The Best Places To Eat In Riyadh
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BREAKFAST & BRUNCH
Hustle N Flow
Exposed bricks, neon signs, living walls… This breakfast hotspot, which arrived in the Al Nafal district from Spain, hits every trend going. That extends to the healthy, dairy-free and gluten-free menu – order an activated charcoal latte to go with your smashed avo.
Follow @HustleNFlowRiyadh
Urth Caffe
This is the place to know for matcha. It sources the highest, ceremonial-grade matcha from one of Japan’s few organic tea gardens. For an indulgent start to the day, order yours with truffle scrambled eggs or eggs salmone. Having started in California in the 90s, Urth has become a Saudi staple – find it in Tahliya Street, Oud Square, Roshn Front, Riyadh Park and KAFD. The coffee’s good too.
Visit UrthCaffe.sa
Avindar Lounge
Avindar’s three sites around town are united by their commitment to whimsy – expect to hear birdsong as you settle in among some elaborate floral displays. Extensive menus feature eggs, crepes and French toast alongside an array of Arabic options. An open-air rooftop at its place in Roshn Front makes it perfect for an alfresco brunch.
Follow @Avindar_6
Brekkie
The clue is in the name. This Bali import does breakfast and brunch every which way. Whether you want to try an Arabic mezze or fall back on French toast, you’re in safe hands at this Al Mursilat stalwart.
Follow @Brekkie.sa
The Table
The Table is about seasonality – not just on the plate, but all around it too. Visit in spring and, sat among bright flowers, you might get The Ivy in LA vibes. Show up to this Al Malqa restaurant in autumn and there are more likely to be pumpkins on display. But you can count on the breakfast menu year round.
Follow @TheTable.sa
Sadelle’s
From New York to Paris, Sadelle’s has outposts around the world, including this one within the Mansard Riyadh hotel. Open from 7am, this is a place to start the day right – whether that means one of its signature Deluxe Tower bagels or eggs with a little osetra caviar on the side.
Visit Sadelles.com
Bellbird
The food is the star at ever-busy Bellbird. In chic, pared-back surrounds, it delivers standout versions of brunch classics like shakshuka or avo on toast. Just leave room for its croissant-based take on bread and butter pudding – and be sure to book ahead.
Follow @Bellbird_sa
Tameesa
Tameesa is one of our top spots for a traditional Arabic breakfast. You’ll find flatbreads, falafel and shakshuka here – and don’t be put off ordering the ‘foul’, a cooked fava bean dish enlivened with lemon, garlic, parsley and more.
Visit @Tameesa_sa
Chestnut Bakery
You’ll find this recent arrival from London in the Pure Center mall – just follow the sweet scent of fresh baking. From fluffy croissants to banana bread and burrata with burnt honey flatbread, everything’s made on site. Sit near the open kitchen and you can even watch the chefs do their thing.
Visit @Chestnut.sa
LUNCH
Joe & The Juice
The Copenhagen-based café and juice bar can now be found in Bujairi Terrace, the DQ, Al Mohammadiyyah and KAFD. Each time we go, we struggle to pass up the tunacado sandwich (with added cucumber for crunch and jalapenos for a kick) but there are also power shakes and veggie shots made with organic ingredients alongside sweet treat snacks.
Follow @JoeAndTheJuiceKSA
Lunchroom
Kuwaiti chef Ahmad Al-Bader is behind Lunchroom. In an appealingly wooden and traditional setting, he turns out panuozzo-style sandwiches, loaded flatbreads and galettes from a Josper grill. Lighter options include a range of ‘Market’ salads, and there’s a varied ‘Ode to egg’ menu. Popular among locals, this is one to book.
Visit Lunchroom.sa
Al Mamlaka
Feeling indecisive? Head to the top floor, where Al Mamlaka might give you Harrods Food Hall vibes with its array of 21 luxe restaurants under one roof. La Rustica is great for southern Italian pizza, while the contemporary Japanese at Nozomi Boutique also stands out. The mocktails from the Blended by Lyre’s bar are also worth a detour.
Roka
Roka made its name around London doing Japanese barbecue cooking in buzzy atmospheres. That’s exactly what it brings to Riyadh. We’d book seats around the robata grill to watch its chefs at work. Lunch staples include baby spinach salad with sesame dressing, black cod marinated in yuzu miso and pickled radish, dumplings, and sashimi.
Visit RokaRestaurant.com
L’Eto
Once just a bright café in London’s Soho, L’Eto is now an all-day dining concept with a presence in five Middle Eastern countries. Matching the décor, there’s a summery feel to menus that run from stracciatella salads and green halloumi bowls to dynamite shrimp sliders.
