belgium C3 Benin C3 Bosnia&H B3 Brazil B3 Brunei B3 Bulgaria B3 BurkinaFaso B3 Canada C4 C.AfricanRep B3 Chile C4 China B3 CostaRica C3 Croatia B3 Cuba B3 Cyprus C4 Djibouti B4 Dom.Rep. B3 Ecuador B4 ElSalvador B4 Eritrea E4 Eswatini B4 Ethiopia B4 France C4 Gambia E4 Georgia C4 Germany C4 Ghana B3 Greece B4 Hungary B3 India C4 Indonesia D3 Iran C4 Iraq C4 Italy C4 IvoryCoast B4 Japan B4 Jordan C4 Kazakhstan B3 Kenya B3 Korea (S) B4 Kosovo C4 Kuwait C4 KyrgyzRep C3 Lebanon B4 Liberia C4 Libya B3 Malaysia C4 Mali B4 Mauritania C4 Mexico C4 Moldova B4 Morocco C4 Nepal E3 Netherlands C4 Niger C3 Nigeria C4 NorthMacedonia C4 Oman B4 Pakistan C4 Palestine C4 Panama B4 Paraguay B4 Peru C3 Philippines B3 Poland B4 Portugal C4 Romania C4 Russia B4 Senegal C3 Serbia B3 Singapore B4 Somalia C4 SouthAfrica B3 Spain B4 SriLanka E4 Sudan B4 Sweden C4 Switzerland B3 Syria C4 Tajikistan C3 Tanzania C4 Thailand C4 Tunisia C4 Turkey B4 Uganda B3 Ukraine B3 UnitedKingdom C4 UnitedStates ofAmerica C3 Uruguay C3 Venezuela B4 Vietnam B3 EMBASSY LOCATIONS Meryal Waterpark AlSa’ad Plaza Qetaifan Island Lusail Winter Wonderland Doha Sports Park Icon Tower Yacht Club Promenade Marina Qetaifan Island North The Pearl Island Raffles and Fairmont Hotels are housed in the iconic Katara Towers Al Fardan Tower Tornado Tower Palm Tower B West Bay North Beach See our detailed map of the area south of Doha MAP of AL WAKRA
SCAN FOR LOCATION QATAR SHOPPING E-GUIDE © MARHABA
© MARHABA WINTER 2022/23
QATAR SHOPPING E-GUIDE © MARHABA
A Brief History of Shopping in Qatar
By Ola Diab
Malls, malls and more malls. A new one opens every few months. But what was Qatar like before all the malls? Where did people shop?
Every year in Qatar is marked with the opening of a new mall. With the high temperatures in the summer, shopping malls are a favourite pastime for locals and expats alike. A combination of high incomes, increasingly expensive tastes and luxury brand awareness in Qatar has opened the door to a string of grade A retail developments and outlets.
In recent years, Qatar has seen the opening of new malls such as Msheireb Galleria in Msheireb Downtown Doha and the mixed-use entertainment development, Doha Oasis, in Musheireb.
This year has witnessed the opening of Place Vendôme in Lusail City, J Mall in Hazm Al Markhiya, and Abu Sidra Mall in Bu Sidra, Al Rayyan. Up and coming new malls are Giardino Mall and 04 Mall in The Pearl Island, Marina Mall in Lusail City, North Gate Mall in Umm Salal Mohammed, Boulevard Mall in Al Kheesa, Doha Mall in Abu Hamour, and Waddan Mall in Mesaieed.
The souqs
Although the shopping malls in the country are mostly new, the history of shopping centres dates back to at least a hundred years ago. Souqs were the main shopping destinations before Qatar’s economic boom in the 1990s, which led to the development of several modern shopping developments. Still standing today, the Middle Eastern low-rising souqs feature several shops, selling an array of spices, delicacies, perfumes, jewellery, clothing and handicrafts. Souq Waqif, which translates to the standing market, is an ancient souq that was renovated in 2006–2008 to the vibrant tourist attraction it is today. The souq is
named 'the standing souq' because it is believed that water from the sea would rise, swamping the souq. However, shop owners would continue selling their products while standing in the midst of the water.
Like Souq Waqif, many of Qatar's old souqs were renovated in recent years. Many of the stores that are there today have been there since the 1970s or earlier. Now, with the various choices of shopping destinations, souqs, especially Souq Waqif, are more touristic rather than shopping destinations. Home-grown department stores
Qatar is known for a few home-grown luxury department stores. A notable example is Fifty One East (51 East), previously known as Modern Home, which has been operating since the 1950s. 51 East is Qatar’s leading department store and Darwish Holding's signature retail brand, transforming the retail experience for Qatar’s residents as an emporium of luxury, offering compelling brands that span cosmetics and fragrances, fashion accessories, watches and jewellery, designer fashion and premium technology. Cosmetic and fragrance brands include Amouage, Boucheron, Giorgio Armani, Givenchy, Sensai, Tom Ford, Welton London, and more. Fashion and shoe retail companies include Calvin Klein, Clarks, Diesel, Kenzo, Giorgio Armani, Saiid Kobeisy, Paco Rabanne, Wolf, and more. Watch and jewellery brands include Boucheron, Bulgari, Swarovski, and more. Premium technology brands include Konig & Meyer, KRK, Fender, and Yamaha. Today, the department store has branches in several places,
FEATURE
© MARHABA WINTER 2022/23
both stand alone and in malls. 51 East is the flagship store of Lagoona Mall. 51east.com
Then came the malls
It wasn’t until 1978 that Qatar saw the opening of the first shopping centre, The Centre. It’s owned by one of Qatar’s largest business houses, Ghanem Al Thani Holdings, under the leadership of Sheikh Ghanem bin Ali Al Thani. The Centre’s inauguration was a major event, attended by the former emir, The Father Emir, HH Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. This year, The Centre celebrated its 44th anniversary. Remaining almost unchanged and one of Qatar’s prominent landmarks, The Centre today spreads across a sales floor of over 12,000 sq m with parking for more than 300 cars.
For several years, residents of Qatar would shop at either souqs or The Centre. In 1997, Equinox –the commercial real estate developer behind the upcoming North Gate Mall – developed the first modern retail development or shopping mall to open in Qatar. Located on D Ring Road, The Mall featured much of what is there today – Highland, Hallmark Cinema Land, Opera Café and more. It’s been recently slightly expanded with new restaurants and stores. The Mall is a fully owned subsidiary of Abraj Real Estate Development Holding Co. themalldoha.com
Before the early 2000s, residents of Qatar could not obtain many top international brands locally, which led to people travelling abroad to purchase certain brands and products. Once 2000 rolled in, Qatar began a journey of developing an influx of shopping malls. After The Mall, Landmark Mall opened in 2000, soon followed by City Center Doha in 2001, Hyatt Plaza in 2003, Royal Plaza in 2005 and Villaggio Mall in 2007.
Before the opening of these malls, shopping centres served only one purpose – to shop, excluding dining options and entertainment activites. Today, malls serve as both shopping and entertainment destinations for residents and visitors in Qatar. Shoppers can not only enjoy browsing through a wide variety of stores that offer a range of clothing, shoes, bags, jewellery and other body accessories, they are also spoilt for choice when it comes to dining – the sweet and the savoury. Newer malls include health initiatives, such as Doha Festival City with its Outdoor Leisure Trail, which caters for both running and cycling.
Prior to the recent opening of Mall of Qatar and Doha Festival City, City Centre Doha and Villaggio Mall were considered to be the largest and most popular malls in the country. These two malls boasted the largest cinemas – featuring IMAX and 3D film screens for the first time in Qatar – and ice rinks.
By 2010, major luxury brands such as Chanel, Dior, Versace, Rolex and Givenchy could be found locally and shopping tastes fell in line with the expensive trends of the region.
