5 reasons why The Great American Bagel Bakery is great

The Bagel

Of course this had to be reason number one. The variety of bagels is incredible right from sweet-ish ones to the savoury and healthy. The range is mouthwatering, and inexpensive averaging around QR 6. Best part, if you order off the menu, the bagel is included! I personally love the Jalapeno Cheddar bagel. If you order a sandwich, you do have the option of Panini bread, and it comes with crisps. So full points for quality, freshness and variety!

Location

Although the WOQOD fuel station at Al Hilal near the Gulf Cinema Signal is not really an ideal place to eat, the more often you go there, the more you discover how you can get a ton of other things done while you stuff your face. Get your car washed, and grab a bite to eat while its done. There is a Sidra nearby for emergency household items like chocolate and car freshener :D, ATMs and Ooredoo machines, a fuel pump of course, prayer rooms, bathrooms, coffee … you see what I mean? And if you want out of the city hustle and bustle, their Barwa Village branch in Wakra is a neat option.

Desserts and coffee

Now it’s not just the bagel. This place doubles up as a coffee shop and they have the best desserts ever. The brownie is Sinful Level 9 and if you’re a Lotus fan, you’ll immediately understand the significance of a Lotus Cheesecake (wait, what?). Yes. TGABB has Lotus Cheesecake. And a fairly decent selection of teas to wash away all that sin.

Value for money

I’m not saying they’re cheap. But I’m also not saying they are expensive. I think an average of QR 25-30 for the convenience and quantity of a quickie breakfast or lunch is pretty reasonable. It’s filling, it’s fast, what more could you ask for?

Customer service

TGABB defines customer service truly, and really delights. Recently, I hosted a pot luck party (where everyone brings one dish) and a friend of mine decided to get their brownies. Now the Al Hilal branch was out, and she needed six pieces. The kind people at TGABB went out of their way, arranged to bring the brownies from two of their other locations and then handed them over to her. WOW!

Food – 7/10
Ambience 7/10
Service – 8.5/10
Value for money – 7/10
QSG’s Survival Ranking* – 7.5/10
*The QSG Survival Ranking ranks experiences/places/things from 1 (the least important requirement for your survival in Doha) to 10 (the most important).