What’s all this about? Shopping?
Not all. But if you are planning on splashing some dirhams on quality purchases, you should read on.
So what is this souk all about?
Shops, restaurants and quality views of Khor Al Maqta. We love it and so should you.
Care to elaborate?
Allow us to go into a little further detail. Souk Qaryat Al Beri is not your average souk. In fact it’s part of the Shangri-la Hotel complex in Abu Dhabi’s Khor Al Maqta area and designed to be a contemporary adaptation of a typical Arabian market.
Go on…
Think Venice. The architecture of the two-level souk is a fusion of Arabian and Venetian themes. Within the souk you’ll find a wide array of restaurants and cafés – most of which have stunning Grand Canal and Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque views, perfect for getting snaps worthy of slapping on Instagram. When #inabudhabi and all that.
Venice? How so?
Yes, as in Italy. You can hop aboard the abras (water taxis) that’ll ferry you around the waterside complex via meandering man-made canals. So yes, very Venetian, but keeping to the Arabic theme.
Interesting. So what are the restaurants you speak of?
There are many award-winning restaurants at Souk Qaryat Al Beri, some of which are regulars at the Time Out Abu Dhabi Restaurant Awards. Take, for instance, Ushna, one of the best Indian joints in town. Or if you’re after some of the best tasting steak in the capital, head down to The Meat Co., which is a South African franchise serving an impressive variety of cuts and grades, and the views – wow. Also, there’s a decent Italian called Azzurro which has a husband and wife team cooking in the kitchen.
What about the shops?
There are many shops and stalls selling everything from jewellery and accessories to clothes, perfumes, antiques, furniture and carpets. Plenty of oud shops, too.
Great, I think I’ll check it out.
We’re here all week.
Only in Souk Qaryat Al Beri
Ushna
We get cravings for curry. Big time. When that happens, we know that there’s a 24-hour window to get one in our stomach otherwise there could be a tantrum. So we usually head to Ushna. This place is seriously good. It won Best Indian at the Time Out Abu Dhabi 2015 Restaurant Awards and it knows curry. There’s always a friendly welcome here and the food and views are first-class.
