Great places to eat in Saudi Arabia
You will never go hungry in Saudi Arabia.. an abundance of fresh local produce on every street, unrivalled world-renowned hospitality combined with international flavours on every street, from tasty, cheap street food to fine dining experiences, this is the place to eat!
Riyadh is packed with local and international cuisine on every street. Food plays a huge part in local Arab culture, bringing family and friends together.
Whatever your favourite dish or tastes, the international multi-cultural choices are unlimited here.
From all well known western fast-food takeaways and drive-thru's, to restaurants catering for special diets and local dishes, you are spoilt for choice.
Try local dishes and produce, including:
Juicy, sweet lamb dishes
Kabsa (national dish of Saudi Arabia - lamb, yoghurt, potatoes/vege, spices and rice)
Shawarma,
Mutabbaq
Ferek (sweet brown onion paste)
Saleek (whole chicken, ginger, garlic, red chili, paprika, cumin, coriander)
Jareesh (boiled and cracked wheat, finely mixed with meat),
Kibeh (deep-fried minced lamb or chicken in breadcrumbs) Maqluba (meat, fried vege, tomatoes, potatoes, egglant and rice)
Many varieties of hummus (ground chickpeas)
Many deserts to choose from - varieties of dates, date cake, Um Ali (baked shredded bread or croissant with milk, cinnamon, honey and nuts), mamoul (date cookies), basbousa (traditional Middle East sweet cake with rose-water syrup), Kunafa (stuffed with cheese, cream and pistachios), Masoub (Yemeni dessert - banana, crumbed flat bread, cream, dates, honey and optional cheese).
These are just a few of the very tasty local dishes to try while visiting the Kingdom., mamowrite your own text and edit me.
Local honey
- Fresh local produce to try in Saudi Arabia include:
- * Dates - many varieties
- * Many varieties of honey (from the mountainous regions of the North and South
- * Rose water - a nice accompaniment to many deserts
- * Fresh ground spices, including saffron
- * Freshly dried figs and fruits
- * Pomegranite syrup - sweet, good with meat and salads
- * Hummus - many local varieties
- * Smoked eggplant paste - really delicious with local flat bread
Great places to eat in Riyadh
Al Bukhari Shawayat Bahram Restaurant - Local food, handmade with care
One of my favourite local places to eat tasty, freshly cooked local food with handcrafted flat bread, baked on the spot in a clay oven. Literally just around the corner from where you stay you can find these restaurants.
This delicious street food combines local flavours with traditional dishes from Pakistan.
Rotiserie grilled chicken, eggplant and local vegetables, spicy vegetable soups, delicious lamb an chicken curried dishes, lentil soup with beef or lamb, sweet um ali desert, fruit milkshakes.
Simple but very tasty dishes, cheap and fresh. A meal costs between 5 and 7 UK pounds - take away or eat in.
Jar restaurant, Alyasmin
I picked Jar Restaurant in downtown Riyadh as it's one of the few places where I have found and eaten that British classic, fish and chips. That's not a typo either, yes, can you believe it? British fish and chips in Riyadh! complete with tartar sauce and mushy peas if you ask.
Great sea food, such as crab salad, in the pictures, great service and chilled, relaxed ambiance.
Well worth a visit and prices are reasonable too!
The other restaurant that offers decent steaks and fisn and chips is Outback, there is a great one located in Riyadh Front, but the fish at Jar is as close to cod ae you will get!
IKEA, Thumamah Rd for delicious English/American Breakfasts!
Ikea may sound like an unlikely recomendation for a good food restaurant, but their English/American cooked breakfasts are as close to authentic as you will get in Riyadh. All other dishes are great too!
All dishes you can get back home in Ikea are available here, from their famous meatballs and mash to salmon gravlax, complemented by an impressive range of deserts and drinks too, all at reasonable prices.
Their turkey 'fake bacon' is the closest imitation you will get for miles around, to complete the experience. You can pick up most of their dishes in the Ikea food shop on the way out. Try their sweet Um Ali (creamy bread-pudding with almonds, sultanas and cinnamon), just so delicious!
Al Mas Family Indian Restaurant
There are many excellent Indian restaurants in Riyadh. The Al Mas Family Restaurant stands out as it seems to be a local best kept secret, offerring exceptionally good, authentic Indian dishes, frequented by locals and always busy.
The food really is excellent and very, very reasonable prices, around 120SAR (around 34 pounds) for two, for a big meal of many dishes.
The service is friendly, fast and some unusual serving dishes - banana leaves, saving on the washing up!
As you enter there is an extensive range of take-away battered Indian delicacies, from sweet banana to meat dishes.
The Villa Restaurant (Thai/Asian Foods)
The Villa Restaurant is one of the best Thai restaurants I have ever visited. Simple, uncomplicated, extremely tasty Thai and Asian food in a clean, simple environment,
Service is extremely rapid and friendly, never waited more than 10 minutes for dishes to arrive.
Very popular with local Saudis and families, dont be fooled by the district around the restaurant, although a few doors up is a very top notch supercar show room, if you have a few million $ to spend!
Prices are very low for all dishes, yet the quality very high and they dont skimp on portion sizes either. You can spend your savings at the supercar showroom nearby after your meal!
