Doha's Vibrant Vegan Food Scene

Plant-based, vegetarian diets have existed for a relatively long time, particularly in Indian, Greek and Arab communities. Indeed, the practice of eschewing animal meat from the table has always had a resolute following, including the venerable Mahatma Gandhi. Vegetarian diets ranged from those forgoing animal meat to those who also abstained from eating animal meat and animal products - milk, eggs, cheese, etc. - or animal-derived products - gelatin, oil, lard, etc. - vegans. However, the term ‘vegan’ was only coined in the early 1940s. 

(The broader term of vegan also requires refraining from using animal products.)

Throughout the 20th century, veganism continued to grow but was associated with particular sections of society only. Nonetheless, in the last decade or so, the vegan movement has gone mainstream. The increasing popularity of vegan-based diets is mainly attributed to people’s desire for healthier lifestyles, but many also forgo animal-based foods and products due to concerns for the environment and animal welfare.

Whatever people’s reasons for following the vegan diet or lifestyle, one thing that can’t be ignored is the upward trend of people around the world turning to veganism and the corresponding desire for vegan restaurants and menus. In response, eateries worldwide have begun to add vegan options to their menus, and more recently, a host of vegan restaurants and cafes have sprung up across the globe to satisfy plant-based diets. Qatar is no exception.

Vegan Eateries in Doha

Doha is becoming renowned for its foodie scene, with a vast array of eateries on offer, from local independents to well-known chains and 5-star restaurants, employing some of the world's best chefs and offering tastes from around the globe. So, it should be no surprise that the Arab food hub is also staying on top of the curve with its vegan offering. 

Many restaurants and cafes across the city (and beyond) have already diversified their menus to include vegan options and continue to grow their range. And in recent years, numerous vegan-only restaurants have burst onto the scene. Below, we have listed the city's most-loved 100% vegan restaurants for you to give a whirl:

Evergreen Organics

Image: xcom

Opened in 2016 by two Qatari entrepreneurs, Evergreen Organics was Qatar's first 100% vegan eatery. Evergreen has gone from strength to strength in the six years since its opening, expanding to incorporate outlets at the Gate Mall and Hamad International Airport and featuring in top international magazines, such as Vogue Arabia and Cosmopolitan Middle East. And, once you have visited Evergreen, you'll understand why they have been so successful. 

The eatery offers a comprehensive menu of fresh, nutritionally balanced vegan food in beautiful surroundings - on the waterfront of The Pearl's Qanat Quartier with a decor of natural hues, real wood features and a myriad of green plants. But more than the food and decor, the cafe also promotes a healthy, environmentally conscious lifestyle and has created a community for like-minded people. From operating as a zero waste business and promoting recycling (get 10% off your order when you return glass bottles or bring your own take-out containers) to offering farm shop produce and other ethically sourced household items in their shop and hosting health, diet and lifestyle workshops and other fun events and activities around veganism and environmental sustainability, Evergreen is so much more than just a vegan menu.

But what about the food? Evergreen's offers unique, tasty and satisfying vegan options designed by an in-house nutritionist that incorporate other lifestyle choices such as gluten-free, soy-free, sugar-free, low-calorie, high-protein and Keto. With all-day options, you are spoilt for choice with breakfast dishes, small plates, main plates and bowls, salads, sandwiches, burgers, desserts and, healthy juices, smoothies, hot and cold drinks. If given a choice, we would opt for a morning feast of Date and Pear Porridge, Shakshuka (poached eggs in a spiced, tomato-based sauce) and a cold-pressed juice of cucumber, apple, kale, lemon, celery, ginger, cilantro and spirulina. Or a lunch of Chickpea Fattoush (a Levantine salad) and a Cauliflower and Buffalo Burger, washed down with a house-smoothie of banana, date, raw cacao, maca, oat milk and almonds.

While Evergreen's menu is relatively pricey, the food, the surroundings, the atmosphere and the community vibe make it a number one stop for vegans, the health-conscious and anyone who loves good food!

