The Saudi Restaurant Londoners are Flocking To

In the heart of London, Edgware Road unfurls like a menu of Middle Eastern cuisines, a near-perfectly straight ten-mile expanse where the Arab diaspora has found a culinary home. Here, amid the shining shawarma stands, fragrant shisha lounges, and bustling mezze bars, there is one place that stands apart—not for its opulence, nor for spectacle, but for something far more valuable: the taste of home.

For those who grew up in Jeddah, Mecca, or Medina, a visit to Hijazi Corner is more than a meal; it’s a journey back to the meals of their childhood, to the scents and flavours that pervaded their upbringing. For everyone else, it’s an invitation into a cuisine that has long been overlooked in the international food scene.

The man behind it all is an unlikely restaurateur whose journey began not with ambition but with longing. Ayman Al-Zubaidi is, at his core, a man who missed the food he grew up eating. “I needed the same taste of Saudi Arabia,” he tells #SceneNowSaudi, recalling the homesickness that took root when he came to the UK to study. What began as a simple craving for masoub soon evolved into a fully-fledged passion. Like many of the greats, Al-Zubaidi taught himself the craft at the most revered of institutions: his mother’s kitchen. Using recipes refined over generations, he set out to recreate the dishes of his home.

At first, it was an intimate affair—meals prepared for friends who shared his hunger for home. They asked for maqlouba, sambousa, matabok, and one by one, Al-Zubaidi obliged. “I kept thinking: Where is our cuisine? I want to bring it. I need to share it.”

Demand grew organically, spreading first through word of mouth, then through Snapchat, where he sold meals for £5 apiece. Eventually, his passion found a physical form—a modest pop-up shop on Edgware Road.

Then, everything changed. One day, Al-Akhbariya, a major Saudi news channel, picked up his story. The video went viral, and suddenly, the quiet pop-up on Edgware Road was no longer just a passion project. Saudis began flying to London expressly to taste Al-Zubaidi’s dishes. The response was overwhelming. It was clear that this would be bigger than any pop-up.

“I didn’t have a business plan, only passion,” he admits.

But passion, it turns out, was enough. In 2023, Hijazi Corner officially opened its doors, quickly finding a loyal fanbase among the diplomatic elites of London—including Saudi Ambassador to the UK, HRH Prince Khalid Bin Bandar Al-Saud. Al-Zubaidi has since been commissioned twice by the Culinary Arts Commission, catered for Westminster Council, and showcased Saudi cuisine at the Royal Embassy’s National Day celebrations.

In October 2024, the space underwent a transformation. The basement was reimagined as a traditional majlis, where guests sit cross-legged on handwoven textiles imported from Saudi Arabia, immersing themselves in the cultural authenticity of the experience. Upstairs, tables cater to those looking for a more contemporary dining experience, but the essence remains unchanged. “It feels like Saudi Arabia in Hijazi Corner,” says Al-Zubaidi. “It feels like home.”