ExploFood · Asia
What to eat in Bahrain
Five dishes to try in Bahrain, the most typical first. Three are vegetarian.
Five dishes to try in Bahrain
Machboos مجبوس
Spiced rice cooked with chicken, lamb or fish and dried lime.
How to have it: Bahrain's national dish, often made with fish; served with daqoos tomato sauce.
Muhammar محمر
Sweet rice cooked with date syrup or sugar, cardamom and saffron.
How to have it: Traditionally served with grilled or fried fish such as safi (rabbitfish).
Harees هريس
Slow-cooked wheat and meat beaten to a smooth porridge.
How to have it: Made in large pots during Ramadan and shared with neighbours.
Balaleet بلاليط
Sweet saffron vermicelli topped with a thin omelette.
How to have it: A weekend breakfast in Bahraini homes; traditional cafés in Muharraq serve it.
Bahraini halwa حلوى
Glossy jelly-like sweet of starch, sugar, saffron, rosewater and nuts.
How to have it: Buy it fresh from Showaiter in Muharraq; served with Arabic coffee.
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Questions
What food is Bahrain famous for?
Machboos (spiced rice cooked with chicken, lamb or fish and dried lime) comes first on our list, followed by Muhammar, Harees, Balaleet and Bahraini halwa.
What is the national dish of Bahrain?
Ask ten people and you get several answers. The dish we put first for Bahrain is Machboos: spiced rice cooked with chicken, lamb or fish and dried lime. Bahrain's national dish, often made with fish; served with daqoos tomato sauce.
Which dishes in Bahrain are vegetarian?
Three of the five on this page are vegetarian as usually made: Muhammar, Balaleet and Bahraini halwa. Recipes vary, so ask about stock, lard or fish sauce.
How reliable is this list?
The dishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, where you can also tick off the ones you have tried. Recipes vary by region and by family, so take it as a starting point.
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Get ExploDishes are hand-picked from general knowledge in the Explo app, with links to Wikipedia. Recipes and names vary by region.