The great majority of the current and upcoming retail developments in Qatar are focused on the high-end, luxury market. Qatar is an attractive market in this regard as it has one of the world’s highest per capita GDPs. Today, however, after more than a decade of modern retail development in the country, residents of Qatar can choose from a wide selection of high-end luxury brands at home, for which they used to travel abroad to the shopping districts of London, Paris, New York and more to find. m
The Centre opened in 1978
The Mall opened in 1997
City Center-Doha opened in 2001 City Center Doha opened in 2001
QATAR SHOPPING E-GUIDE © MARHABA
The Mall opened in 1997
Msheireb Downtown Doha Unit #G12, Building #30, Street #950, zone #03 WWW.PRESENTEDBY.COM | @PRESENTEDBY | +97440011383 © MARHABA WINTER 2022/23
Where to Shop
Affordable and Budget
Al Rawnaq* (Bin Omran) C3 4488 5808
Ansar Gallery* (Barwa Village) E5 4448 6000
Daiso* (Doha Festival City) B2 4469 6883
Dollar Plus (City Center-Doha) C4 7478 5161
Dragon Mart (Industrial Area) F3 4006 1188
HEMA* Mall of Qatar C1 4036 6000
Ramez Shopping Complex* (Salwa Rd) D3 4443 1373
Saving Square (Tawar Mall)* C3 4442 9100
Audio Visual/Computers/Electronics
Almana & Partners (Old Al Rayyan) C3 4431 1072
Almuftah Group (Al Sadd) D3 4444 6867
Domasco (Asian Town, Industrial Area) F3 4435 8168
Darwish Trading (Old Airport) D4 4456 6426
Emax* (Al Asmakh Mall) D3 4428 9245
Mannai Trading Co (Salwa Rd) D3 4455 8888
Salam Stores* (The Gate Mall) C4 4448 5639
Starlink* (Call Centre) 4428 3888
Bookshops, Stationery and Art Supplies
Borders* (Doha Festival City) B2 4471 3942
Colour Note Company* (Al Nasr St) D3 4441 8548
FNAC* (Lagoona Mall) B4 4433 5599
Gulf Greetings (Hallmark)*
(City Center-Doha) C4 4483 8117
Ibn Al Qayyim Bookstore* (Al Markhiya) C3 4486 3533
Jarir Bookstore* (Call Centre) 4444 0212
Naaz Store (Old Airport) D4 4432 4235
Sensory Souk* (Royal Plaza) D3 4411 0147
Virgin Megastore* (Villaggio Mall) D3 4495 9060
Cakes and Sweets
Batteel Bakery & Café* (Salwa Rd) D3 4444 1414
Edible Arrangements* (Al Gharrafa) B2 4491 1112
Caramel Sweet Arts (Al Waab) D3 3382 7259
FAUCHON* (Salwa Rd) D3 4432 4888
Opera Café* (The Mall) D4 4467 8884
Sugar and Spice* (Aspire Park) D2 4038 9668
Chocolates, Sweets and Flowers
Chopin (Qmall)* C3 4483 4747
Dulce Chocolate* (Muraikh) D2 4443 3080
Gardenia* (Al Nasr St) D3 4444 0789 Interflora (C Ring Rd) D4 4432 2717
Larissa Chocolates & Flowers* (Al Sadd) D3 4444 1824
Luxury Flowers & Chocolates* (Duhail) B3 4444 5432
Patchi* (Salwa Rd) D3 4469 3350
Patisserie Suisse* (Al Nasr St) D3 4432 1213 Plaza Hollandi* (Villaggio Mall) D2 4450 7262
Tasmeem Flowers & Chocolates* (Al Rayyan) D2 4417 9993
Furnishing
Articles (Royal Plaza) D3 4413 1188 City Lifestyle* (Al Asmakh Mall) D3 4428 9256
CREU Concept (Al Sadd) D3 3322 7776 Home Centre* (Al Asmakh Mall) D3 4413 1940 Homes R Us* (Hyatt Plaza) D2 4469 8999
IKEA (Doha Festival City) B2 800 4532
Midas (Salwa Rd) D3 4425 1222
Nabco* (Old Airport) D4 4466 6646
Pan Emirates* (Salwa Rd) D3 4427 4966
Pottery Barn* (Mall of Qatar) C1 4452 9529
Simex Group (D Ring Rd) D4 4441 4447
Spazio Interni (Salwa Rd) D3 4468 2618
The One* (Villaggio Mall) D3 800 8431 Tivoli (Old Al Rayyan) C3 4021 2000
*Indicates multiple locations. Map references in green.
Disclaimer:
QATAR SHOPPING E-GUIDE © MARHABA
Magnolia Bakery* (Dar Al Salam Mall) E3 4450 9407 Shops constantly change their locations and numbers. If you wish to double check or find numbers of non-listed shops, call or text 180
Where to Shop
Gifts and Souvenirs
Freesia Gifts (Royal Plaza) D3 7000 0480
Gulf Crafts (Salwa Rd) D3 4468 7373
Gulf Greetings (Hallmark)* (The Mall) D4 4467 8383
Jewellery and Watches
Ali Bin Ali Watches & Jewelry* (Mall of Qatar) C1 4444 0228
Al Jaber Watches* (The Mall) D4 4467 8484
Al Muftah Jewellery* (Al Sadd) D3 4444 1313
Al Sulaiman Jewellery & Watches* (Gold Souq) D4 4437 6677
Awal Jewellery (Gold Souq) D4 4443 4551
Damas* (Al Mana Center, Al Sadd) D3 4442 5428
Domasco* (City Center-Doha) C4 4483 9327
Marhaba Jewellery (Gold Souq) D4 4431 8055
Pearl Gallery* (Wathnan Mall) D2 4480 0124
Tribal Gems (Gold Souq) D4 5539 7578
Key Cutting/Shoe and Watch Repair
Mr Quality* (City Center-Doha) C4 4017 2845
Kitchenware
Articles (Royal Plaza) D3 4413 1188
Lakeland* (Villaggio Mall) D2 4417 5385
Table Arts* (Mall of Qatar) C1 4411 6338
Tavola* (City Center-Doha) C4 4493 0102
Villeroy & Boch* (Salwa Rd) D3 4436 3561
Musical Equipment
51 East* (Call Centre) 4436 1111
Badie Studio & Stores (Al Souq Area) D4 4442 3554
Virgin Megastore* (Villaggio Mall) D2 4495 9060
Opticians
Al Dar Optics* (Al Nasr St) D3 4436 3461
Al Jabor Vision Technology (C Ring Rd) D4 4442 7152
Yateem Optician* (Lagoona Mall) B4 4412 4380
Oriental Crafts and Carpets
Bradran Persian Carpets (The Mall) D4 4467 8886
Oriental Carpets (Bin Mahmoud) D4 4447 9794
Reshi (Landmark Mall) C3 4486 4795
Shahrzad Iranian Carpets (Gold Souq) D4 4442 3210
Paint Shops
Hempel Paints* (Industrial Area) F3 4455 9000 Jotun Paints* (Call Centre) 4441 2728
Party Decorations and Costumes
Events (Royal Plaza) D3 4413 1155
Party Kingdom (Bin Mahmoud) D4 4435 3501 Party Mania (The Centre) D4 4441 8810
Personal Care/Pharmacies
Boots* (Villaggio Mall) D2 4452 9655 Kulud Pharmacy* (Al Markhiya) C3 4487 7784
Pet Shops
Pets & More (City Center-Doha) C4 5569 4222 For more information on pets and vets, see Pets in Day to Day Qatar in the Living in Qatar section.
Photographic Studios/Photographers
Benny Antoun (also tunes pianos) 5551 4501
Boom Art Studio (Al Markhiya) C3 4411 1070
Gulf Colours* (Najma) D4 4431 1181
Picture World Digital Studio & Stores* (Salwa Rd) D3 4469 4710
Sports Equipment
Decathlon* (Villaggio Mall) D2 4495 9080
Doha Golf Club B3 4496 0750
Foot Locker* (Villaggio Mall) D2 4413 5315
Go Sport* (City Center-Doha) C4 4463 1644 Sports Corner* (Call Centre) 4036 2211
Tailoring, Textiles and Haberdashery
Al Misk Tailors (Al Ghanim) D4 4432 1141
Century Textiles & Tailors (Al Khaleej St) D4 4442 1283
Lexus* (Gents/Al Sadd) D3 4432 2761
Sara's Secrets (Ladies/Al Sadd) D3 4432 1030
Singer (New Salata) D4 4443 5731
Toys and Children's Items
Babyshop* (Gulf Mall) C3 4430 8305
Early Learning Centre* (Hyatt Plaza) D2 4469 7964
Kiddy Zone* (Landmark Mall) C3 4421 7215
Sensory Souk (Royal Plaza) D3 4411 0147
Toys 'R' Us* (Al Sadd) D3 4443 5904
Water Storage Tanks
Qatar Rotomould (Industrial Area) F2 4460 2315
WOQOD Petrol Stations
WOQOD Call Centre 4021 7777
Toll Free Number 800 3835
WOQOD service stations are open 24/7 for petrol, with most offering car services, and have a shop (Sidra) selling food items and other essentials.
