Your guide to Laysen Valley in Riyadh and all it has to offer
This is one of our favourite foodie hotspots in Riyadh…
Laysen Valley is one of Riyadh’s most prominent real estate projects. Located outside the city’s Diplomatic Quarter, it is a mixed-use complex consisting of over 50 residential, commercial, and retail buildings, including hotels, hospitals, offices of major corporations and government departments, as well as gourmet dining outlets.
Whether you’re in Laysen Valley for a day or throughout the week, dive into our helpful itineraries, from top restaurants to eat and hang, and so much more. Here are some of the things that you can check out at Laysen Valley right now and others that you can look forward to.
Restaurants and cafes that are now open:
Asador de Aranda
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If you’re a fan of roast lamb, you’ll love the wood oven-roasted baby lamb at Asador de Aranda. Their menu of Castilian cuisine features simple dishes, yet wonderful and very well-prepared ingredients. Expect a typical, classic Castilian décor with inviting atmosphere and friendly service.
Asador de Aranda, daily noon to 1am. @asadordearanda.riyadh
Bagatelle
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A coveted French luxury brand with restaurants in Miami, Dubai, London, and Bahrain (they even had a pop-up in Jeddah), to name a few, this is very exciting for Riyadh. Bagatelle, known for its lively atmosphere, upbeat music, and delicious French-Mediterranean food, is one of the best spots in Riyadh to spend with your friends and family. Expect a strong focus on fresh, clean flavours and ingredients as the centre of the concept, with French classics enlivened with innovative flavours and a lighter approach to dining. From seafood pasta to an array of truffle dishes, the menu offers a range of options for everyone.
Bagatelle Riyadh, Wadi Al Amariyah, Umm Al Hamam Al Gharbi, daily 4pm to 12.30am. @bagatelleriyadh
Bateel Café and Boutique
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Luxuriously designed, the 337-square-metre location spans one floor and features a seamless integration of the café and boutique, complemented by a beautiful terrace, perfect for relaxation and social gatherings. Diners can look forward to the brand’s signature Mediterranean menu. Meanwhile, the boutique boasts an array of Bateel’s exclusive product ranges, including signature organic and filled dates, single-origin chocolates, artisanal biscuits, premium nuts and date-inspired gourmet products. Here, guests can also explore Bateel’s signature collections and bespoke gift sets.
Bateel Café and Boutique, Sat to Wed 8am to midnight, Thurs & Fri 8am to 1am. @bateelgourmet
Biotic
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Looking to grab a nutritious snack or stock up on wellness wonders? Head to Biotic for organic food and produce, featuring salads, deli items, fresh juices and coffee to entice everyone from the raw foodist to the curious carnivore.
Biotic, Sun to Thurs 9am to 11pm, Fri & Sat 3pm to 11pm. @biotic_sa
Caffeination
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This coffee shop from Al Khobar deserves to be a stop on your list. Find a seat inside and sip on a velvety, house-roasted flat white. Combine your brew with a brownie cookie, and you’ll get yourself a match made in Laysen Valley.
Caffeination, Laysen Valley, Umm Al Hamam Al Gharbi, daily 7am to 1am. @caffeinationco
Café Kitsune
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The wait is finally over. Cult-favourite Café Kitsuné makes its debut at Laysen Valley on October 13, marking the famed French-Japanese café’s first foray into Saudi Arabia. Boasting a space with an outdoor terrace and French and Japanese influences (think: oak wood outfittings), the café exudes a chic and warm vibe. Besides the brand’s signature speciality coffee, you can look forward to indulgent snacks and pastries, such as Café Kitsuné’s iconic Fox-shaped shortbread and sandos. You can also browse a selection of Café Kitsuné themed merchandise – from hoodies, T-shirts, tote bags, reusable bottles to coffee mugs – as well as freshly roasted coffee beans that you can bring home to enjoy.
Café Kitsune, King Khalid Br Rd, Umm Al Hamam Al Gharbi, Riyadh 12329, Sun to Wed 4pm to midnight, Thurs to Sat 4pm to 2am. @cafekitsune
COYARD Coffee Roasters
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Started in 2018, COYARD Coffee Roasters offers high-quality coffee and they are particularly known for roasting and serving up consistently. The main feature of COYARD is that they are unique in the way they brew their coffee. If you are looking for flavourful coffee that will give you that wow feeling, COYARD coffee is what you need.
COYARD Coffee Roasters, Laysen Valley, Sun to Wed 7am to 11pm, Thurs 7am to 2am, Fri 1pm to 2am, Sat 8am to 11pm. @coyardco
Entrecôte Café de Paris
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Popular Geneva-based eatery Entrecôte Café de Paris is known to serve some of the best steaks in town and Laysen Valley has now gotten a brand new branch. Get ready to dig into banding cuts of meat slathered in the special homemade sauce.
