Al Madina is a small, unpretentious Middle Eastern café and restaurant on Charminster Road, Bournemouth's most cosmopolitan stretch of independent kitchens, a short walk or bus ride north of the town centre. It's best known for mandi, the Yemeni dish of fragrant spiced rice topped with lamb or chicken that's slow-cooked until it falls off the bone, the kind of dish that takes time and care to get right, and the reason regulars keep coming back.
The food
The menu is deliberately focused rather than sprawling: a small number of meat-and-rice dishes done well, all halal, rather than an attempt to cover every cuisine at once. Reviewers consistently single out the smoked meat and generous portions, and the venue holds a full 5-out-of-5 food hygiene rating from its most recent council inspection, a genuinely strong result. Dishes are available to eat in, take away, or order for delivery through Uber Eats and Just Eat.
Atmosphere
The eating area itself is compact and informal, more canteen than restaurant, and sits amid Charminster's dense run of independent cafés and takeaways from around the world. It draws a strong local following, including plenty of students from the surrounding area, so it can get busy in the evenings; arriving a little earlier makes it easier to grab a table.
Good to know
Al Madina generally opens Monday to Saturday, from early afternoon into the evening, and is closed on Sundays, though as with any independent kitchen, it's worth double-checking current hours before heading over. There's on-street parking along Charminster Road, plus a short walk or bus ride from the town centre. For more of the street's international mix, and further places to eat nearby, browse our food & drink guide and the full list of Bournemouth restaurants.