Checked & Updated October 2022
m marhaba.qa PRINT and ONLINE
© MARHABA WINTER 2022/23
Where to Shop
QATAR SHOPPING E-GUIDE © MARHABA
© MARHABA WINTER 2022/23
QATAR SHOPPING E-GUIDE © MARHABA
Shopping in Qatar
Malls
Going to shopping malls, souqs or other shopping destinations is the most popular pastime in Qatar. People enjoy going to shopping destinations to shop, eat, watch movies or just walk.
No VAT or Sales Tax in Qatar ensures prices are competitive with other shopping destinations. However, the General Tax Authority (GTA) implemented the Excise Tax Law (No 25 of 2018) on 1 January 2019 on 'health-damaging' goods, with a 100% tax on tobacco and alcohol products, energy drinks and special purpose goods, and a 50% tax on carbonated drinks.
Note: A 2015 government directive mandates all shops are required to close for 90 minutes for prayer around midday on Friday. Usually from 11:30 am – 1 pm.
across the GCC and Egypt while earning rewards every time. mybluerewards.com
Qatar continuously witnesses the opening of new malls. Earlier in 2022, Qatar saw the opening of the massive and luxurious Place Vendôme. In 2021, Msheireb Galleria, Abu Sidra Mall and J-Mall opened. The first shopping and entertainment mall to open in Qatar was The Mall, which opened in 1997. Prior to The Mall, residents shopped at The Centre since the 1970s.
Malls vary in size, but all provide an opportunity for shopping, entertainment and dining. Many banks in the malls are open outside normal banking hours. Shopping festivals occur throughout the year offering great discounts, special offers and prizes.
Hypermarkets/Supermarkets
There are many local and international hypermarkets and supermarkets in Qatar both in and outside malls. Popular international hypermarkets include Carrefour carrefourqatar. com, Family Food Centre (FFC) family.com. qa, Lulu Hypermarket and Lulu Express qatar. luluhypermarket.com, Mega Mart, Monoprix monoprix.qa, and Spar Hypermarket spar-qa.com. Other hypermarkets include Safari Hypermarket safarihypermarket.com, Marza Hypermarket marzahypermarket.com, Saudia Hypermarket saudiagroup.com, Shoprite and more. Al Meera Consumer Goods Co is one of Qatar’s leading retailers with the largest network of branches, consisting of at least 50 stores, almeera.com.qa Retailers link up with partners to give shoppers the opportunity to earn points and rewards:
• Air Miles shopping rewards scheme. airmilesme.com
• Aura Rewards, formerly known as Alshaya Card, is a loyalty programme where you can earn and redeem points when you shop or dine at brands operated by Alshaya Group alshaya.com
• Blue is a loyalty programme by Al Futtaim Retail Group that lets you shop at their group brands
• Family Club is a loyalty card by FFC, which allows its cardholder to earn points and redeem them at all FFC outlets. familyclub.qa
• Festival Rewards is a customer loyalty mobile app by Doha Festival City, which gives you access to exclusive offers, special sale events, freebies and discounts. The free app can be downloaded on all iOS and Android devices. dohafestivalcity.com
• Lulu app makes you a LuLu Loyalty member where you can earn points and redeem them at all Lulu outlets luluhypermarket.com
• Meera Rewards is Al Meera's loyalty programme and mobile application. almeera.com.qa
• MyClub app from Carrefour Qatar. Valet Trolley service provides free home-delivery to MyClub cardholders for purchases of QAR250+ when shopping in-store carrefourqatar.com
• Nojoom from Ooredoo. ooredoo.qa
• Shukran loyalty programme from Landmark Retail Ltd which includes Centrepoint. shukranrewards.com
Banks have also teamed up with retailers to make similar offers. Doha Bank and LuLu Hypermarket entice customers with the LuLu-Doha Bank shopping credit card providing customers with 5% savings on purchases at their stores throughout Qatar. QNB LIFE Rewards loyalty programme offers its debit and credit customers rewards at three levels of membership, dependent upon salary.
QIC Advantage Club and QGrabs offer a different shopping concept – members can take advantage of great deals when shopping, dining, or using health and beauty facilities: qicadvantageclub.com and qgrabs.com The Entertainer and Urban Point are money-saving 2-for-1 and discount app with thousands of offers that renew every month: theentertainerme.com and urbanpoint.com
Shopping in Qatar
marhaba.qa PRINT and ONLINE
© MARHABA WINTER 2022/23
MALLS OPENING TIMES
* Facilities at malls are subject to change. Please call ahead.
MAP REFERENCE
01 Mall E3 4478 1662 facebook.com
02 Mall A3 4460 7512
03 Mall D4 4029 3974
21 High Street B4 5009 3823 21highst.net
Abu Sidra Mall E2 5511 4425/4496 9888 abusidramall.com
Al Hazm C3 4411 1444 alhazm.com
Al Khor Mall 4453 3445 alkhormall.com
B. Square Mall E4 4041 0000 bsquaremall.com
Al Asmakh Mall (Centrepoint) D3 4428 9141
UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED, PARKING IS FREE
Daily 8 am – 11 pm
Sat – Thu 7:30 am – midnight Fri closed 11 am – 12:30 pm
Sat – Thu 7:30 am – midnight Fri closed 11 am – noon
DEPARTMENT STORES & A SELECTION
OF SHOPS
Al Sulaiman Jewellery & Watches, Startech Middle East, Toys Valley
Startech Middle East, Al Abed Roastery, Care n Cure Pharmacy, Saloon Sea Palace
Caribou Coffee, Wellcare Pharmacy
Sun – Wed 10 am – 10 pm Thu – Sat 10 am – 1 am
Daily 8 am – midnight Fri closed 11 am – noon
Galeries Lafayette Doha, 100% Capri, Beauty Hive, Cartier, David Morris, Graff, Joseph, Richard Mille, Van Cleef & Arpels
Lulu Department Store, Cell Planet Phones, Le Cheval Jewelry, Al Tulu Flora
Mega Mart
am – 10:45 pm FFC
am – midnight
Spar
am – midnight SNAN Food Hall
am – 10 pm LuLu
8 am – midnight
Daily 9 am – midnight
Daily 8 am – midnight Fri closed 11 am – noon
Al Jazeera Perfumes, Hadarah Perfumes, Il Bernardo, Little Ones, Razza, Scentsation, Sole Avenue, Style de Vie
City Lifestyle, Daiso, Payless, Mothercare, Splash, Claire's, Nayomi, Giordano, Bath & Body Works
Daily 10 am – 11 pm
Sat – Thu 10 am – 10 pm Fri 1 pm – 11 pm
300 Bowling Centre, Al Aker Sweets, Eli France Café, Kidsland, Java U, Outlet 63, Saving Square, The Chemist Cafe
Centrepoint (babyshop, City Lifestyle, Shoemart, Splash), Emax, Homecentre
am – midnight Spar
am – midnight Al Meera
am – midnight
PRINT and ONLINE
Shopping in Qatar marhaba.qa
MEAT & FISH TAKE AWAY BAKERY
SUPERMARKETS
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21 High Street Abu Sidra Mall QATAR SHOPPING E-GUIDE © MARHABA
7:30
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LuLu
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A neighbourhood mall in Ain Khaled.
A neighbourhood mall in Al Daayen.
A two-storey mall with skylight roof in New Salata.
A high-end luxury openair shopping mall in Katara Cultural Village.