Visit LEtoCaffe.com
Il Baretto
The very first restaurant to open in KAFD in 2021, Il Baretto is a great spot for a working lunch or something more relaxed with the girls. In a cosy atmosphere, attentive staff will look after you well, delivering a menu of comforting Italian classics runs from wood-fired pizza to black truffle rigatoni.
Visit IlBaretto.sa
Signor Sassi
Tree House Café
This grab-and-go café has brought the farm-to-table concept to Saudi Arabia. It’s all about local and organic ingredients, sourced daily from nearby producers. The kitchen talent turns them into appealing lunch options like pesto bresaola press sandwich or rocca date and goat’s cheese salad.
Visit TreeHouseCafe.me
San Carlo Cicchetti
‘Cicchetti’ are those smaller plates so popular in Venice – order a few and share among yourselves. San Carlo is a London mini chain now making waves across the Middle East. Here in the As Sulimaniyah district of Riyadh, Italian marble and light blue accents create an elegant space that feels just right for ordering the lobster or black truffle ravioli.
Visit SanCarloCicchetti.sa
Habra
Another establishment from the stable of Kuwaiti chef Ahmad Al-Bader, this one bills itself as a ‘beef canteen’, but it might be nicer to keep in mind that its Arabic name translates as the best cut of meat. Indeed, high-quality meat is at the heart of what Habra does. In dark wood interiors, you’re your place at one of its communal tables and choose from ribeye or tenderloin cooked over a Josper grill.
Visit Habra-BeefCanteen.com
Crazy Pizza
The sense of theatre is strong at Crazy Pizza. Not only does it turn out classic margheritas and diavolas at its sites in As Sulimaniyah and the DQ – you’re also likely to see its skilled pizzaioli tossing the dough above their heads to a soundtrack of throwback Italian tunes. Be prepared to clap along.
Visit CrazyPizza.com
Clap
Well established in Beirut and Dubai, Clap has landed in Riyadh at the Ramla Terraza foodie hub. In sleek surrounds made for smart occasions, this state-of-the-art Japanese restaurant offers a three-course lunch menu featuring crunchy salmon or wagyu crispy rice, a signature Clap salad with dried miso and truffle, and – of course – black miso cod. Leave room for the matcha cheesecake.
Visit ClapRestaurant.com
Em Sherif Café
Em Sherif is Mireille Hayek, a Beirut-born chef bringing Lebanese cuisine to the world. Labneh, tabbouleh, hummus and other regional classics all feature on the menu at the Takhassusi restaurant that shares her name. Look out for a second outpost coming to the new Laysen Valley development in the DQ.
Visit EmSherifCafe.sa
DINNER
Carbone
The original Michelin-starred Carbone in New York’s Greenwich Village is an A-list magnet with an old-school sensibility. Within the Mansard Riyadh hotel, this outpost in the Middle East combines timeless Italian American fare, like its famous spicy rigatoni, with classic interiors – picture Murano chandeliers and other jewel tones.
Follow @Carbone.Riyadh
NAC
NAC started in London’s Mayfair and has now made it to Doha, Dubai and Riyadh. Close to the Saudi capital’s DQ in fast-developing Laysen Valley, it offers a French-influenced daytime menu that features some appealing small plates – try popcorn chicken and spicy mayo or charred honey sweet potato, creme fraiche and Nanami.
Visit NACRiyadh.com
Scott’s
Scott's Riyadh is the first time London’s storied seafood restaurant has stepped outside Mayfair. It’s come to the cutting-edge VIA Riyadh development next to the Ritz-Carlton, where the à la carte menu opens with the oysters that very originally made the Scott’s name. Lobster, ceviche and sashimi are all here – and the elegant dress code has made its way over from the UK too.
Visit CoolInc.com.sa
Najd Village
At three locations across the city, Najd Village immerses its guests in the old ways. In traditional surroundings, you’ll be seated on cushions and invited to look over a menu featuring local favourites like kabsah (try the half chicken with red rice) and jareesh (a sort of lamb and cracked wheat stew).
Visit NajdVillage.com
Flamingo Room | Scott's
Flamingo Room by Tashas
Set among the 20-odd restaurants that comprise Diriyah Gate’s Bujairi Terrace, The Flamingo Room is as dusky pink as you’d hope. There’s an African influence to this Instagrammer’s paradise – check out its concept store on the same floor and the African Lounge upstairs. Among a menu of international classics, look out for signature items like calamari Mozambique.
