There are restaurants you discover because they are trending, and then there are restaurants you remember because your parents used to take you there. For many families in the UAE and Kuwait, Caesars belongs firmly in the second category.
Caesars Restaurant: The Kuwait-Born Chain That Became A UAE Childhood Memory
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The story goes back to 1973, when Lawrence D’Souza and his Kuwaiti business partner Ghazi Al Abdulrazzak opened their first Caesars restaurant in Salmiya, Kuwait. D’Souza had come to Kuwait from India in 1957 and worked with the Post, Telegraph and Telephone department before moving to the Kuwait Air Force, where he worked as a chief accountant. He had no restaurant experience when he decided to enter the business.
The first Caesars opened in Salmiya, followed by two more restaurants in 1974 and 1975. Within five years, the group had grown to six branches.
From Kuwait’s Salmiya To The UAE
Caesars crossed the Gulf and established its UAE operation in 1989, starting with a restaurant and confectionery. The UAE business later expanded across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah.
Now, its outlets are stretched across areas including Bur Dubai, Karama, Deira, Garhoud, Qusais, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah.
Caesars wasn’t asking diners to choose between cuisines or follow a particular dining trend. Its restaurants brought together Indian, Chinese, Iranian, Continental food and sizzlers, while the confectioneries sold everything from pizzas and puffs to sandwiches, cakes and pastries.
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The Restaurant That Did A Little Of Everything
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That multi-cuisine approach was a big part of what made Caesars familiar.
Today, the Kuwait outlet still describes Caesars as one of the early casual-dining restaurants there to offer a multi-cuisine menu. Its current menu highlights dishes such as sizzlers, butter chicken and chicken biryani.
It was the kind of menu that worked for families because everyone could find something they wanted. One person could order biryani; the kids could indulge in noodles, and if anyone wanted something fancy like a sizzler. Nobody had to compromise.
The Caesars Confectionery Connection
For a lot of customers, Caesars wasn’t only the restaurant where you went for lunch or dinner. The bakery and confectionery side became a part of everyday life too.
The company says its mini pizzas became a favourite in Kuwaiti households. Meanwhile, its UAE confectioneries were known for pizzas, puffs, sandwiches, cakes and pastries. And that is probably where a lot of the nostalgia comes from. You could simply walk into a Caesars for a family meal and leave with a box of pastries or puffs or even both!
From Family Dinners To Childhood Memories
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If you grew up in the Gulf in the 1990s or 2000s, Caesars was more than just a place you dined at.
The restaurant your parents knew or the table your family always preferred. The dish you ordered without looking at the menu or that familiar confectionery counter where you were allowed to pick something before going home.
Here’s what loyal fans of Caesars told us about their favourite memory linked to the chain.
Our Associate Editor, Sannjanaa Shenoy, said, “Caesars is my childhood. I can’t imagine a birthday party without Caesar’s mini pizzas. While it’s been years since I left Kuwait, I still remember the distinct taste of that pizza because it’s been such an integral part of my childhood. I haven’t found anything else that tastes remotely close to it. It was just tomato sauce and cheese on a round pizza.”
Chrismica Thomas, an IT Professional from Bengaluru, told us, “Caesar’s was within walking distance of my home. I remember heading to the bakery with my dad to customise a box of pizzas, puffs, and rolls. Whether I hosted a birthday party or attended one, the mini pizzas would certainly be part of our celebrations.”
The chain’s own history talks about customers spanning generations, while its long-running presence across Kuwait and the UAE has made the name familiar to Gulf residents for decades.
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5+ Decades Of Pure Nostalgia
More than five decades after that first restaurant opened in Salmiya, Caesars’ story isn’t really about how the Gulf’s restaurant scene is turning bigger, but how a restaurant became part of people’s everyday lives & their memories.
And for anyone who grew up with Caesars, sometimes the strongest reason to go back isn’t what’s new on the menu but finding something that still feels familiar.
Let us know your favourite memory of Caesars if you grew up in Kuwait or the UAE, gorging on those iconic mini pizzas or more!
Cover Image Courtesy: Caesars/Website, Instagram
FAQs
What is Caesars Restaurant known for?
Caesars is known for its multi-cuisine menu, sizzlers, Indian and Chinese dishes, pizzas, pastries and confectionery items, including its much-loved mini pizzas.
Is the mini pizza at Caesars UAE is expensive?
The OG mini pizza at Caesars UAE will cost you AED 1.58 per piece approx.