A three-level mall in Al Rayyan with over 200 retail and F&B outlets.
Exclusive luxury brands in a fashionable setting.
Over
Shopping in Qatar
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levels of family entertainment
parking spaces. Two levels with underground parking. FOOD AREA RESTAURANTS BANK ATM EXCHANGE TRAVEL AGENT ENTERTAINMENT FOOD MONEY & TRAVEL UTILITIES IN BRIEF PLAY ZONE AMUSEMENTS BOWLING ALLEY CINEMA ICE RINK GYM ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✔ ✘ ✔ ✘ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ OOREDOO VODAFONE MINISTRY OF INTERIOR LAUNDRY Novo Cinemas ✔ ✘ ✘ ✔ ✘ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ Farah Play Area ✔ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ Farah Play Area ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✔ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ Kids Area FunVille ✔ ✔ ✘ ✔ ✘ ✘ Cineco Three Velocity ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✘ Roxy Cinema Fun City ✔ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✔ ✘ ✔ ✘ ✔ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✔ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✔ ✘ DHL Desk ✔ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✔ ✘ ✔ ✘ ✔ ✘ ✔
60 stores open over two levels. Two
with 300
Al Hazm
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Al Khor Mall
marhaba.qa
MAP REFERENCE
SUPERMARKETS
MALLS OPENING TIMES
UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED, PARKING IS FREE
City Center Doha C4 4493 3355 citycenterdoha.com
Dar Al Salam Mall E3 4016 3573 facebook.com
Sat – Wed 10 am – 10 pm Thu 10 am – midnight Fri 1 pm -- midnight Paid parking
Sat -- Thu 10 am – 10 pm Fri 2 pm -- 11 pm
Doha Festival City B2 4035 4444 dohafestivalcity.com
Doha Souq D3 4041 0000 dohasouq.qa
Sun – Wed 10 am – 10 pm Thu – Sat 10 am – 11 pm
Centrepoint, Bath & Body Works, MaxFashion, Merch, Mothercare, Nayomi, Payless, The Body Shop, Zohoor Al Reef
Kipling, Naturalizer, Victoria's Secret, Ted Baker, Marks & Spencer, Harvey Nichols Doha, Debenhams, H&M, Zara
MEAT & FISH TAKE AWAY BAKERY
Carrefour ✔ ✔ ✔ 8 am – 10 pm
Carrefour ✔ ✔ ✔ 8 am – midnight
Monoprix ✔ ✔ ✔ 10 am – 11 pm
Sat – Thu 7:30 am – midnight Fri closed 11 am – 12:30 pm
Ezdan Mall C3 4433 4141 ezdanmall.qa
Ezdan Mall, Al Wakra F5 4433 4545 ezdanmall.qa/al-wakra
Daily 7:30 am – midnight Daily 7:30 am – midnight
Jumbo Electronics, Saving Square, Sports For Less, Lez Watches, Madam Prestige, Wooden Bakery, Jollibee
Aldo, Anotah, Aéropostale, New Yorker, Riva, Neal's Yard Remedies, The Toy Store, Athlete's Co., Bath & Body Works
H&M, LC Waikiki, R&B, Voile, Bath & Body Works, Footlocker, Vision Express, Tim Hortons, American Eagle Outfitters
Family Mart ✔ ✔ ✔ 7:30 am – midnight
Carrefour ✔ ✔ ✔ 7:30 am – midnight
Carrefour ✘ ✘ ✘ 7:30 am – midnight
Gulf Mall C3 4031 0600 gulfmalldoha.com
Hyatt Plaza D2 4499 9666 hyattplaza.com
Sun – Thu 9 am – 10 pm Fri and Sat 9 am – 11 pm
Sat – Wed 9 am – 10 pm Thu 9 am – 11 pm Fri 2 pm – 11 pm
Adidas, Antique Corner, Babyshop, Bath & Body Works, Matalan, Morgan, R&B, Sephora, Splash, Victoria's Secret
Al Meera ✔ ✔ ✔ 7 am – midnight
Al Meera ✔ ✔ ✔ 8 am – midnight
City Center Doha
QATAR SHOPPING E-GUIDE © MARHABA
Shopping in Qatar PRINT and ONLINE
DEPARTMENT STORES & A SELECTION OF SHOPS
Doha Festival City
Accessorize, Aldo, Debenhams, Homecentre, Inglot, MaxFashion, Nayomi, Pets & More, Promod, Splash
HomesRUs, Rasasi, Aldo, Charles & Keith, Daiso, LC Waikiki, Highland, Pari Gallery, Laura Ashley, Nayomi, Triumph
Over 200 shops on four floors. Neighbourhood mall over two floors.
Over 500 outlets, ranging from day-to-day shopping to high-end fashion.
Four-storey neighbourhood mall in Al Mirqab Al Jadeed St.
Three levels with over 170 stores.
The first and only mall in Al Wakra; two floors with parking for more than 1,500 cars.
Three levels with shaded parking.
Shopping in Qatar
Mostly one level with over 100 outlets and kiosks.
marhaba.qa PRINT and ONLINE
FOOD AREA RESTAURANT BANK ATM EXCHANGE TRAVEL AGENT ENTERTAINMENT FOOD MONEY & TRAVEL UTILITIES IN BRIEF PLAY ZONE AMUSEMENTS BOWLING ALLEY CINEMA ICE RINK GYM OOREDOO VODAFONE MINISTRY OF INTERIOR LAUNDRY ✔ ✔ ✘ ✘ Key Cutting ✔ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✔ ✘ ✘ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✔ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ DHL Desk ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✘ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✘ Fun City ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✔ Qatar Bahrain Cinema Thunderdome ✔ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ Kiddyzone Seven entertainment areas ✔ ✔ ✘ ✔ ✘ ✔ VOX Cinema Opening soon ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✔ FunVille ✔ ✔ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ FunVille, KiddyZone ✔ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ Go Fun ✔ ✔ ✘ ✔ ✘ ✘ Cineco Jungle Zone ✔ ✔ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ Ezdan Mall Gulf Mall © MARHABA WINTER 2022/23
Shopping in Qatar
MALLS OPENING TIMES
UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED, PARKING IS FREE
J-Mall B3 4488 4888/3307 4854 jmallqatar.com
Lagoona Mall (Zig Zag Towers) B4 4433 5555 lagoonamall.com
Landmark Mall C3 4487 5222 landmarkdoha.com
Mall of Qatar C1 4034 6000 mallofqatar.com.qa
Mirqab Mall D3 4036 2777 mirqabmall.com
Msheireb Galleria D4 4008 4777 msheirebgalleria.com
Palms Mall C3 4435 0294 palmsmall-qa.com
Place Vendôme A4 4144 0000/5002 2260 placevendomeqatar.com
Q Mall C3 4033 9994 qmallqa.com
Daily 24/7
Thu -- Sun 10 am – 10 pm Fri 2 pm – 11 pm
DEPARTMENT STORES & A SELECTION OF SHOPS
SUPERMARKETS MAP REFERENCE
Daiso, Al Fazal Perfumes & Cosmetics, High End Furniture, Edumart, Lavender, The Nails Room
51 East, Table Arts, Rituals, Armani Exchange, Bang & Olufsen, Bridal Lounge, Hello Kitty Beauty Spa
MEAT & FISH TAKE AWAY BAKERY
Marza ✔ ✔ ✔ 24/7
Carrefour ✔ ✔ ✔ 8 am – 10 pm
Sat – Wed 9 am – 10 pm
Thu 9 am – 11 pm Fri 1:30 pm – 11 pm
Sat – Wed 10 am – 11 pm Thu & Fri 10 am – midnight
Sat – Wed 10 am – 10 pm Thu & Sat 10 am – 11 pm Fri 10 am – 11:30 am/ 1 pm – 11 pm
Sat – Wed 10 am – 10 pm Thu 10 am – 11 pm Fri 10 am – 11:30 am/ 1 pm – 11 pm
Sat – Thu 9 am – noon Fri 1 pm – midnight
Sat – Thu 10 am – 1 am Friday 1 pm – 1 am Daily 9 am – 10 pm Fri 11 am – 11 pm
BHS, Boots, Bershka, Borders, H&M, Holika Holika, Lush, Marks & Spencer, Mac, Migato, Sephora, Zara
Adidas, Aldo, Call It Spring, Victoria's Secret, Pottery Barn, Bath & Body Works, Bulgari, Calvin Klein
Aljazeera Perfumes, Armani Exchange, Bershka, Daiso, Damas Jewellery, BHS, Mango, illy, Lush
Alhosh Gallery, Fallini, Kaltham's Jewelry, Spaceship, Project Two
Gorgeous Couture, Zohoor Al Reef, Technical Care Center, Al Jazeera Perfumes, Jumbo, Sports Corner
Bath & Body Works, Bershka, Aldo, Calvin Klein, Christian Louboutin, Gucci, Jimmy Choo, Dune, Daiso
Ahgar, Al Ameer Al Oud, Al Asjad, Al Rawnaq, Al Qasr Jewelers, Panache London, Vintage Boutique
Carrefour ✔ ✔ ✔ 8 am – midnight
Carrefour ✔ ✔ ✔ 9 am – midnight
Carrefour ✔ ✔ ✔ 8 am – midnight
Monoprix ✔ ✔ ✔ 9 am – midnight
Carrefour ✔ ✔ ✔ 8 am – midnight
Monoprix ✔ ✔ ✔ 9 am – 10 pm
Mega Mart ✔ ✔ ✔ 9 am – 10 pm
Lagoona Mall Mall of Qatar
marhaba.qa PRINT and ONLINE
QATAR SHOPPING E-GUIDE © MARHABA
shopping mall in Hazm Al Markhiya.
