With plenty of natural sunlight seeping in from the windows, Arches Coffee House in Alkhobar is the perfect little getaway from your desk if you’re on deadline and want a slight change of scenery. Under many of the chairs, there are outlets so you can charge your device as you recharge, too.
On the afternoon of our visit, people with laptop bags had them leaning on the walls as they sipped their beverages quietly while looking out of the window.
If you do not want to read your notifications or respond to emails, an area in the back contains a bookshelf with a selection of books to browse and borrow. A few games are available there too, if you feel like passing the time in that way.
The cafe has a selection of savory and sweet delights, notably the mozzarella and tomato danish, their labna with zataar croissant and their raspberry eclair and date cake.
The barista recommended we try their banana pudding, a glass jar containing layers of fresh banana slices smothered with custard-like creamy goodness with a sort of cake base at the bottom.
They recently introduced matcha to the menu and it is offered in both hot and iced varieties. Beverages can be made with regular full-fat milk or one can choose lacto-free milk and they offer Alpro brand’s barista coconut variety, almond or soya as options.
Also at the barista’s recommendation, I tried their pineapple iced tea, which was refreshing. The iced tea had tiny pieces of fruit floating in the cup to nibble on. What I liked was how the iced beverage contained round ice cubes which melted very slowly and did not water down the drink rapidly.
The cafe, as the name implies, has arches. The white ceilings are carved to honor their architectural inspiration.
