The idea of stopping by the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) Park’s weekend bazaar came from the excellent weather on Saturday evening, and it seemed only fitting to grab a friend and head to an open outdoor space where food was readily at hand.

The bazaar is a lot more expansive than it seems at first glance, as the 250 stalls it features line several walkways, with food centered to one side, and handicrafts, clothing and other wares in different ‘aisles’.

Perhaps the most refreshing thing about the bazaar is the diversity of goods and of people. Most of the stalls belong to home-owned businesses, bringing a personalised variety to what is available.

There is a surprisingly strong Yemeni presence among the business owners, along with Indians, Filipinos, Kenyans and Arabs of all kinds. The stalls and small home-businesses reflect the diverse cultural presences within Qatar, which is great because the food options instantly become more interesting, with everything from Thai to Turkish food on offer.

One of the best things about the bazaar is how reasonable it is. You can buy a beef burger for 5 QAR—water costs more in some places— and have cash and room for karak, fries, noodles, crepes and just about anything else you want to stuff yourself with.

Be sure to come to the bazaar with a pocketful of cash, as cards are not accepted. Many of the knick knacks on sale are quirky and unconventional. Everything from potted plants, clothes, toys, makeup, woven slippers, preserved butterflies and natural honey for sale. We were especially intrigued by an old-school transistor radio at a Yemeni stall playing Arabic tunes from the 70s.

Atmospherically, the bazaar has a nostalgic, old-style feel to it, however unlikely that may seem with a testament to modern architecture (the monolithic museum itself) looming in the background.

The only thing you can be sure to have a hard time with is parking, at least within the MIA space. It may be a better idea to park outside the museum grounds and walk over instead. The bazaar is open till 10 pm every weekend until spring.