Bahraini food mixes rice, fish and meat with warm spices, dates and cardamom coffee. Many dishes are part of family meals and celebrations, and some appear mainly during Ramadan. These are seven traditional dishes and drinks worth trying on your visit.
Savoury dishes
- Kabsa: a one-pot rice dish with meat, usually chicken. It is widely described as Bahrain's national dish.
- Muhammar: a rice dish cooked with butter and spices. It is sweetened with honey or caramelised sugar and is often served with fish.
- Harees: a slow-cooked porridge of wheat and meat, seasoned with spices. It is especially popular during Ramadan.
- Balaleet: vermicelli cooked with sugar or spices and topped with a fried or scrambled egg. It is usually served at breakfast, or at dinner during Ramadan.
Drinks and sweets
- Gahwa: warm Arabic coffee flavoured with cardamom and served without sugar. Offering it is a sign of hospitality.
- Khanfaroosh: a soft, spongy cake flavoured with cardamom and saffron. It is eaten with tea or coffee.
- Sharbat zafran: a chilled drink infused with saffron, traditional in many Bahraini homes.
Where to try them
- A guided food walk is a practical way to try several of these foods. Our traditional food tasting and guided walking tour includes tasting stops with a guide. The venues and dishes on the day depend on availability, so your guide explains what you are tasting.
- For an evening in Manama, the Manama evening walking tour includes an optional dinner at Danat Al Tawaweesh Restaurant, at extra cost.
Tips for trying local food
- Ask your guide or host what a dish contains if you have allergies or dietary needs.
- Ramadan changes meal times and what is served. Check opening hours before you go.
Book a tour
You can book these tours online and pay cash on arrival.
Sources
- Outlook Traveller, "Foodie Alert: Top 7 Authentic Dishes and Drinks to Try in Bahrain": https://www.outlooktraveller.com/experiences/food-and-drink/foodie-alert-top-7-authentic-dishes-and-drinks-to-try-in-bahrain
For more on the island, read our complete Bahrain travel guide for first-time visitors.