ARC

ARC is a café in Abu Dhabi’s Al Saadiyat Island Cultural District, centred on health-conscious comfort food, fresh ingredients and filling everyday meals. The menu brings together bagels, yogurt bowls, salads, rice bowls and blended drinks, making the café suitable for breakfast, a lighter lunch or a more substantial bowl-based meal.

Bagels are a core part of the offering. They are fermented for 48 hours and baked in-house each day, then served with combinations ranging from egg, cheese and bacon jam to turkey, pastrami, halloumi, avocado and labneh. The menu includes both meat-based and vegetarian toppings, with flavours that move between familiar café combinations and Middle Eastern-inspired ingredients such as zaatar, sumac, pomegranate and labneh.

Open-face bagels provide a lighter format, including avocado with labneh and herbs, or labneh with cucumber, mint, pomegranate and olive oil. A yogurt bowl combines Greek yogurt with granola, berry compote and peanut butter, giving the breakfast selection a sweet option alongside the savoury bagels.

The rice bowl section is broad enough to suit different appetites. Grilled chicken appears with Mexican-style rice, corn, guacamole and pico de gallo, while other bowls pair chicken or steak with coconut or cilantro rice, vegetables, greens and sauces. Beef shawarma comes with saffron rice, tabbouleh, pickled onions and tahini, adding a regional influence to the café’s otherwise contemporary menu. Salmon is also served with rice, edamame, avocado or other fresh accompaniments.

Salads focus on grilled chicken, avocado, leafy greens and textured toppings, with dressings served to complement the main ingredients. The menu also includes smoothies, protein smoothies and collagen smoothies. Blends range from fruit-led combinations to drinks made with avocado, spinach, orange juice, dates, banana, açaí, berries, oat milk or protein.

ARC suits diners looking for a casual café meal with a choice of lighter dishes, protein-focused bowls and familiar comfort food. Vegetarian diners can choose from several bagels, open-face options, yogurt bowls and smoothies, while meat and seafood dishes add more substantial choices. The menu’s mix of breakfast items, salads, bowls and drinks also makes the café practical for different meal times within the Cultural District.