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The best new restaurants in Riyadh

Gourmands, assemble…

Foodies in the Saudi capital are spoiled for choice when it comes to the best restaurants in Riyadh. Whether it’s authentic Saudi cuisine or refined fare from culinary capitals around the world, there’s restaurants to suit every taste.

But if you’re tired of your regular restaurant circuit, we’ve found the best new restaurants in Riyadh.

From big names to homegrown favourites, these are the new restaurants in Riyadh to know about.

Scott’s

Located on the ground floor of Via Riyadh, London-born Scott’s has opened its first restaurant outside of the UK in Riyadh. The restaurant promises to bring the old-world glamour of Mayfair to a sleek restaurant space in the heart of Riyadh’s most stylish new districts. Paying homage to the Mayfair flagship restaurant’s aesthetic with a sophisticated yet warm ’40s elegance, the timber-panelled dining room with burgundy leather banquettes and dining chairs creates an impressive atmosphere, featuring silver leaf mirrored screens, a marble top with a stingray fronted bar, and walls adorned with artwork from some of today’s most celebrated British artists. Just like the institution in Mayfair, this celebrity favourite serves up the finest array of seafood, alongside various meat and seasonal game options. Oysters, served at Scott’s elegant oyster bar, are a house speciality. Read our review here.

Scott’s, Via Riyadh, Riyadh 12912, daily 7pm to 1am. @scotts.saudi

Dave’s Hot Chicken

Dave’s Hot Chicken, the wildly popular, Nashville-style hot chicken chain from Los Angeles (LA) that counts rapper Drake and actor Samuel L. Jackson as investors, has now landed in Riyadh. Dave’s Hot Chicken is known for its wacky interior artwork, and the Riyadh debut is staying on brand with its spray-painted, colourful murals. As for the menu, expect crispy fried chicken sliders and tenders with customisable heat levels, plus mac and cheese, slaw and crinkle-cut fries. The chicken is brined and then fried, and ranges in seven spice levels that tick up from ‘no spice’ all the way to ‘reaper’. The latter is so red-hot (the marinade is made of the Carolina Reaper chilli) that it’s only available to daring customers who actually have to sign a waiver. So, are you ready to try the juiciest, spiciest and hottest chicken?

Dave’s Hot Chicken, Tahlia Street, Prince Muhammad Ibn Abd Al Aziz, Al Olaya, Riyadh 12241, daily 11am to 2am. @daveshotchickengcc

Wagyumafia

Wagyumafia

Hailing from Tokyo, Wagyumafia is an exclusive members-only restaurant that offers champion-grade Wagyu beef. The brand became a global sensation after introducing the Kobe beef Chateaubriand cutlet sandwich in 2017. Now open in the capital’s latest hotspot, Via Riyadh, the restaurant currently accepts reservations from non-Wagyumafia members for a limited time. Diners can expect a prix fixe menu here – a 14-course meal for SAR1,300 per person. Wagyumafia shares the same space as its sister venue, Yakinikumafia, but with an entrance masked as a heavy-duty freezer door. While Wagyumafia has us at ‘hello’ with its unique entrance, the food has us equally impressed. The menu focuses on dishes grilled with the Josper oven, delivering the full flavour of each ingredient, and, of course, the rarest cuts from the most prized breed – the Ozaki Wagyu beef from Miyazaki, Japan, celebrated for its rich marbling and unctuous texture. Read our review here.

Wagyumafia, Via Riyadh, Al Hada, Riyadh 12912, daily 6pm to 11.30pm. @wagyumafia.sa

L’ami Dave

The next piece in the culinary puzzle at Mansard Riyadh, a Radisson Collection Hotel, is L’ami Dave, which is described as a homage to luxurious fine-dining in Paris. This old world glamour is a dazzling time capsule set to transport you to the golden age of the French capital. Expect waiters smartly dressed in black tie attire and a textured dining room designed to be photographed, with high ceilings, rich brocade upholstery and delicate gold accents. The extensive menu boasts a wealth of updated French classics like escargots de bourgogne, carpaccio de boeuf with black truffle, and a luxurious Cote de Boeuf.