The Nitty-Gritty:

Location: Mercato Palazzo 1, Qanat Quatier, The Pearl

Location Map: Evergreen Organics

Nearest Metro Stop: Legtaifiya Metro Station on the Red Line with a free Metro Express bus into the heart of The Pearl

Hours: Monday to Sunday, 7 am - 11 pm

Contact: +974 4472 0437

Website: https://www.evergreenorganics.qa/

Instagram: @evergreen_organics

Facebook: @evergreenorganics

Green and Go

Image: Happy Cow

Offering vegan food on the go, Green and Go are a popular pitstop at several locations across Doha. Located in Metro Stations, a corporate office block and a central park (via a bright green and white food truck), Green and Go's mission is to quickly refuel hungry commuters, travellers, office workers and those enjoying some downtime, but with a new fast food narrative - fast food can be delicious, conscious and healthy!

With a menu of quick breakfast bites, salads, soups, sandwiches, burgers, bagels, pizzas, muffins, cookies, brownies, cakes and fresh fruits, as well as vitamin-rich juices, shots, smoothies and Boba (bubble tea), there are plenty of tasty morsels for everyone, not just vegans. Plus, all the dishes and Grab'n'Go options are designed to be nutritious, delicious and free from artificial flavours, sweeteners and other synthetic ingredients, making any choice a healthy choice. Our go-to meal would have to be Green and Go's Breakfast Bagel, with vegan bacon, chickpea scramble and white bean mayo or a Butternut Squash Sandwich, with a Beet Brownie and a Watermelon Berry Mint Smoothie - so refreshing on a hot day!

And, while you're feeling good about wolfing down some healthy fast food, you can also pat yourself on the back for making an environmentally sustainable food choice. Green and Go happily use plant-based cups and containers and recycled bags; plus, if you bring your own mug, cup, or container, they'll give you a percentage off your bill to say thank you. 

Green and Go provide the perfect solution to healthy eating on the go for vegans, the health-conscious and everyone in between.

The Nitty-Gritty:

Location: Various locations: 

• DECC (Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre) Metro Station, West Bay
• Lusail QNB Metro Station, Lusail
• Burj Alfardan Corporate Tower, Lusail
• QNL (Qatar National Library) Metro Station, Education City
• MIA (Museum of Islamic Art) Park, Al Corniche (food truck)

Location Map:

• DECC Metro Station: Green and Go
• Lusail QNB Metro Station: Green and Go
• Burj Alfardan Corporate Tower: Green and Go
• QNL Metro Station: Green and Go
• MIA Park: MIA Park

Hours:

• DECC Metro Station: Sunday to Monday, 7 am - 11 pm
• Lusail QNB Metro Station: Sunday to Thursday, 8 am - 10 pm; Friday, 2:30 pm - 10 pm
• Burj Alfardan Corporate Tower: Sunday to Thursday, 8 am - 5 pm
• QNL Metro Station: Saturday to Thursday, 9 am - 6 pm
• MIA Park: Sunday to Saturday, 10 am - 8 pm

Contact:

• DECC Metro Station: +974 4017 3512
• Lusail QNB Metro Station: +974 4047 3220
• Burj Alfardan Corporate Tower: +974 4007 8417
• QNL Metro Station: +974 4468 3927

Website: https://www.greenand-go.com/

Instagram: @greenand_go

Facebook: @green&go

Mylk: An Alternative Destination

Image: Happy Cow

Opened in 2020 and located in The Gate Mall, Mylk is a contemporary vegan eatery that draws customers in with its playful branding, slogans, and beautiful food. The cafe's ethos is to make being vegan, healthy, environmentally conscious, and eating good food easy. All Mylk's dishes are made from scratch in Doha, from all-natural ingredients, with no added preservatives, additives, stabilisers or sweeteners, and plenty of gluten-free options. On top of that, their cups and containers are all 100% compostable, you can bring your own takeaway containers to save waste (and get 10% off your bill), and there are no plastic water bottles in sight - so you can feel good about yourself while you eat.

While handcrafted ice creams, chocolates, cakes and Mylks are the stars of the show, Mylk also offers a host of other snacks and lite bites, from breakfast fare to sandwiches, tacos, wraps and salads. Our favourite treats include the freshly baked croissants with homemade peanut butter and chia berry jam, the Kimchi Cheese Sandwich on sourdough toast, the Avocado Boat Salad with red quinoa, avocado, cucumbers, strawberries, cherry tomatoes, lemon dressing and sunflower seed clusters, and the homemade ice cream with vegan marshmallows. We like to wash everything down with one of the cafe's delicious smoothies made using house-made oat and nut mylks - try the Strawberry and Maca with Oat mylk, strawberry, beetroot, maca, and almond butter; it's a taste sensation. 

