In search of a quiet start to the day, Sirine Boudjadi headed to Anis Café at Park Hyatt Doha and found what every morning should be: unhurried, generous and beautifully made.

Msheireb is where I come when I need a clean start to the day: good coffee, a sunny table, a pace that actually lets you think. It’s one of my favourite parts of Doha, and this time I’m here for breakfast at Anis Café, the Park Hyatt Doha’s ground-floor restaurant.

From the street, you notice it before you even step in: deep-green awnings stamped Park Hyatt Doha, scalloped umbrellas to match and a neat line of sage-painted planters along the pavement. The terrace is built for lingering: low cream sofas with moss-green cushions, white frames, polished tables that catch the light. A couple of bistro chairs carry subtle green pinstripes; someone scrolls through emails, another settles into a call. In the corner, the plaza’s ground jets tick on and off, just enough sound to soften the street. At the door, Napoleon, the waiter, greets me with a grin and an easy ‘good morning’. His warmth and generosity will end up shaping much of what makes my experience so pleasant.

Inside, the room goes tall and calm. Floor-to-ceiling glass, black ceiling fans turning slowly, and a row of dark timber fins that filter the light into clean bands. The tiles underfoot form a patchwork of olive, beige and white. Big tropical plants anchor the corners. Along the back wall, warm shelves glow with golden tea canisters and a few framed prints, while the pale lime wallpaper keeps the geometry crisp.

It’s an easy place to park a laptop for hours, but today I’m here to eat. Breakfast first, work later!

Mornings, Four Ways

Anis Café keeps things simple but well thought-out, with four set menus that each feel like a different kind of morning. There’s the Continental, all gentle edges and comfort: eggs your way, sliced fruit, sourdough, butter and a glossy chocolate brioche that could pass for dessert. The Parisian leans sweeter: croissant, pain au chocolat, jams, berries and an acai–quinoa granola layered with coconut yogurt. Then there’s the ones that caught our eye: the Levantine, full of local warmth, and the Green Nature, made for anyone who likes their breakfast light but not boring. We order both, which turns out to be the perfect contrast.

The Levantine arrives on a wooden tray, every bowl in its place: creamy labneh with a swirl of olive oil and a dusting of sumac, smooth hummus, ful medames, warm and gently spiced, and a small salad of cucumber, arugula and cherry tomatoes. Next to it, golden pitas folded neatly beside a separate bowl of za’atar and olive oil. The fried eggs are just right: crisp-edged, sunny, sprinkled with za’atar, and a few slices of grilled halloumi bring the salt. It’s generous, balanced, and feels like something you’d happily linger over with mint tea.

The Green Nature, meanwhile, looks straight out of a wellness café but tastes far better than that makes it sound. Two slices of seeded sourdough come piled with avocado and poached eggs that break perfectly. On the side, a small blueberry-chia pudding layered with banana, and strawberries — light and fruity. A tiny raw chocolate madeleine sits next to it, gluten-free, soft and deeply flavourful.

Each option also comes with a drink of our choice, and I love that the selection doesn’t just stop at coffee. There’s a whole lineup of smoothies that actually sound tempting. We end up picking two that couldn’t be more different. Mine, the Avocado Galore, turns out to be closer to a dessert than a drink. It’s rich and velvety, the sweetness of dates blending into the almond milk, with a drizzle of honey that ties it all together. Across the table, Popeye’s Punch looks fresher, greener, the kind of thing that makes you feel virtuous just holding it. Apple and lemon lift the spinach, yogurt gives it body, and it’s gone in a few easy sips. Both work, just in different moods: one indulgent, one clean, like two versions of how the morning could go.

Build It Yourself

If you’d rather skip the set menus, there’s another way to do breakfast here. Order à la carte, let the plates arrive one by one, and soon the table looks like a tasting spread. First up, the Salmon Rolls: ribbons of smoked fish curled over toasted sourdough, lined with cool cucumber and a dollop of dill cream. Capers pop here and there, a squeeze of lemon does the rest. Warm pastry takes over next. The Cherry-Tomato and Feta Cheese Danish looks simple, but the craft shows as soon as the knife goes in: the laminated layers shatter into thin, buttery flakes; the centre stays tender. Tomatoes are slightly caramelised, feta melts into them and picks up the herbs on top. You get crunch, cream and that hint of depth that keeps you going back for more.

And yes, a sweet Viennoiserie is non-negotiable. As addicted as I am to chocolate, of course my choice goes to the Pain au Chocolat, though this one’s not the usual kind. It comes dark and glossy, with fine ridges running across the top like a chocolate sculpture. When you cut through, the crust gives way with a clean crack, the inside soft and cocoa-brown, still warm. The filling sits thick in the centre, halfway between ganache and melted chocolate. It’s buttery, indulgent and exactly what a slow morning should taste like. 

Put together like this, breakfast at Anis Café feels like the start of a habit, and I’m not sure I want to break it! D

GO: CALL 3158 7944 FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO MAKE A BOOKING.