Entrecôte Café de Paris, Laysen Valley, Umm Al Hamam Al Gharbi, Sun to Wed 1pm to 12.30am, Thu 1pm to 1.15am, Fri 2pm to 1.15am, Sat 2pm to 12.30am. @entrecote.sa
Ladurée Café
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Experience a delightful afternoon break in the chic Parisian-style tea rooms with classic French dishes or a Parisian afternoon tea. And if you do bag a seat, don’t miss a box or two of the beautifully-packaged macarons. Those prized treats could be just what the dessert doctor ordered.
Ladurée Café, daily noon to 1am. @ladureesaudiarabia
Lavazza Coffee Design
Lavazza Coffee Design had us at hello, thanks in part to its contemporary design and chic Milanese interior, from the decadent, rich blues of the furnishings to the circular coffee bar that sits pretty within the vibrant culinary enclave of Laysen Valley. But the real star of the show is the coffee experience here, which features the exclusive Lavazza’s premium 1895 coffee collection. Bonus points: Lavazza Coffee Design doubles as a café, complete with a table service area. The menu, ranging from breakfast and savoury dishes to irresistible desserts, is curated by acclaimed Italian Chef Igor Macchia. Drawing inspiration from global influences, Chef Igor infuses his signature dishes and brews with Middle Eastern tastes and flavours, making them ideal for pairing with 1895 premium coffee.
Lavazza Coffee Design, Laysen Valley, Salem Bin Abi Baker Shikhan St., Building 30, Riyadh. @lavazzasaudi
Lazy Cat
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The day that Lazy Cat reopens in Laysen Valley, and in turn marks the arrival of its fluffy Japanese pancakes and its indulgent crispy chicken muffin, is a fine day indeed. Luckily for us, you can now enjoy them throughout the week thanks to its all-day menu, served Sunday to Saturday for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Don’t forget to order its famous blue matcha, too.
Lazy Cat, Laysen Valley, Umm Al Hamam Al Gharbi, Riyadh 12329, Sat to Wed 7am to midnight, Thurs & Fri 7am to 1am. @eatlazycat
Le Grenier à Pain
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At this much-loved French bakery, Le Grenier à Pain comes more than recommended. The croissants are excellent, as is the French onion soup. Definitely a great spot to enjoy a cup of coffee and its mouthwatering pastries before work.
Le Grenier à Pain, daily 7am to 11.45pm. @legrenierapain.me
MLLE
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Riyadh’s culinary scene gets a stylish injection of Lebanese cuisine with the arrival of MLLE. Meaning “Mademoiselle” in French, MLLE describes itself as a “melting pot of the Levant”, where diners can expect classic Lebanese favourites with a modern twist.
MLLE, Sat to Wed noon to midnight, Thurs noon to 1am & Fri 1pm to 1am. Tel: 050 654 1113. @mlle_eatery
NAC
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Short for North Audley Canteen, NAC is a chic restaurant in London’s Mayfair, famed for its photogenic interior and French bistro-style menu. Expect fantastically fresh and innovative food all afternoon (and night) long, perfect for sharing with friends, plus a selection of perfect patisseries and desserts. Some of the menu highlights include ricotta pancakes with Dulce de Leche and banana and honey French toast with raspberries, clotted cream and speculoos.
NAC Riyadh, Laysen Valley, Sun to Wed 9am to 1am, Thurs to Sat 9am to 2am. @nacmayfair
NOOA
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Deriving from South African roots and being a first of its kind, NOOA, which stands for ‘Naturally Out Of Africa’, is a culinary lifestyle brand experience with a vanguard collection of the most indulgent teas and coffees. Designed by Bishop Design by Paul Bishop, stepping into NOOA is like teleporting to the beautiful city of Cape Town. Guests can expect striking visual attractions that beautifully portray the city, cinematic lighting with relaxing music and velvet seats, plus a delicious menu. So, sit back amongst the beautiful people and get caffeinated with its signature Ladha blend. Meticulously selected and expertly roasted, each of its small-batch, speciality coffee offers a distinctly luxurious experience.
NOOA Riyadh, Laysen Valley, Sun to Thurs 8.30am to 12.30am, Fri & Sat 8.30am to 1.30am. @nooasaudi
San Marzano
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One of the most recent to open its doors in Laysen Valley is San Marzano. Beautiful, sumptuous interiors makes for super chic surroundings. Expect the food to be fabulous, too, with pasta and pizza being the star.
