Fabulous Food for Hungry Visitors Near Lusail Stadium

After ten years of preparations for the FIFA 2022 World Cup Qatar and the hosting of one of the best tournaments in World Cup history, the final whistle blew on the entire event on December 18th 2022. However, the event's legacy will continue for many years, especially in the world-class stadiums (specifically built for the competition) that hosted the tournament games. 

Seven of the eight stadiums will continue to draw visitors keen to glimpse the venues that accommodated one of the most popular sporting events in the world, not to mention their incredible architecture and state-of-the-art facilities. In addition, all eight stadiums and their surrounding precincts will be repurposed in the future (with the eighth arena, 974 Stadium, being dismantled altogether) and transformed into modern hubs for sports, leisure, entertainment and relaxation, attracting visitors and locals alike.

Not only will there be plenty to see and do at the stadiums, in their precincts and surrounding areas, but you will also find a host of cafes, restaurants and other eateries nearby to keep the visiting masses fed and watered. So, for whatever reason, if you visit the 2022 tournament stadiums, rest assured you will find some excellent eateries close at hand! Here are our top three recommendations:

Lusail Stadium

Lusail Stadium is one of the biggest arenas built in Qatar for the FIFA 2002 World Cup. The state-of-the-art arena, designed to emulate traditional Arabian crafts, rises from the ground into a gently curving, handmade bowl shape, using aged-metallic panels to capture the spirit of times gone by. During the evening, intricate patterns carved into the facade create openings through which a warm light glows, like the traditional Persian 'fanar' (lantern). Day or night, the stadium is a wonder to behold.

Following on from the 2022 tournament, the stadium and the surrounding complex will now be redeveloped into a unique community hub. The stadium will be transformed into a vibrant building, housing schools, shops, restaurants and cafes, accommodation, sporting facilities, health centres and other public spaces. The seating and infrastructure removed from the stadium will be donated to other sporting projects around the globe.

If you are visiting the stadium, it's worth noting that the venue sits in Qatar's second-largest and newest city, Lusail - a thoroughly modern, self-contained metropolis with much to explore. The city is full of astounding architecture, including the stadium, awe-inspiring malls, beautiful parks, boulevards and plazas, and stunning waterfront promenades and marinas. And where there are so many attractions, there are always places to grab a bite to eat. Alongside Lusail Stadium, you can find a plethora of eateries. So, pre- or post-visit, you can find somewhere to satisfy your hunger.

Ramen

Image: Facebook.com

One of our favourite new places to eat in Lusail is literally a stone's throw from the stadium. Located opposite the arena, on the pedestrian pathway-park that borders the stadium precinct, Ramen is a tiny eatery that serves dishes with big flavours. 

Ramen offers authentic Korean and Japanese food such as Ramen, Sashimi, Nigiri, Noodles, Sushi Rolls and Rice Bowls, as well as soups and salads. If we had to recommend just a couple of dishes to try, we’d have to plump for the Beef or Hot Gyoza Ramen - the little Gyoza dumplings are unbelievably tasty. If you like a bit of heat, try the Spicy Noodles. Or if you just want an easy snack, order the fried Beef Dumplings or the Wasabi topped Green Dragon Sushi Rolls.

There is plenty of covered seating outside Ramen under their little green garden pergola, and the view of Lusail Stadium shining under the sun is a delight to behold as you tuck into your grub.  

Location: Crescent Park Block 3, Bu Redaim Street, Lusail

Hours: Daily:  11:30 am -  12 am

Contact: +974 3116 6765

Website: ramenqatar.com

Instagram: @ramenqtr

Horatii Tiramisu Lounge

Image: horatiilounge.com

Located on Lusail Boulevard, just a 15-minute walk from the stadium, Horatii Tiramisu Lounge is a perfectly indulgent place to satisfy your sweet tooth. This high-end eatery focuses on cakes and pastries, with emphasis on all things Tiramisu, and some of their cake work is so beautiful, intricate and artsy that you may find you spend more time taking photos than eating. 

However, despite the attention to all things sweet, the lounge also offers an array of savoury foods to balance out the cake gluttony. From breakfast through lunch to dinner, you can opt for healthy salads, light-bite sandwiches and wraps, pasta, pizza and burgers, and dishes such as Risotto, Beef Stroganoff and Grilled Lemon Chicken. Nonetheless, the desserts and cakes should not be missed - try the Honey Cake, the Saffron Milk Cake, the Triple Chocolate Layer Cake, or the lighter, tropical flavours of the Mango Slice Cake. But, if we were to recommend anything, we would heartily push the Tiramisu. Try the classic, the chocolate, the caramel or the creme brulee; each is a taste sensation. And, if you want to go the whole hog, wash pudding down with a Tiramisu Milkshake.

Horatii Lounge is a great place to enjoy sumptuous and opulent surroundings and decadent food, but equally, it's worth visiting for the location. Lusail Boulevard is an ultra-modern street full of contemporary architecture, wide tree-line walkways, plenty of shops, hotels, cafes and restaurants, and a host of things to see - check out the street fountains, the giant 3D screens and various artworks. One piece of art not to miss, which is quite hard to miss, is the 30 m sculpture of a whale shark, Al Nehem, suspended between the four Lusail Towers at the end of the street.

Location: Lusail Boulevard, Lusail

Hours: Saturday to Thursday, 6 am - 12 am; Friday, 6 am - 11:30 am and 2 pm - 12 am

Contact: +974 3309 7715

Website: horatiilounge.com

Instagram: @horatiilounge

Amora Pizza

Image: whealth.com

Located a little further from the stadium, Amora Pizza is a typical-style Italian diner but offers a healthier version of traditional Italian cuisine. Though it is a 25-minute walk, we think the effort is worth it.

Amora offers pizzas, pasta, salads and paninis, and a host of other appetisers. Many of the options on the menu are classics on any Italian menu - Cheese and Tomato, Salami, Vegetarian, Frutti De Mare and Four Cheese pizzas, Carbonara, Lasagna, Bolognese, Arabiata and Chicken Alfredo pasta dishes, and Greek and Caesar Salads. However, the eatery also offers more unusual stone-baked pizzas flavours, such as Carbonara, Smoked Salmon, Burrata and Pomegranate, and Burrata Bresaola - all of which we would recommend. We would also vote for the Goat's Cheese and Ricotta Salad with beef bresaola and cucumber pickles and the Pasta Alla Norma with eggplant, feta and tomato pesto.

A hop, skip and a jump away from the diner is the lovely Crescent Park. With plenty of paths, a green maze, sports courts, a kid's play park, water features and a host of public art, the park is a handy place to relax or take an after-dinner stroll.

Location: Building A02, 112 Lusail Street, Lusail

Hours: Daily:  10 am - 2 am

Contact: +974 311 7147

Website: amorapizza.com

Facebook: @amorapizzaqatar

If you are taking the time to visit each of the 2022 World Cup stadiums (which we heartily recommend), keep hunger at bay while you sightsee by checking out the following recommendations for some top eateries in the vicinity of each venue:

• Nutritious Nosh Near 974 Stadium
• Eating Out Around Ahmad bin Ali Stadium
• Best Restaurants to Visit Near Al Bayt Stadium
• Awesome Edibles Around Al Janoub Stadium
• Eateries Close to Education City Stadium
• Great Grub Close to Khalifa International Stadium
• Discovering Sights Via The Metro Red Line From Al Thumama Stadium

Main image: SanjaJS/Shutterstock.com