CULINARY
Dine like a king: Riyadh's best restaurants
Saudi’s culinary prowess is far more diverse than it’s given credit for and there’s no better place for your stomach to start than in the capital, Riyadh…
Words by Jonathan DeLise
Locals are genuinely delighted to cook up delicious dishes for visitors and Saudi’s capital Riyadh is no exception. Its restaurants showcase a rich diversity of cuisine, from Lebanese to Turkish and South Asian food. But in recent years there’s been a real push to rediscover traditional Saudi cuisine; the Saudi Ministry of Culture even established the Culinary Arts Commission to increase awareness of Saudi food.
To celebrate this, here are some of our favourite restaurants in Riyadh…
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If there’s one native Saudi food that comes to one’s mind, it’s likely the date. And if there’s one name synonymous with quality dates, it’s Bateel.
Meaning “young branch of a date palm,” Bateel was established in 1936 in Saudi. However, it was only in 1991 that the company opened its first date boutique, in the Saudi capital. Thereafter, in 2007, Bateel expanded into cafes with Dubai hosting both its flagship store and its new headquarters.
Nevertheless, Riyadh is one of Bateel’s most important markets, with a number of branches located throughout the city. In addition to trying dates from throughout the kingdom, Cafe Bateel also offers date pastries and shakes, as well as salads, pasta, and avocado toast.
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With such a diverse array of international cuisines available in Riyadh, it was only a matter of time before local ingredients began to steal the limelight.
In the case of Bal’harm, Italian-inspired dishes such as pappardelle al ragù bolognese (with minced meat), melanzana alla parmigiana (eggplant parmigiano), fusilli al pesto genovese (with EVOO, basil, pine nuts, garlic, and parmigiano) use Saudi tomatoes and shrimp to spotlight these favourites.
However, the signature dish at Bal’harm is ravioli di cammello, or ravioli stuffed with camel meat. The pasta is cooked overnight at a low temperature so that the locally-sourced camel meat melts in your mouth.
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Takya is the culmination of the efforts of three young Saudis – Hadeel al Motawa, Nada Al Qasabi and Hissah Al Motawa – who wanted to showcase a modern take on timeless Saudi dishes. Takya opened in mid-2019 in the revitalised historical Riyadh district of Diriyah, the ancestral area of Saudi’s founding Al Saud royal family.
Recommendations include olives in orange marmalade, mantu, or meat dumplings, girsan, or bread rolls with black lime syrup and vegetables, and the addictive mathlutha balls, made with rice and durum wheat, and stuffed with black lime and red chilies. And don’t skip dessert! Areekah, made with mashed dates, crumbled bread, and cream, is a hit.
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Occupying a fine spot in Diriyah’s Bujairi Terrace, Maiz is an authentic tour around the tastes of Saudi. With a menu that celebrates the best of Saudi cuisine from right across the country, you could be trying caviar plucked from the shores of Dammam to lamb reared in the Al Qassim province and tiger shrimps pulled out of the Arabian Gulf.
Not only that, Maiz’s modern take on Saudi food is reflected in its setting, where creams and dark woods glamorously fill its interior, the dimly lit chandeliers bringing plenty of ambience. If you prefer al fresco, head out to the terrace, where you can relax on authentic Arabia architecture while you enjoy your food. Saudi locals love coming here, which is always the truest test of any restaurant’s qualities.
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When you’re looking for the proper place to eat or drink, you might also be interested in other aspects of the restaurant, besides the kitchen. Take Toqa Café as one example. In 2021 and 2022, after having competed with numerous other cafes in the Middle East and Africa region, Toqa Café won the top prize from the London-based Restaurant & Bar Design Awards event.
The interior is very clean and polished, with wooden beams, chairs, tables. Flourishes of green and white abound, and high ceilings lend an airy feel. The patio has much of the same comfortable seating, in addition to smoking areas.
Coffee, known as qahwa in Arabic, has been consumed in Saudi for centuries. It’s commonly consumed with cardamom, ginger, cloves, or saffron, and accompanied by dates.
In addition to coffee, Toqa Café has an ample selection of desserts with Saudi flavours; cardamom and saffron cakes abound. And if you really have a sweet tooth, order a marshmallow cream coffee to go.
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Tofareya is a Saudi restaurant that seamlessly introduces some of the country’s specialities in a casual environment. It’s a good place to visit if you aren’t too familiar with local cuisine, as they have a wide variety of both appetisers, mains, desserts, and fruit drinks from which to choose.
Many Saudi dishes have a base of rice or ground wheat, mixed with spices, and topped with roasted lamb, camel, or chicken. For example, jareesh, one of the highlights of Tofareya, is ground wheat made with either tomato sauce, or sour yoghurt. Other standouts include qursan, or shredded bread with meat sauce, marqouq, a meat and vegetable stew, and saleeq, Saudi’s answer to risotto, but made with mastic and cardamom.
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Just as Toqa Café is worthy of a visit for both its menu and its decor, so, too is the property where Al Orjouan is located.
Having been originally designed as a palace, the Ritz-Carlton Riyadh manifests pure opulence. High ceilings, massive ballrooms and meeting rooms, and beautiful gardens are all part and parcel of why this property is one of the region’s best hotels. The lobby has displays of traditional Saudi coffee ceremonies. And if you’re peckish, Al Orjouan, the hotel’s luxurious buffet restaurant, is tough to beat.
This upmarket spot for breakfast, brunch, and dinner has choices from all over the world. Most importantly, they’ve got a number of regional options– e.g. ful medames, baklava, halwa, Saudi mocktails with ginger and cardamom, and dates stuffed with pistachios, clotted cream, and rose. If you don’t have time to travel throughout the Middle East, let Al Orjouan take you on a whirlwind culinary tour.
Practical information
Visas
It’s surprisingly simple and easy to get an e-Visa for Saudi and the process is very similar to applying for an ESTA for the USA. Over 50 nationalities are eligible to apply for an e-Visa, including people from the UK and USA, with it costing (at the time of writing) 535 Saudi riyals (about £115 or US$143). Applications are swift and nearly all applicants will receive a response within three working days – most within 24 hours. To apply for your Saudi e-Visa, visit the official Saudi Tourism Authority website. If you’re from the USA, UK or the Schengen Area, you can also apply for a visa on arrival into Saudi. It’s slightly cheaper than an e-Visa, too, at SAR480 (about £102 or US$128).
Getting there & around
Local customs
To really embrace Saudi life and pay respect towards its traditions, there are a few local customs you should abide when travelling around the country. Both men and women should wear clothing that covers their elbows and below their knees when out in public. If you’re heading to the coast, it’s still expected you dress modestly. When meeting and greeting locals, whether it’s a market stallholder or a private guide, say hello with ‘salam alaykum’, which means ‘peace be upon you’, as well as offering a handshake.
Weather
You might think it’s hot all year round in Saudi but it’s a little more nuanced than that. The best time to visit Riyadh is between October and March, when temperatures can dip as low as 20°C during the daytime and rarely exceed 30°C. Summer months in Riyadh can get extremely hot, with temperatures often above 40°C between June and September.
Is English spoken in Saudi?
Arabic is the official national language but English is widely spoken.
What is the currency of Saudi?
The currency of Saudi is the riyal, with the current rate (at the time of writing), around SAR4.76 to the UK£. You’ll need to pre-order money before you travel, as in the UK it’s not usually stocked in currency exchange booths.
What’s it like travelling in Saudi as a female?
We think you’d be surprised! To find out more, read our first-hand account on what it’s like to travel in Saudi.
What’s the time difference in Saudi?
Saudi follows Arabia Standard Time (GMT +3) all year round.
