Belgian Café, InterContinental Doha Beach and Spa

Belgian Café is the pub at the InterContinental Doha Beach and Spa, a five-star hotel in Al Dafna on the northern edge of West Bay. It is a licensed hotel venue for a relaxed drink, with a distinctive selection of Belgian beers and what the hotel describes as one of Doha's largest outdoor terraces. In a city where most nightlife is in hotel lounges, it offers a more casual, pub-style evening.

The food is a mix of Belgian dishes and pub classics. The best-known night is Tuesday's Mussel Madness, when mussels come with frites in seven different flavours. Other dishes include bratwurst, wings, fish and frites and slow-roasted brisket. Beer is the main event, from Belgian brews to German beers paired with the Brew and Bratwurst platter, and there is a bucket deal for groups. Major sports fixtures are shown on screen, so it is a good place to watch big matches.

Belgian Café opens daily from 12.30pm to 2am. Hoppy Hour, the venue's happy hour, runs from 12.30pm to 7pm Sunday to Thursday, 4pm to 9pm on Friday and 12.30pm to 4pm on Saturday. Guests under 18 are permitted only until 5pm, and a scan of your QID or passport is required at the door, so bring the original document with you. Reservations can be made by phone or by email with the hotel's dining team.

It suits groups of friends, sports fans and anyone who wants a casual evening with beer and comfort food rather than a dressy cocktail bar. The terrace is best from late autumn to spring, when evenings in Doha are mild. In the summer, the indoor bar is the more comfortable choice.

In Qatar, alcohol is served only in licensed venues, almost all of them inside hotels, so pubs like this are where residents meet for a beer. Prices for drinks are high by international standards, which makes the long happy hour worth planning around. If you are coming for a big match, book a terrace table in advance.

The InterContinental Doha Beach and Spa is in Al Dafna, West Bay, so a taxi or ride-hailing app is the easiest way to arrive. As always in Qatar, never drink and drive, and keep drinking within the licensed venue.