Arada has welcomed an influx of dining outlets and retail brands at East Boulevard, the shopping and lifestyle destination at the centre of the AED35 billion Aljada megaproject in Sharjah. In total, 87 new shops, cafes and restaurants are now open at the popular 2.2-kilometre-long avenue, making it one of the hottest new social spots in the UAE.

Recent completions to the East Village and Nest residential communities adjacent to East Boulevard mean that open leasable space has grown by 80% to 130,000 square feet, providing a wide, walkable street lined with trees for an enhanced customer experience.

Newly opened outlets include Berenjak, the hit Persian home-cooked cuisine concept that has taken London’s Soho by storm, and Sharjah’s first edition of Home Bakery, the hugely popular café and dining concept. La Brioche, the French patisserie, has also made its Sharjah debut in Aljada, as has TBK, which has opened its second location following the Italian-American restaurant’s first outlet in Dubai, while trendy fast-food joint Picklhas brought its famous burgers to East Boulevard.

Upcoming outlets include colourful Indian restaurant Rang, which is opening its second location after  Dubai Mall, Chef Eyad, which specialises in delicious smoked meats, the Late Lounge coffee shop and Mara Lounge, the popular world-cuisine concept that has a number of branches across the UAE.

These new outlets join a large range of existing F&B brands at East Boulevard, including Bosporus, Five Guys, Starbucks, Hoof Café, Moon Slice Pizza and Origami. These are complemented by a wide range of shops and services, including Spinneys, Carrefour, Maple Bear Nursery, Mumuso, First Abu Dhabi Bankand the Artal fashion outlet, as well as pharmacies, salons, florists and cleaners.

Ahmed Alkhoshaibi, Group CEO of Arada, said: “The expansion of East Boulevard not only cements Aljada’s position as Sharjah’s most vibrant community, it also underscores Arada’s commitment to enhancing the Emirate’s lifestyle offerings, contributing to its ongoing growth and economic development. I’m pleased to say that commercial demand for our retail space has been extremely high, allowing us to curate the perfect blend of outlets for our residents and visitors.”

East Boulevard welcomed 2.4 million visitors in 2023, with that number set to increase substantially following the raft of new openings in the first half of this year, and the recent completion of homes at Aljada. In total, over 7,500 homes have now been finished at the megaproject, alongside a host of amenities that includes the SABIS International School-Aljada, a Wellfit flagship gym, the Zad food truck park and the Aljada Skate Park, all of which are complemented by extensive green landscaping.

With an estimated population of 70,000 on completion, and a catchment area that includes Sharjah city and much of northern Dubai, retail, leisure and entertainment play an important role in the

Aljada master plan. Around 1.2 million square feet of leasable space is on offer in the Madar central district alone, with the main contract for Madar Mall scheduled to be awarded in 2024.

Spread over a 24 million square foot area, Aljada is Sharjah’s largest ever project and a transformational destination for the Emirate. As well as its numerous residential districts, Aljada also contains extensive hospitality, entertainment, sporting, educational, healthcare components and a business park, all set within a green, walkable master plan.