Where we are going today: Four Squares Cafe

Four Squares Cafe is back! After a brief hiatus to renovate, the Eastern Province’s sweet spot returns with a fresh logo.

The revamped cafe is well-lit, with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating, as well as outlets to plug in your devices as you also recharge. It has been the only branch in Alkhobar for a decade and counting.

Staff are known to be attentive and extremely helpful. They offered me the Wi-Fi password without me asking, which was a nice gesture, although I did not use it.

The semi-spacious space on the top floor is ideal for small meetings, with a communal table at the ready. In fact, many local groups have meet-ups there.

Not to worry — there are also several single tables for solo sippers or parties of two or three.

At the barista’s suggestion, I tried the SR26 ($6.9) matcha latte with brown sugar foam, and I enjoyed it a lot.

On the day of my visit, they had a banana loaf slice for SR16 and a variety of oat cookies — chocolate or pistachio — for SR12 each. The pastries seem to rotate, so if you like something, eat it.

We ordered the pancakes, with slices of strawberry and syrup to the side, and a regular latte. The pancakes tasted homemade. I liked how they offered gluten-free overnight oats for SR17 and a chia pudding option for the same price — ready to grab and eat directly from the fridge. 

One good thing to note is that they serve decaffeinated beans from Manhattan Coffee Roasters, which they also sell in a bag to brew at home. Local cafes in the area do not often offer decaf coffee, so this is a good place to try some if you want a late-night cup.

They also had a basket full of free small stickers for customers. 

Open daily; for updates, check their Instagram @foursquarescafe.