Spice and Soul: Riyadh's Top Middle Eastern Restaurants
With an ever-growing list of Middle Eastern Restaurants to choose from, here’s a breakdown of our favourites.
Middle Eastern food in Riyadh doesn’t need much of an introduction, with an ever growing list of MENA eateries to satisfy all palettes. If you’re out to get a taste of some of the best the region has to offer, here are some of the most acclaimed restaurants and eateries you can find across the capital…
Rüya
Turkish Anatolian Flare
As Sulimaniyah
Meaning ‘dream’ in Turkish, Rüya is inspired by the Anatolian, Byzantine, and Ottoman cuisines that have shaped the food of what is now Turkiye. Modern dishes pay their respect to their deep heritage, elevating Turkish classics rather than creating any radical new flavour fusions.
Sobhy Kaber
Egyptian Grill
Al Mathar Ash Shamali
With its long, lauded history in its hometown of Cairo, Sobhy Kaber has since become a mainstay for grilled meats and all the accoutrement in Riyadh. The menu is a showcase of Egypt’s diverse cuisine, from juicy kebabs to stuffed cabbage and vine leaves, as well as rich, steaming tagines.
Shababïk
Lush Lebanese Eats
As Sulimaniyah
Shababïk is a top stop for all the things that make Lebanese cuisine so popular. This restaurant has the kind of menu that has you questioning if there’ll be room on the table for all the dishes you want to try.
Somewhere
Middle Eastern Fusion
Bujairi Terrace, Diriyah
Why go anywhere else when you can go Somewhere, and enjoy a decadent display of Middle Eastern Fusion. Celeriac Umm Ali, Wagyu kebab bao buns, and sesame tahini pancakes - it’s a riotous mix of all the things that make the region’s food so great.
Villa Mamas
Bahrain Home Cooking Gone Global
Bujairi Terrace, Diriyah
Brainchild of former banker-gone-foodie Chef Roaya Saleh, who is known as ‘Mama’ in these parts. Bringing authentic Bahraini homestyle cooking to Bujairi Terrace in Diriyah, there are clear influences from Saleh’s global travels, as well as the multicultural nature of Bahrain - Persian Zereshk Polo and smoked lamb mansaf vie for the top spot on this stacked menu.
Harat
Saudi-Lebanese-Turkish Fusion
Northern Ring Rd, Almasiaf
Harat is inspired by the cosmopolitan neighbourhoods of the Middle East in the late 80s, with nationalities contributing to a cultural melting pot - and a metaphorical cooking pot too. This restaurant serves up classics from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Turkiye under one roof.
Meez The House
Meats and Mezze from Across MENA
Hittin
Meez The House is all about hip new fusion flavours and unusual cooking techniques applied to dishes you know and love. Crunchy smoked makdous for brekkie? Chicken and halloumi makarona for lunch? And perhaps a crispy chicken pide for supper, with a beetroot taboula on the side? Yeah, we think so too.
Em Sherif Cafe
From Beirut with Love
The Zone, Al Mohammadiyyah
This classy spot is home to knockout mezze - both hot and cold - as well as fish and specials that change daily, evoking a deep-seated yearning for evenings on Beirut’s corniche, munching on shish barak and kibbeh bi laban.
Zooba
Egyptian Street Food
Al Malqa
Just like Sobhy Kaber, what started as a humble eatery serving simple Egyptian fare has become a multi-country sensation, with Zooba now boasting locations across the world. Expect those hearty Egyptian classics done oh-so-well, including taameya, koshari, and plump, ghee-slathered hawawshi.
Apr 23, 2024