Boutique mall over three levels with over 140 outlets.
58,000 sq m single-storey mall.
Over 500,000 sq m of retail, dining and leisure activities.
A 26,000 sq m mall with 250 car parking spaces.
Situated in Msheireb Downtown Doha, with more than 30 pop-up stores.
Neighbourhood mall in Muaither, Al Rayyan with more than 30 retail and F&B outllets.
A 1 mn sq m development of retail, leisure, entertainment and luxury in Lusail City.
Two levels of local shops and restaurants.
in Qatar
marhaba.qa PRINT and ONLINE
FOOD AREA RESTAURANT BANK ATM EXCHANGE TRAVEL AGENT ENTERTAINMENT FOOD MONEY & TRAVEL UTILITIES IN BRIEF PLAY ZONE AMUSEMENTS BOWLING ALLEY CINEMA ICE RINK GYM OOREDOO VODAFONE MINISTRY OF INTERIOR LAUNDRY ✘ ✘ ✔ ✘ ✘ ✔ 300 Bowling Center ✘ ✘ ✘ ✔ ✘ ✔ Flik Cinemas Circus Land ✔ ✔ ✘ ✔ ✘ ✘ Cinema Land XtremeLand/KidzMondo ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✘ Novo Cinemas Funderdome/Hangout/Jump ✔ ✔ ✘ ✔ ✘ ✔ Flik Cinemas ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✘ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✔ ✘ ✘ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✘ DHL Desk ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✔ ✘ ✘ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Shopping
Mirqab Mall Place Vendome © MARHABA WINTER 2022/23
marhaba.qa
MAP REFERENCE
Royal Plaza D3 4413 0000 royalplazadoha.com
Tawar Mall C3 4437 9333 tawarmall.qa
The Centre D4 4444 0202 thecenterqatar.com
The Gate Mall C4 4407 7201 thegate-qatar.com
The Mall D4 4467 8888 themalldoha.com
Villaggio D2 4422 7400 villaggioqatar.com
Wathnan Mall D2 4487 6691 wathnanmall.com
UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED, PARKING IS FREE
Sat – Thu 9 am – 10 pm Fri 3:30 pm – 10 pm
Sat – Wed 10 am – 10 pm Thu & Fri 10 am – midnight
Aida, Al Muftah Jewellery, Al Rawnaq, Articles, Mont Blanc, Pari Gallery, Quatro, Sensory Souk, Sizy
Anotah, Caracole, Karisma, Merch, Momento, Riva, Saqr, Saving Square, Sports Corner, The Face Shop
SUPERMARKETS
MEAT & FISH TAKE AWAY BAKERY
✘ ✘ ✘
Spar ✔ ✔ ✔ 8 am – midnight
Sat – Thu 10 am – 10 pm Fri 4 pm -- 10 pm
Sat – Thu 10 am – 10 pm Fri 1:30 pm – 10 pm Paid parking
Sat – Thu 10 am – 10 pm Fri 4 pm – 10 pm
Sun – Wed 9 am – 10 pm Thu & Sat 9 am – 11 pm Fri 9 am – 11 pm
Sat – Wed 10 am – 10 pm Thu – Fri 10 am – midnight
Al Jaber Watches, Brands, GEM Centre, NBK Fashions, Party Mania, Redtag, Scholl, Sulaiman Jewellery
Al Baker Art Boutique, Botany Lab, Canali, Ermenegildo Zegna, JustKidding, Salam Stores
Aldo, Al Motahajiba, Boots, Calvin Klein Jeans, Claire's, Highland, Mango, Milano, Mothercare, Next, La Senza, Lovisa
Al Motahajiba, Bath & Body Works, Desigual, H&M, Mango, Marks & Spencer, Virgin Megastore, Zara
Al Jaber Watches, Al Rashdi, Al Suwlujan Jewelry, Gold Mine, Turkiana, Zarabi Department Store, Zohoor Al Reef
Mega Mart ✔ ✔ ✔ 7 am – 11 pm
Mega Mart ✔ ✔ ✔ 8 am – 10 pm
Al Meera ✔ ✔ ✔ 8 am – midnight
Tawar
Mall The Centre Supermarkets and shops close for prayers on Friday. QATAR SHOPPING E-GUIDE © MARHABA
Shopping in Qatar PRINT and ONLINE
MALLS OPENING TIMES
DEPARTMENT STORES & A SELECTION OF SHOPS
Carrefour ✔ ✔ ✔ 8 am – midnight Masskar Hypermarket ✔ ✔ ✔ 5 am – 1 am
Over 100 shops across three levels with high-end outlets.
Features a musical water fountain, a traditional souq and a boutique hotel.
One level with beauty, jewellery and clothing kiosks.
Boutique mall with three floors of high-end outlets and luxury brands.
Two levels with a range of high- and middle-range shops.
Italian-themed mall with luxury brand area Via Domo.
First mall with dedicated opening hours for families only.
Shopping in Qatar
marhaba.qa PRINT and ONLINE
FOOD AREA RESTAURANT BANK ATM EXCHANGE TRAVEL AGENT ENTERTAINMENT FOOD MONEY & TRAVEL UTILITIES IN BRIEF PLAY ZONE AMUSEMENTS BOWLING ALLEY CINEMA ICE RINK GYM OOREDOO VODAFONE MINISTRY OF INTERIOR LAUNDRY ✔ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✔ Ray's Reef Bounce Qatar/Kiddy Zone ✔ ✔ ✘ ✔ ✘ ✔ Novo Cinemas ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ CanDo ✔ ✔ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✔ Fun Day ✔ ✘ ✘ ✔ ✘ ✘ Three-screen Cinema Gondolania ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ Cineco 13 Wathnan Fun City ✔ ✔ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✘ ✔ ✘ ✘ Aramex ✔ ✔ ✘ ✘ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✘ DHL Desk ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✔ Concierge ✔ ✔ ✘ ✔ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✔ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✔ ✘ ✘ ✘ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✔ ✔ ✘ ✘
The Gate Mall
Most malls have ample parking and offer car wash and/or valet services at a reasonable price. Facilities at malls are subject to change. Call ahead. © MARHABA WINTER 2022/23
Villaggio Mall
Shopping in Qatar
Other Places to Shop
In addition to malls, there are plenty of other shopping destinations in Qatar including wholesale markets and traditional souqs.
Al Furjan Markets
Al Furjan (neighbourhood) markets have house provision stores, bakeries, butcheries, pharmacies, ATM kiosks, laundries, barber shops, fruits and vegetables, and vending areas and eateries, among other facilities.
