Bait Al Marsi

Bait Al Marsi is a very small Yemeni dessert and breakfast stop in Hawateen Alley, next to Ba'eshen Fish in Al Balad, the historic district of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The menu is built around marsi, a Yemeni sweet of grilled white bread layered with cream and sliced bananas, and around Adani tea, the sweetened milky tea associated with Aden. Jeddah has long had a large Yemeni community, and Yemeni bakery and tea traditions form part of the city's everyday food culture, which is the context for a venue like this. Cooking is simple and quick: the bread is warmed on the grill and assembled to order, so the dish arrives hot, soft and sweet, and it is typically eaten with tea. Portions are small, and the price is low, at roughly SAR 15-35 (about $4-9) per person. The setting is a compact stall-style cafe rather than a full dining room. Seating is limited, the alley outside is often the real dining space, and the mood is informal, with a steady turnover of customers who stop for a short break between walks through the old city. The soundscape is that of the alley itself, with conversation from neighbouring restaurants and passing visitors. Dress is casual, although modest clothing is expected in the district. No alcohol is served, as is the case across Saudi Arabia, and the beverage focus is entirely on tea and other hot drinks. Opening hours are not published, so the reliable approach is to visit in the evening, after dinner at Ba'eshen Fish or elsewhere in Al Balad, when the alley is active. No reservations are taken; the venue is walk-in only, and the limited seating means that visitors in groups may need to stand or take their order to eat in the alley. Because it is so compact, the stop works best as a dessert or tea break within a longer route through Historic Jeddah rather than as a destination meal. Visitors curious about Yemeni food in the city often treat it as an inexpensive, quick way to try a regional speciality.