Visit FlamingoRoomByTashas.com
Mr Chow
Superstar restaurateur Michael Chow has entertained The Rolling Stones and had his portrait done by Warhol. Since opening his first restaurant in swinging 60s London, he’s built an empire that stretches from coast to coast in the US – and has now reached Riyadh. From the expensive décor to the creative Chinese cuisine, all of his signatures are here, plus you get fine views across the KAFD.
Visit MrChow.com
Gymkhana
When it arrived in London a decade ago, Gymkhana redefined what Indian food could be and quickly won a Michelin star. Among all the recent big-name openings at Via Riyadh, this might be the one to get excited about. Its old-school, dark-wood surrounds make for a nostalgic setting in which to try the kitchen's gloriously new takes on pastry-topped biryanis and fragrant kebabs.
Visit JKSRestaurants.com
Ruya
In upscale As Sulimaniyah, Umut Özkanca opened Ruya as an ode to the cuisine of his homeland. Meze, kebabs and classic Turkish pide are all here, and all prepared using the best Turkish ingredients. Interiors also nod to the old country, while the plethora of sharing-friendly dishes make this a top spot for a cosy evening out.
Visit RuyaRestaurants.com
LPM
The global LPM group brings a little bit of the Côte d'Azur to Al Olaya. The French flamboyance extends from the bold interiors to a fun menu that includes the best snails in town. This is also the place to get your fix of tartare and foie gras. The mocktails are worth travelling for, too.
Visit LPMRestaurants.com
Mamo Michelangelo
This Italo-French place within the Al Faisaliah hotel is a key fixture on the Riyadh dining scene. Recreating an original restaurant on the French riviera, it embraces the best of Italy too – there’s tiramisu for dessert as well as a wood-fired pizza oven. Once you’re sat at a table beneath one of its lemon trees, you won’t mind which side of the border you’re on. You’ll just be happy to be in the Mediterranean.
Follow @MamoMichelangeloKSA
Beefbar
Beefbar started in Monte Carlo and can now be found on five continents from Mexico City to Milan. In Riyadh, it’s got ritzy art-nouveau interiors and DJs to help set the vibe at peak times. The menu is loaded with global favourites like crunchy crab meat tacos and that famous marbled dessert – looks like beef, tastes like chocolate and melted caramel.
Visit Beefbar.com
SO.Fleur
Princess Sora Saud is the founder of this eye-catching restaurant. Chandeliers, marble and statement floral displays give it a grand conservatory feel – there’s even a floristry boutique on site. Tea, coffee and pastries are available through the day. Come evening, there’s a French-Med menu to explore – ravioli and risotto are offered alongside dishes with a subtle local accent, like Red Sea sea bass, carrot purée and butter passion sauce.
Visit SoFleur.com
Takya
Within Bujairi Terrace, female-founded Takya is a Saudi fine-dining restaurant that takes local classics such as kabsah, jareesh or sleeg and gives them a modern twist. In cooler months, sit outside on the terrace with a creative mocktail – the Eternal Flame blends berries, lemon, chilli water and elderflower.
Visit @Takya_sa
Signor Sassi
This Italian by way of London has some of Riyadh’s finest restaurant interiors. A seat on its terrace can transport you to a Mediterranean garden, though there’s romance in the main space too as the lights dim and the live music kicks in. Kitchen signatures including carpaccio, tuna tartare and spaghetti vongole are offered alongside a dedicated truffle menu – though if you’re going all out, you’ll also want the caviar-topped oysters.
Visit SignorSassi.com
Myazu
In a low-lit and atmospheric main space, designer Noriyoshi Muramatsu has laid out Myazu so everything happens around its open kitchen. That same Japanese attention to detail is there in the food too: sushi, gyoza, tempura and robata menus have been subtly tweaked for an international crowd and all are artfully presented. Book seats at the bar and be confident knowing you are in the safest of hands.
Visit Myazu.com
Nozomi
Nozomi first landed in Riyadh at As Sulimaniyah, but has now moved into the heart of the action in Al Olaya. Interiors are high end but unshowy, allowing the premium-grade Japanese cuisine to take centre stage. With the sushi, sashimi or nigiri, we’d go omakase and let chef choose whatever he thinks is best on the night. Wagyu sando is the excellent house signature from the robata grill menu.
Visit NozomiKSA.co
MNKYHSE
This playful Hittin establishment leans into the fun things that made its sister place in London such a buzzy success. The sparklers are here, so are the mini monkey toys that come with the drinks – and dancing around tables is encouraged. Latin American menus run from salads and soft tacos to caviar-topped feasting platters and wagyu done various ways.
Follow @MnkyHseKSA
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