Al Furjan Markets aim to have a store in each zone and can be found in areas such as Al Qutaifiya, Rawdat Al Hamama, Rawdat Aqdim, Al Thumama, Al Mearad, Umm Al Seneem, Al Ebb and Jarayan Nujaimah. The Al Furjan project aims to have 44 markets in designated areas with a total of 645 shops, covering 28 basic commercial activities, providing for the main needs of inhabitants of the neighbourhood.
Al Sailiya Central Market E1
Aswaq for Food Facilities Management, a subsidiary of Hassad Foods, relocated the previous Wholesale Market in Mesaimeer to the new Al Sailiya Central Market in January 2020. Covering over 78,000 sq m, the central market is the largest in Qatar The market is divided into several connected and air-conditioned sections for fish, poultry, fruits and vegetables, and a slaughterhouse for camels, cows and sheep. The market has nine air-cooled storages. It includes a traditional market with 52 shops, in addition to the existing 102 shops in the retail market and the 50 shops in the wholesale market.
Moreover, there are imported products at the auction hall, which spans over 8,000 sq m. Upon completion of the auction, the products are loaded either out of the market, or to the wholesale market or air-cooled storage.
The Omani Souq E1 has relocated to Al Sailiya Central Market. Tangy, salty aromas of dried fish compete with the sweet smell of ripe dates. It offers a large variety of goods, including desert
truffles, spices, nuts, perfumes, gardenware, plants, camel sticks and incense burners. 4407 1111, aswaq.com.qa/aswaq-sailiya
Al Wakra Central Market F5
Aswaq for Food Facilities Management opened Al Wakra Central Market in January 2020. Spread over an area of approximately 230,000 sq m, the facility includes a livestock central market with an automated slaughterhouse, cattle barns, shops, hypermarket, traditional and vegetable markets, shops and administrative buildings. The 14,000 sq m automated slaughterhouse has the capacity to handle 9,000 livestock a day. There are more than 600 livestock barns. The public can buy animals from the barns and transfer them to the slaughterhouse. The retail, wholesale and hypermarket sections are air-conditioned. The market includes 102 shops to support the market’s main activity such as fodder, grain, and veterinary supplies. The market also includes fodder storage space of more than 5,200 sq m. Additionally, the retail section includes 76 shops and a traditional market that sells vegetables and fruits, dried fruit, honey and dates. There are several seasonal farmers markets across Qatar. Local farmers sell produce directly to customers. Fresh fruit, vegetables and plants can be bought in bulk. Open Thursday to Saturday 7 am – 7 pm, between October and June. 4407 1111, aswaq.com.qa/aswaq-wakra
Souq Umm Salal
Spanning over 70,000 sq m, Souq Umm Salal, also known as Umm Salal Central Market, connects directly to the main ports in Al Wakra, Al Ruwais, Al Khor and Doha, supplying nearly 80% of the fish to the market. It includes 62 fish shops, an auction yard of 2,100 sq m, as well as a fish cleaning section, visitors waiting area, and an ice factory to meet the needs of traders. The market is an integrated marketing platform for all basic commodities, which contributes in achieving food security.
Furjan Markets
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Al Sailiya Central Market
The central market offers all basic commodities such as meat, fish and vegetables to serve the needs of all – traders, producers and consumers. In addition, the market includes a private slaughterhouse with a production capacity of up to 1,000 heads per day (under the management of Widam Food), in addition to livestock barns, vegetables and fruits shops, multi-service shops, cold stores, a supermarket, a mosque, and a number of administrative offices. The Ministry of Municipality opened Al Mazroua Yard in 2021 in Souq Umm Salal, while Aswaq for Food Facilities Management developed and fully equipped the yard, which extends over 1,800 sq m and includes 44 counters dedicated to selling local produce. 4407 1111, aswaq.com.qa/aswaq-umm-salal
Barwa Village E5
Barwa Village, just off Al Wakra Road, is a residential and commercial complex that has much to offer. In the centre of Barwa Village is The Plaza – home to Mega Mart and Centrepoint – and also a health club, an international school, a nursery and a medical clinic. There are also a few gold, perfume and gift shops as well as electronics shops and a bookstore. An abundance of affordable restaurants await, offering tastes from India, China, and other parts of Asia, as well as the Arab region.
Next to Barwa Village is Retaj Real Estate’s newly launched residential and commercial development, New Souq Al Haraj. It consists of 552 units: 22 showrooms that start from 165 sq m – 220 sq m; 243 shops that start from 46 sq m – 130 sq m; 51 kiosks; 211 residential apartments with one and two bedrooms; and 25 offices approximately 100 – 130 sq m.
Souqs
In addition to the popular Souq Waqif and Souq Al Wakra (see Souq Waqif and Souq Al Wakra in the Discovering Qatar section), there are various souqs or market complexes scattered around town. When people in Qatar talk of the 'souqs', they usually refer to the city’s oldest market area, in the heart of the city near the old Amiri Diwan.
Souqs range from the traditional-style Souq Waqif, which still retains the atmosphere and spirit of the old bazaar, to the more modern air-conditioned, marble-clad complexes. When shopping in the souqs, you have the opportunity to bargain. You have cheaper imports, high-end designer items and just about everything else, including clothing and home accessories to kitchenware, souvenirs and unique gifts. Kitchenware shops stock everything from huge cooking pots to dainty glasses, cutlery and table ornaments. Luggage, tools, general hardware, DIY and gardening equipment are also available. Clothing includes a wide range of inexpensive clothes, casual wear and shoes.
Shopping hours at the souqs are usually 10 am – 1 pm and 4 pm – 7 pm (Souq Waqif has longer opening hours). A map of the central souqs is in Souq Waqif in the Discovering Qatar section.
Parking is limited at the most of the souqs. The earlier you arrive, the better. Consider parking at any of the underground car park around Souq Waqif. Some are air-conditioned. See the map of Souq Waqif for precise locations. Also consider taking the Doha Metro – Souq Waqif Metro Station (Gold Line).
Access to cash is limited at most of the souqs. ATMs are avaliable but it's best you carry cash with you at all times as most shops take payment in cash only.
First in the downtown souq area is the busy Souq Faleh D4 shopping centre, which houses several abaya, clothing and body accessories stores.
Adjacent to Souq Faleh is Souq Al Asiery D4, which is known as the 'Escalator Souq' – as it was the first and only one in Doha to have an escalator. It has a massive selection of fabrics available at prices to suit all. Other outlets include clothing, shoes, perfume and accessories. Connected to Souq Al Asiery is Souq Al Dira D4, your one-stop shop for upmarket textiles. The building has huge arches, lantern-style lights and stained-glass windows and, can be found right behind Souq Al Asiery. High-quality beaded fabrics, heavy lace and 'designer' fabrics are all on sale.
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Souq Al Dira Souq Al Asiery
The souq also has shoes, perfume and accessory stores, and cloakroom facilities. Many Indian and Filipino eateries can be found there. Right behind Souq Al Asiery and Souq Al Dira is Central Souq or Souq Al Madina D4, which is a one-stop destination for embroideries, decorating fabric or other materials for dressmaking as well as custom tailoured abayas and jalabiyas. Facing you at the end of Al Ahmed Street is Souq Al Jabor D4. Stores along the outside as well as inside the block offer a good selection of footwear, clothes and a wide range of other products.
One of the oldest markets in the country, Souq Al Haraj D4 in Al Mansoura is the best destination for second-hand goods especially used furniture and household appliances.
Souq Al Ali C3 in Al Gharrafa houses textile, tailoring and abaya stores, and a few pet shops. It's also a popular destination for shoe repair and carpentry stores. There's a KFC, Yellow Cab and other eateries in the souq as well.
The old yet urban Thursday and Friday Souq E3 is located on the Wholesale Market Street
the Bu Hamour and Mesaimeer district. The shopping centre is a well-known destination for abayas, jalabiyas, affordable clothes and other garments as well as toys. There are also a few spice, dates and honey shops.
In addition to souqs, there are many low-budget shopping centres in Qatar with branches across the country where you can buy clothing, home accessories and kitchen appliances at affordable prices such as Al Rawnaq, Ansar Gallery, Dragon Mart and Ramez. See Where to Shop in this section for numbers.
