Joe’s Bakery in Alkhobar is the hot brunch destination of the moment. With its cool, off-white exterior and lush plants at the entrance, this place gives off immediate welcoming vibes — even before you open the door.

A smartphone is a must to dine here. Once you get settled in, you need to swipe the code to read the menu, which has become standard in Saudi restaurants of late.

The difference is, at Joe’s Bakery, you place your entire order directly on your phone. You fill in your table number at the end and can add any comments or allergies directly there, too.

At first, it can feel a bit tedious to scroll and select each item individually, but once the order comes exactly as you wanted it, you’ll thank the staff.

There’s no need to talk over the soft jazz playing in the background or interrupt the waiter to ask for water at room temperature. You can choose extra hot milk — and, specifically, what kind of milk you want — for your cappuccino, for example,  and a medium-poached egg for your avocado toast, as I did.

The tables are a tad too small for the large plates, but each platter is aesthetically pleasing and the friendly staff know how to fit everything in like Tetris blocks.

You can pay directly on the page. If you are in a group or prefer to tap your credit card directly on the machine at the end, you can do that too.

Joe’s Bakery has two floors, and the top one is stunning — if you manage to get up the rickety steps. Halfway up is a full-length mirror so you can take a great selfie with the light hitting from all the right angles.

Owned by Alkhobar-based entrepreneur Nouf Al-Sultan, Joe’s Bakery is a gorgeous spot to spend the morning at. There are bakery items displayed at the front so you can grab something on your way out.

Be sure to book via the restaurant reservation app @requeue. We dropped in without booking a spot, but a crowd had just left and we were lucky to snag a table right away.

For six days a week, the bakery is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. It is closed on Mondays.

Visit them @joes.bakery.sa for details on their menu items and to book a table.