1 Shabby Chic Café
This is the newest kid on the block in Mamoura, serving up home-style café food. Shabby Chic boasts unique quirky décor with vintage radios and a bathtub converted into a couch. Fun ’50s music is on the stereo and you’ll love the menus shaped like old school records. They serve breakfast (which you get all day), healthy lunch options that can also be delivered and tasty comfort food and decadent cakes for when you need a treat. They also do bubble tea and great fresh juices such as apple, pineapple and lime and with easy parking outside, it makes for the perfect spot to catch up with friends.
Golden Tower A, Muroor Road (02 643 7497).
2 Grand Central
Another great venue in Mamoura, Grand Central won us over with their great burger selection and sweet potato fries. A cautionary word though; this restaurant only has outdoor seating so it’s better to enjoy a meal here when the weather is pleasant outdoors. Although the garden setting is very serene, the current construction taking place around the venue might well dampen your burger experience. They also deliver.
Open from 11.30am-11.30pm. Mamoura, Muroor Road (02 642 6499).
3 Jones the Grocer
This is TOAD’s favourite Jones in town due to the large café space and friendly staff. This Australian chain offers a whole host of fresh pastries, gourmet meals and tasty drinks. The sleek setting will give you a much needed break from your hectic schedule and you can choose from menu items or ready-made sandwiches. They do sensational breakfast omelettes and they offer grape and cheese in the evening, which is sure to satiate your appetites. Among our favourites on the menu are the miniature desserts which are small enough to satisfy a sweet tooth without causing too much damage to your waistline.
Open Sun-Thu 8am-10.30pm. Mamoura, Muroor Rd (02 443 8762).
4 Blossom Sweets
The first thing you notice when entering Blossom Sweets is the display case crammed full of tempting treats and impressive designs, such as a cake shaped exactly like Al Jahili Fort and a large, brightly coloured edible parrot. The founder and owner of this establishment is Miss Lamia Ahmed Al Hashly; a young, ambitious, talented and very successful Emirati lady. If you want a designer dessert or cake for a special occasion than we would highly recommend Blossom Sweets. You can also go in and pick up ready-made treats such as cupcakes and cookies.
Mamoura, on 4th Street between 13th and 15th Streets (02 441 2999).
5 Slices
One of the latest additions to the Mamoura eatery scene, Slices serves up some very healthy and organic choices that won’t leave you feeling guilty after your meal. With a rich salad bar stacked with fresh ingredients and many types of protein, as well as various ready-made sandwiches, this venue has a great dine-in selection. They do takeaway and we absolutely love their cute, burgundy salad boxes, as well as the venue itself, and we’re very happy to see a café serving up healthy, wholesome food in the city.
Mamoura, Muroor Road (02 491 8599).
6 Fit
This gym offers high quality ladies only and mixed group exercise classes such as RPM, Bodypump, TRX, pilates, yoga, Bodyattack, Bodycombat and Bodystep in a boutique studio setting. They also do a HUA class which is essentially a boot camp that can be done indoors, so it’s perfect for the hot summer. All of the instructors are friendly and professional. Fit offers classes only. Classes start at Dhs50 each. Mamoura, Muroor Road, next to Jones the Grocer (02 445 3395).
7 Biancorosso
This pizza spot has become a real favourite at TOAD and not just to visit: they also deliver. The atmosphere is buzzing yet relaxed and the bright red décor is cheerful. It’s great for a lunchtime stop-off or a casual evening meal. The food is good, but the restaurant’s biggest hit is the service, with endlessly patient staff, and we think it’s some of the best and most authentic pizza we’ve eaten outside of Italy.
Mamoura, Y Tower, behind Golden Tower building (02 658 4244).
8 Bloomsbury’s
This cute café has recently opened another store in Al Mamoura right next to Biancorosso. Decked out with very stylish boudoir décor it serves up tea, coffee and cupcakes and does it very well. The Raspberry Dream is a favourite with regular customers; vanilla sponge with a fruity raspberry buttercream and a fresh raspberry on top. We also suggest trying the tiramisu cupcake and the red velvet is a favourite of ladies all over the city. They do an excellent afternoon tea, with sarnies, scones and cakes included for Dhs55 each.
Mamoura, next to Biancorosso (02 643 8610).
9 Flower Boutique
The chief florist at the boutique is incredibly knowledgeable and they can do bouquets as well as headpieces and brooches made from flowers for something a bit different. The selection and quality is undoubtedly one of the better ones we have seen in the city and we’re now frequent customers.
Mamoura, next to Fit (02 445 4046).