The Gold Souq
There are several jewellery shops in the gold souq area, surrounding Grand Hamad Street and Ali Bin Abdullah Street. In addition to buying and/or selling gold, most jewellers will repair and replace jewellery, providing a receipt.
Designs cater for Western and Eastern tastes and are of local and international manufacture.
Traditional bridal jewellery is an interesting sight and comprises solid gold belts, gub (small gold caps), hair ornaments, mirtash (chest-length decorated chains) and bracelets.
Personalised name pendants can be made at short notice with your name written in Arabic calligraphy, as a keepsake or gift.
Coins, ingots and gems of various weights are available at most jewellers.
High-quality second-hand watches on sale at specialist shops include brands such as Rolex and Cartier.
Buying gold is safe as all gold sold in Qatar is tested and hallmarked in the country, so quality is guaranteed. Most of the gold is 18 and 22 carat. Some modern and traditional jewellery items have artificial stones and this is reflected in the price. You are welcome to try anything on, and the salesmen are willing to bring pieces from a nearby shop if they don’t have what you are looking for. You will need the purchase receipt when selling
your jewellery, and you will only receive the value of the weight of the metal or precious stones excluding the workmanship.
Selling gold The Ministry of Interior lists procedures for obtaining the mandatory no-objection certificate (NOC) from the police to sell gold. A fee of QAR10 has to be paid through a debit/credit card to get the NOC. Other requirements are necessary such as bringing the gold for inspection, producing bills for the gold, and bringing the ID and passport of the owner or seller. The gold should belong to first or second degree relatives. The service is provided by the Gold Sales Office in Souq Waqif and security departments across the country.
Invoice Many jewellery shops issue invoices based on the format prescribed by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI). The MOCIapproved format, introduced in 2016 to protect consumers' interests, offers customers a detailed sales invoice. It shows particulars such as unit price without processors, price of workmanship, purity degree, and trademark. Other details include information about the piece of jewellery like the total price, carat, gram, number, description, item code, the shop’s stamp, seller’s name and signature, shop data, invoice number, customer name and customer’s Qatar ID number.
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Shopping in Qatar
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Grand Hamad Street DHOW HARBOUR ISLAMIC CULTURAL CENTRE Jassim Bin Mohammed St Jassim Bin Mohammed St Abdullah Bin Jassim St Al Corniche Street Shioukh Mosque Gold Souq ParkCartoWalkwayUnderground Souq Waqif Park Terminal for Banana Island Resort Doha by Anatara Musheireb Boutique Al Jasra Boutique Al Bidda Boutique Al Jomrok Boutique Rayyan TV & Radio Arumaila Boutique Hotel Al Mirqab Boutique Al Najada Hotel Apartments by Oaks Al Najada Hotel Najd Boutique Bismillah Boutique Oud & Arabic Perfumes Mandarin Oriental, Doha Park Hyatt Doha Msheireb Metro Interchange Station Mercure Grand Hotel Doha Souq Al Asiery QATAR CENTRAL BANK Souq Nasser Bin Saif Souq Faleh Souq Waqif Amiri Diwan Al Koot Fort 1 I G L E F H Gold Souq A R S 2 6 7 10 12 13 17 31 19 20 21 22 18 23 24 3 25 11 9 14 16 36 Wad i MushairebStreet A l i B i n Abdul l a S t re e t B C D K P Q M H N 4 26 27 28 28 37 30 29 32 33 35 34 15 J Msheireb Museums O Underground Car Park SOUQ WAQIF Alwadi Hotel Doha – MGallery Msheireb Downtown Doha Al Kahraba Street Barahat Msheireb Abdulla Bin Thani Street Bin Jalmood St Al Khail Street Al Rayyan Road 5 8 Souq Waqif Station Metro Gold Line Exit 5 Exit 1 All Rights Reserved. 11.2022 marhaba.qa FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022TM Countdown Clock Souq Waqif Restaurants/Cafes 1 Usta Turkish Restaurant 2 The Rice & The Noodle 3 Saida Lebanese Rest. 4 Little Sailor 5 Al Mourjan 6 Al Adhamiyah (Iraqi) 7 Layali Al Qahira 8 Second Cup 9 Al Mandarin 10 Le Gourmet 11 Al Bandar Fish Market 12 La Boca (Argentinian) 13 Zaatar W Zeit Places of Interest A Abdul Aziz Nasser / Al Rayyan Theatre B Al Koot Fort C Sheikh Abdulla Bin Zaid Al Mahmoud Islamic Cultural Centre D Camel Pen E Clock Tower F Embrace Doha G Falcon Souq H Gold Souq I Horse Area / Stable J Le Pouce by César Baldaccini K Novo Cinema L Police Post M Souq Waqif Art Centre N Traditional Majlis O Msheireb Museums P Toilets (F & M) Q Ladies Waiting & Prayer Room R Entrance to Souq Waqif Metro Station S Oud & Arabic Perfumes Doha’s authentically restored central market district is a great place to find souvenir bargains, relax over a coffee or meal, or simply soak up the atmosphere of lively street life. 25 Asherg Coffee 26 Bandar Aden (Yemeni) 27 Desert Rose (Ukraine) 28 La Piazza 29 Argan 30 Al Matbakh Rooftop Grill 31 Jasmine Thai 32 Al Terrace 33 Al Jasra Trad Food 34 Falafel Karim 35 Abo Shariha 36 Missan Restaurant 37 Shay Al Shoomos 14 Tajeen (Moroccan) 15 The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf 16 The Village 16 Abdel Kader Alhallab Sweets 18 Tea Time 19 Damasca One 20 Khariss Cafe (Lebanese) 21 Parisa Persian 22 Al Koot Cafe 23 Coffee Beanery 24 Ghanabi Fresh Juices Underground Passage between Msheireb and Souq Waqif Underground Passage between Mosque and Souq Waqif © MARHABA WINTER 2022/23
Homegrown Produce
By Sarah Palmer
The State of Qatar stands tall with stateof-the-art infrastructure and facilities, its huge reserve of natural gas, and growing investment in non-hydrocarbon activities.
The country is a dry, subtropical desert with rough, sandy terrain. As well as fishing and pearling, Qatar has always been involved in agriculture. Prior to the blockade in June 2017, most produce came via imports from neighbouring nations and beyond. The blockade led to Qatar showing massive growth in its agricultural and livestock sector. There have been huge achievements in food security, despite difficulties and challenges such as the blockade and other geopolitical crises, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the harsh climatic and environmental conditions.
Statistics from the Agricultural Affairs Department at the Ministry of Municipality show that in 2021 cultivated land in Qatar was over 13,430 hectares, producing 772,829 tonnes of fruits, vegetables, grains and green fodders. The increasing availability of arable land and therefore agricultural production is due in part to the success of the Qatar National Food Security Strategy 2018–2023, which aims to provide quality foods at reasonable prices through local production and strategic storage.
According to Dr Masoud Jarallah Al Marri, Director of the Food Security Department at the Ministry of Municipality, Qatar has become self-sufficient in fresh milk and chicken. 'For frozen chicken, we depend on import and storage. However, fresh chicken is being produced in Qatar, in which we have achieved 100% self-sufficiency.'
Local production of table eggs is 55% of the country's total demand, to increase to 70% by next year.
Dr Al Marri added: 'The self-sufficiency in producing five basic types of vegetables has reached 46%, with the aim to increase it to 70%. The self-sufficiency rate of the country in producing red meat has reached 20%. Projects for fattening livestock were launched in coordination with the private sector to increase meat production to 30%. We depend on imported frozen meat for the remaining 70%.' Qatar has become selfsufficient by up to 70% in dates and 75% in fish.
The Qatar National Food Security Strategy is run by the Food Security Department at the Ministry of Municipality and implemented in conjunction with other authorities, such as the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, as well as consumers, traders, food processing factories and producers, researchers, students and policymakers. The national food security analytics platform collects data under a single digital dashboard, providing information to help design data-based and factbased policies and interventions.