San Marzano, Sat to Thurs 11am to 12.30am & Fri 1pm to 12.30am. @sanmarzanosa
Santini
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A family-run Italian restaurant, Santini was established in 1984 by Gino Santini and is known to be Frank Sinatra’s all-time favourite London restaurant. Today, the restaurant is overseen by his daughter Laura, who brings her own special touch to the business. Santini’s menu celebrates the simplicity of the most authentic Italian cuisine with Venetian influence, using fresh, light flavours of the best ingredients. Look forward to homemade pasta like spinach and Ricotta ravioli, and dishes such as Venetian-style grilled scallops, poached sea bass with herb and balsamic dressing, and perhaps, their signature traditional Roman apple fritters for dessert.
Santini Riyadh, Laysen Valley, daily 1pm to 12.30am. @santinirestaurant
Sumosan
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Check out the internationally acclaimed, multi-award-winning, contemporary Japanese restaurant Sumosan. Designed by Bishop Design by Paul Bishop, the space is sleek and ultra-modern with warm and earthy accents, complemented by wooden panelling and statement chandeliers. The dining room boasts a theatre kitchen where you can watch the chefs at work. In terms of food and drinks, expect classic dishes such as lobster salad, wagyu beef gyoza, and miso-marinated black cod, to name a few, as well as some new items to be adapted for local tastes without wavering from the Sumosan ethos.
Sumosan, Laysen Valley, Umm Al Hamam Al Gharbi, Sun to Thu 1pm to 4pm, 7pm to 12.30am, Fri to Sat 1pm to 12.30am. Tel: 9200 21225. @sumosan.riyadh
White Robata
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Another newcomer that’s found within Laysen Valley is White Robata, a Japanese concept from Kuwait, inspired by international flavours. With a sprawling open-plan kitchen, diners enjoy the spectacle of skilled chefs combining traditional techniques with unexpected ingredients to create inventive signatures. As its name suggests, the menu is centred around robatayaki – dishes cooked over fire. You’ll find all the contemporary Japanese staples here, with a unique spin, of course. These include a six-hour braised short rib finished on the grill with a maple glaze, spicy tuna wonton taco and the truffle hamachi crispy rice with tobiko roe and ponzu. Read our review here.
White Robata, Laysen Valley, 2252 Al Urubah Branch Rd, Umm Al Hamam Al Gharbi, Riyadh, Sun to Wed 6pm to 12.30am, Thu to Sat 1pm to 1.30am @whiterobata.ksa
Restaurants and cafes coming soon:
Em Sherif Sea Cafe
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Who doesn’t love some Lebanese food? And especially when it comes from the incredible venue of Em Sherif. However, this brand is more focused on Mediterranean and Lebanese-style seafood. Diners can expect a fresh fish display, where you can pick a catch of your choice and have it cooked your way.
Juno
Juno is all set to nestle into Laysen Valley. Look forward to contemporary versions of Italian classics with signatures including mini truffle arancini, stuffed burrata, goat cheese salad, and the coveted cheese wheel pasta.
Lenôtre
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We’ve noticed a big trend in French desserts lately, and soon, we’ll be able to enjoy glorious sweet treats from Lenôtre. Highly recommended is its Mille Feuille.
Wadi
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A brand-new name in Riyadh’s restaurant scene, Wadi will be offering a luxurious dining experience focused on Saudi fusion cuisine. The restaurant, which will be designed by Bishop Design by Paul Bishop, will also be serving hookah.
Other stores worth checking out:
Mellow Nail Artistry
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Mellow Nail Artistry has moved its location to Laysen Valley. The salon is known for its massive range of colours and gorgeous nail art. Don’t stop at your fingernails, though. Be sure to add their spa pedicure with shellac, so your nails are looking good, from head to toe.
Mellow Nail Artistry, Laysen Valley, daily 11am to 10pm. @mellownails.sa
Pattern Concept Store
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Known for great and rare finds of unique brands of clothing, accessories and fragrances, Pattern is created to shine the spotlight on Saudi designers and artists. We’ve always loved their carefully curated collection of art and lifestyle goods, plus you can grab a coffee from Jaam Coffee while you’re browsing.
Pattern Concept Store, daily 9am to midnight. @pattern_saudi
Hotels coming soon:
Al Mashreq Hotel Riyadh, Curio Collection by Hilton
Hilton has announced plans to debut Curio Collection by Hilton in Saudi Arabia with a new-build property in Riyadh. Al Mashreq Hotel Riyadh, Curio Collection by Hilton, featuring 185 guest rooms, is due to open its doors in 2024. Guests will have access to a range of facilities within the property, including an indoor pool and fitness centre, six meeting rooms and multiple F&B outlets to cater to hotel guests and the neighbouring community.
Conrad
Set to open in 2025, Conrad Laysen Valley will be the second property by the brand in the Kingdom. The 170-key hotel will bring the brand’s signature design, renowned experiences, and gorgeous curated contemporary art throughout the space to keep visitors inspired.
Laysen Valley Business Park, Al Urubah Rd, Riyadh 12329. @laysenvalley
Images: Social