What to Eat in Riyadh: A Food Guide

What to eat in Riyadh

• Kabsa

  Saudi Arabia's national dish — spiced rice with slow-cooked lamb or chicken.

• Jareesh

  Cracked-wheat porridge with meat, a Najdi comfort staple.

• Kunafa

  Cheese-and-syrup dessert perfected at Bujairi Terrace and Boulevard World.

What to drink

Saudi Arabia is a dry country — no alcohol served or sold. Arabic coffee (qahwa) with dates is the traditional welcome; specialty coffee is huge in Riyadh.

Dining etiquette and practicalities

• Modest dress in public — shoulders and knees covered.

• Right hand for eating and greeting; avoid pointing feet at people.

• During Ramadan, refrain from eating, drinking or smoking in public during daylight.

Where to eat in Riyadh

• Olaya & KAFD

  Business core — Kingdom Centre, Al Faisaliah, five-star towers and skyline dining.

• Diriyah / At-Turaif

  UNESCO mud-brick birthplace of the Saudi state — Bujairi Terrace fine dining.

• Downtown / Al Bathaa

  Masmak Fortress, Souq Al Zal and the old-city grid.

• Diplomatic Quarter (DQ)

  Leafy embassies district with parks and low-rise cafés.