This improvement in food security in Qatar has led to greater affordability, availability and quality of food supplies with sustainable investments in infrastructure, food security policies and strategies. Notable local food production companies Hassad Food is a subsidiary of Qatar Investment Authority. Established in 2008, the company is Qatar’s premier investor in the food and agri-business sectors, with a focus on global investments and viable prospects that support Qatar and the nation’s food requirements.
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Domestically, Hassad Food has a number of investments, which include • Aswaq for Food Facilities Management Company to manage the central markets • Arab Qatari Agricultural Production Company (QATFA), which has the largest vegetable farm in Qatar at 200 hectares in Al Sheehaniya
• Arab Qatari Company for Poultry Production (Al Waha) • Grain Bunkers in Al Wukair with a storage capacity of 250,000 tons • National Food Company (NAFCO) with the largest date processing facility in Qatar producing around 2,500 tons a year from 16 varieties • Baladna Company in the dairy sector
• Widam Food Company in the meat sector.
Across these local subsidiaries, Hassad Food produces lamb, grain, green fodder, basmati rice, eggs and poultry, dates, vegetables and a number of other products.
International investments include companies in Canada, Turkey, Australia and Oman.
AGRICO is a private Qatari agricultural development company with the goal of achieving national food security, based on sustainable long term
agricultural production via innovation, expertise and the best technology available. The company's farm is located 58 km outside of Doha, and is the most sophisticated air-conditioned hydroponic facility in the country. Produce can be harvested daily and distributed locally within 24 hours.
AGRICO is the first local greenhouse to distribute pre-packed organic produce, straight from the farm to supermarket shelves. A range of vegetables and fruits are grown including cucumbers, aubergines, leafy greens, peppers, courgettes, mushrooms, tomatoes, melons, papayas and pomegranates.
AGRICO has recently started production of natural honey and organic eggs, and has opened the first aquaponic farm at Carrefour in City Center mall. But it isn't just agriculture where Qatar is growing! Raw'a, the signature brand of the Gulf Food Production company, Al Maha Dairy and Fruit Juices Factory, and Dandy are all 100% Qatari entities offering dairy products and fresh juices. Products are widely available and include fresh and longlife milks, yogurts, juices and desserts.
Where to buy local produce Supermarkets in Qatar actively promote local produce, holding festivals in conjunction with the Ministry of Municipality and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. As well as the above brands, look out for produce from other local farms, like Safwa, Khodra, Mazzrati and QADCO. Highlighting local produce encourages consumers to be more conscious of where their food comes from, and is an opportunity to buy fresh, sustainable produce from local farms – all at a good price.
There are many farmers’ markets throughout the year, usually between November/December and April/May. These markets promote the development and encouragement of local farming, with quality produce at cheaper prices and the participation of more than 100 farms. See Shopping in Qatar for more about these local markets.
Al Burgan Farm (previously Mustafawi Organic Vegetables) offers a home delivery service of fresh organic produce from their farm off Al Shamal Road during the farming season, which runs from late autumn through to the beginning of the next summer. Consumers can order a wide range of produce direct to their doorstep – check their Facebook page for updates on available vegetables and herbs. Also, don't forget to visit Torba Farmers Market at Msheireb Downtown Doha, which hosts local farms and artisans from late autumn until summer.
And of course, many of the restaurants and cafes around town include local products in their dishes, so you can be guaranteed fresh and tasty meals whenever you like. So now there is every reason to support Qatari farms and eat good, local produce!
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No More Single-Use Plastic Bags!
By Ola Diab
The Ministry of Municipality has approved a draft decision controlling the use of plastic bags in the country.
Prime Minister and Minister of Interior HE Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani chaired a Cabinet meeting at the Amiri Diwan on 25 May 2022, approving the draft decision of the Ministry of Municipality controlling the use of plastic bags in the country. The ban will come into effect on 15 November 2022.
The preparation of the draft resolution comes within the framework of the strategic objectives of preserving the environment and optimal investment in waste recycling.
Among the provisions included in the draft resolution are the following:
• Institutions, companies and shopping centres are prohibited from using single-use plastic bags in packaging, presenting, circulating, carrying or transporting products and merchandise of all kinds.
• Replacing single-use plastic bags with multi-use plastic bags, biodegradable plastic bags, paper or “woven” bags, and other biodegradable materials.
A single-use, plastic carryout bag means any bag less than 2.25 millimetre thick and made
predominately of plastic derived from petroleum or bio-based sources, such as corn or other plant source, and includes compostable, noncompostable, and biodegradable plastic bags.
According to earthday.org, five trillion plastic bags are produced worldwide annually. It can take up to 1,000 years for a bag to disintegrate completely. By switching to reusable shopping bags, we can eliminate that waste– which amounts to about 307 bags per person. In addition, when plastics end up in landfills, they break down into tiny toxic particles that contaminate the soil and waterways, and enter the food chain when animals accidentally ingest them. Eco-friendly shopping practices
In recent years, many hypermarkets across Qatar have taken steps to introduce eco-friendly and sustainable shopping practices, as well as initiatives to encourage shoppers to adopt green and environmentally friendly lifestyles.
Many retail outlets have introduced various measures to reduce plastic use, such as issuing reusable bags or using paper carrier bags to reduce single-use plastic products.
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In 2019, the Ministry of Municipality and Carrefour Qatar introduced a no plastic bag campaign called ‘No Plastic Tuesday’ on the third Tuesday of each month, in all Carrefour stores. Carrefour Qatar did not provide any single-use plastic bags at checkouts on that day. Customers received a reusable bag for free and 10 extra MyCLUB points on each transaction. Customers were encouraged to bring their own reusable bags as well. Under the campaign, Carrefour aimed to familiarise the public with the best ways to use eco-friendly bags and the benefits behind using them, and eliminate singleuse plastic bags from cash counters.
Apart from championing various eco-friendly initiatives throughout the year, Carrefour is also investing heavily in several areas designed to reduce its environmental impact. For example, green checkout counters called 'Connecting with Nature Counter' have been implemented in stores nationwide. The counters are dedicated for reusable bag users.
To help protect the environment, the Ministry of Municipality has been campaigning against the use of plastic bags and has urged retailers to start using biodegradable, compostable and reusable bags. Biodegradable and compostable bags are an environment-friendly alternative to plastic bags. Biodegradable are often still plastic bags that have microorganisms added to break down the plastic, while compostable bags are made of natural plant starch, and do not produce any toxic material. Compostable bags break down readily in a composting system through microbial activity to form compost.
Mega Mart is leading the use of biodegradable bags, providing customers with bags at checkout that say 'This bag is 100% bio'.
LuLu Hypermarket has introduced paper bags, joining some other major outlets across the country, including Monoprix, Carrefour and IKEA,
which adopt environmentally sustainable practices.
LuLu has also printed a message on each of its paper bags, made from 100% recycled paper, saying 'Good for the planet, Good for us' aimed at creating public awareness on the importance of using safer alternatives.
Besides shifting to biodegradable plastics, Lulu also has affordable reusable bags, which can be used multiple times. If damaged, LuLu will replace the bag with a new one since it has a lifetime warranty to encourage shoppers to make a habit of always bringing their reusable bags with them.
LuLu is also the first in the region to allow customers to borrow shopping bags in an effort to cut down on plastic waste. The ‘Borrow A Bag’ initiative allows shoppers, who have forgotten a shopping bag or purchased more than expected, to borrow a bag rather than purchase one.
Lulu will be introducing the ‘refill’ option in some selected categories soon. Lulu wants to offer a range of options to its shoppers to help them reduce plastic waste rather than imposing any one solution to its customers.
In 2019, Al Meera Consumer Goods Company launched an innovative recycling initiative in some of their branches.
Al Meera has placed branded recycling machines for plastic and aluminium products. Customers can drop a plastic bottle or an aluminium can into the recycling machine and in return, earn Meera Rewards points, which can be used later at any Al Meera branch. To receive the rewards, customers need to register with the Meera Rewards loyalty programme, which was launched in 2018 where customers can earn and redeem points. Meera Rewards members will also be able to accumulate additional loyalty points for their recycling contributions across Al Meera branches. Al Meera's recycling machine initiative aims to encourage the public to recycle.
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