Oman Magazine shares a cup of coffee with three entrepreneurial ladies who have elevated Oman’s coffee offering through their high-end café; aptly named Bonn Beans… Everyone needs a daily dose of something to get them through the day. Whether a pot of tea, shot of coffee or slice of sweetness, we are all looking for something to sip, savour or indulge in during arduous days at the office. So when three fuel-filled ladies, working in the Oil & Gas Industry decided to ‘open-shop’, they created not only a beautifully blended coffee shop, but an all day eatery serving breakfast, lunch and dinner in the form of ‘Bonn Beans’.
Oman Magazine sits with Nashwa Al Busaidi, Safa Al Riyami & Ahlam Al Batrani to find out more…
What was the inspiration behind the brand?
We wanted the place to represent a fusion of traditional Arabic and Contemporary international coffee shops.
The word ‘Bonn’ actually represents Coffee Beans when said in Arabic, and of course the word ‘Bon’ means good, or lovely, or delicious in other European languages, so it’s a universal way of marrying the two. With the ‘Bonn’ in Arabic and the ‘Beans’ in English, we were happy to open with this unified name on 16th April of this year.
Which is your favourite coffee served at Bonn Beans?
That would have to be the Arabic coffee. Specifically Omani coffee which we refer to as Omani Dalla; it’s a must try.
When did you decide to open your own café and what was the reason?
The idea came about more than three years ago. We collectively wanted to introduce a new concept in Oman, that hadn’t been previously done. There weren’t any ‘high end cafés’ with an Arabic touch to it.
We took time to travel and explore many countries as market research for our concept, we knew what we wanted and sought out the best practice on how to execute it. We looked at various set up concepts, from a small kiosk café to a much larger offering.
Today we have elaborated on our original F&B offering and serve international cuisine as well as an array of Arabic sweets.
[metaslider id=4127]Can you tell us about the décor?
It’s important for our guests to feel relaxed when they visit Bonn Beans, so the sophistication of the décor and the Arabic touches throughout are just one of the ways we want people to feel the luxury element of our café. We have elegant poems adorning the walls in Arabic. We have Arabic language and writing on the cushions and tea-ware with some quaint proverbs to keep things interesting and a talking point. We change the cushions from time to time, for example in Ramadan, where we can use specialized sentiments and scripts for the occasion or celebration.
There is also a quiet area in the café, which has become very popular for business meetings which are looking for that subtle Arabic nod in our offering and ambiance.
Who designed the interior?
We commissioned an Emirati designer from Abu Dhabi and she helped us setup the interiors based on our concept. We collaborated on colour schemes, textures, layout and look & feel to create something we were all happy with.
Were you involved with the menu process?
Absolutely yes! We all adore cooking and creating dishes. Each dish featured is a recipe that we created and have tried and tested on our families and friends for many years.
What are the plans for future?
As a new business, we will focus on consistently striving to improve our offering and leave guests with a memorable impression after visiting Bonn Beans. The long-term vision is to expand and have other branches, whether in Oman or further afield.
Panorama Mall, 1st Floor, Muscat
+968 2458 7456
@bonnbeans