For a fresh, flavoursome breakfast, lunch or late afternoon snack, or to treat yourself to a sweet delight, you can't go wrong with the grub served at Mylk. And, even if you can't make it to The Gate Mall, you can still get your fill of Mylk goodies at their kiosk in Doha Festival City or their roving food truck - you can't miss it; it's bright purple!  

The Nitty-Gritty:

Location: Maysaloun Street, The Gate Mall, Onaiza

Location Map: Mylk: An Alternative Destination

Nearest Metro Stop: DECC Metro Station on the Red Line

Hours: Sunday to Saturday, 7 am - 11 pm

Contact: +974 4001 2748

Website: https://www.analternativedestination.com/

Instagram: @m_y_l_k

Facebook: @MYLK ميلك

Nosh Cravings

Image: Happy Cow

With huge pink illuminated lettering that spells out, 'Nosh Cravings - Vegan Fast Food', Nosh Cravings is hard to miss. Located opposite the Doha Oasis and the Msheireb district, Nosh offers fast food vegan-style. With a motto of 'Better for All', the eatery aims to create delicious food that is better for its customers, the environment and the world's various fluffy, feathered and scaly friends. The 100% plant-based diner also does its bit, where possible, by sourcing produce locally, using local, sustainable packaging, recycling and composting waste, using energy-saving equipment and fittings in-store, and donating a percentage of the cost of each meal bought to charity.

The Nosh menu is relatively extensive and promises comfort food fast. You can find meat-free sliders, burgers, wraps, shawarma, pizzas, mac'n'cheese and fries, as well as breakfast burritos, waffles and vegan sausage rolls. And, if it is a sweet craving you need to satisfy, Nosh offers a variety of pastries, cookies, cakes and ice creams. We love the Cheesy Dawg and Guac burgers, fries with beetroot ketchup, and the salted caramel cupcakes washed down with a Strawberry Mojito.

Nosh is a great vegan fast food alternative, with tasty food that hits the spot. And the eatery's location is a great jump-off point for exploring Msheireb's chic, contemporary streets full of plazas, squares, mosques, museums and shops.

The Nitty-Gritty:

Location: Al Khaleej Street, Fereej bin Mahmoud

Location Map: Nosh Cravings

Nearest Metro Stop: Bin Mahmoud Metro Station on the Gold Line

Hours: Sunday to Saturday, 10 am - 11 pm; Sunday, 10 am - 10 pm

Contact: +974 3333 6578

Website: https://noshcravings.com/

Instagram: @noshcravings

Facebook: @noshcravings

Thalatheen

Image: Facebook

Thalatheen is located in the grounds of the National Museum of Qatar. Small and simple, with a goal to provide easy access to vegan food and promote a step change to plant-based diets, Thalatheen has a menu bursting with options and flavours. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, Thalatheen guarantees fresh ingredients and a plethora of flavours - all inspired by Qatari cuisine. 

For breakfast, we recommend the Avocado on Sourdough, with homemade sourdough, avocado, beetroot hummus, cashew sour cream and regional dukkah. For lunch or dinner, try the Dreamy Dhal, an ayurvedic dhal bowl with brown basmati and quinoa rice, lemon, coriander and spinach, or the Exotic Humus Bowl, with chunky chickpeas, black gomasio (Japanese sesame salt), coconut bacon, coriander, paprika and sun-dried tomatoes. Wash everything down with a Tahini Date Smoothie, or for something hot, a Spice Kurkom Latte.

If you're looking for some comforting, fast-casual vegan grub, Thalatheen is an excellent spot for a quick, healthy, yet satisfying meal. Plus, if you have any extra time, heading to the National Museum of Qatar is highly recommended. The museum, designed to resemble the Desert Rose, a rose-like formation of crystals that form in the desert due to evaporation, is a wonder to behold and well worth a visit - not only is it an incredible building, but it's a great place to learn about Qatar's past, present and future.

The Nitty-Gritty:

Location: National Museum of Qatar, Museum Park Street, Al Mirqab

Location Map: Thalatheen

Nearest Metro Stop: National Museum of Qatar Metro Station on the Gold Line

Hours: Saturday to Thursday: 8 am - 10 pm; Friday 10 am - 10 pm; Sunday: Closed

Contact: +974 4001 0669

Website: https://www.thalatheen.com

Instagram: @thalatheen

Main image: Shutterstock/Waleed Hammoudeh