L’ami Dave, Mansard Riyadh, a Radisson Collection Hotel, 4248 Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Road, 7pm to 11pm Mon to Sat. @lamidaveriyadh

Robata Riyadh

From the people behind the incredibly popular Japanese restaurant Myazu comes new Japanese fireside-cooking-centric venue, Robata Riyadh. The gorgeous two-floor venue is found inside The Canopy in Hittin, and is a serious show-stopper. The sprawling restaurant’s downstairs seating area has insane views of the Robata from each table, so you can watch the talented staff work their magic on your mains and appetisers. There’s a DJ table and bar both upstairs and downstairs and one of the best sound systems we’ve ever heard so the vibes are for sure immaculate. Head upstairs and you’ll find a more intimate seating area perfect for couples and people looking to get away from it all and enjoy a meal by themselves. The gorgeous menu fits right in with the amazing space, featuring mouthwatering skewers, an array of delicate gyozas, and a prettily presented Aburi Nigiri selection.

Robata, The Canopy, Northern Ring Road, Hittin. @robatasaudi

Rüya

Opening a gorgeous new spot in the popular complex Midtown, Rüya Riyadh serves contemporary Anatolian cuisine with a Turkish spin. Walk in through the modest all-black entrance, and a very colourful venue will greet you. Flooded with natural light and offering amazing views of the city, it’s got to be one of the best new restaurants in Riyadh for the wow-factor. The menu is inspired by the culture, traditions and history of the Byzantine, Anatolian and Ottoman empires and of course contemporary Turkey too. Signature dishes include the Icli Kofte, Two Cheese Pide from the Black Sea which is a flatbread with bubbling cheeses (brace for the cheese pull), and 24-hour Slow-Cooked Short Ribs.

Rüya Riyadh, 1224 Prince Muhammad Ibn Abd Al Aziz, As Sulimaniyah, daily 12.30pm to 1am. @ruya_riyadh

Bagatelle

Bagatelle Riyadh is an international brand comes from the South of France and celebrates the joie de vivre (exuberant enjoyment of life) spirit of the country. Now welcoming guests to its chic outpost at Laysen Valley, Bagatelle is known for its lively atmosphere, upbeat music, and of course delicious food. It’s arguably one of the best new restaurants in Riyadh for a fun afternoon or evening 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.

Bagatelle Riyadh, Laysen Valley, Building 24, King Khaled Road, Riyadh, daily 1pm to 1am. @bagatelleriyadh

Chi Spacca

An LA-born concept by the incredibly talented Chef Nancy Silverton, chi SPACCA is Italian for “she (or he) who cleaves.” chi SPACCA Riyadh brings together a Californian flair with Tuscan flavours and aims to bring a quintessential new Italian dining experience to the heart of Riyadh. The venue aims to be an “ode to meat, beautiful meat,” and amazingly seasoned fish dishes too served with the freshest of veggies, and beautiful salads too. So, it’s safe to say there’s a little something for everyone in the space. The intimate dining room has a gorgeous exposed brick wall, a chill atmosphere, an open kitchen where you can watch your meat being grilled right in front, and a dry-ager too. Sit down to dinner and you’ll be greeted with different kinds of hand painted plates for each course.

chi SPACCA, Via Riyadh, Al Hada, 6pm to 12am Sun to Thurs, 2pm to 12am Fri, 1pm to 12am Sat. @chispacca.sa

Raoul’s

Raoul's

Somewhere between casual and upscale, New York City’s famed French bistro Raoul’s is another restaurant you can now book at Via Riyadh. The restaurant’s carefully curated menu cements Raoul’s authenticity, featuring dishes like Steak au Poivre with Frites and Raoul’s dressing; and Organic Classic-Style Whole Roast Chicken to the Tarte Tartin. The design of Raoul’s Riyadh will pay homage to the extraordinary and bygone era that first gave rise to Raoul’s in Soho. With a dark colour palette, intimate spaces and red velvet accents, the aesthetic of Raoul’s is that of a classical French bistro. Read our review here.

Raoul’s, Via Riyadh, Al Hada, 6pm to 12am Sun to Thurs, 2pm to 12am Fri, 1pm to 12am Sat. @raoulsrestaurant.sa

Ferdi Riyadh

 

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This Parisian celebrity hotspot’s menu is a melting pot of favourites, made with love, packed with flavour, and presented in a friendly fashion, designed to be shared by the table. Ferdi Riyadh’s aesthetic mirrors the flagship restaurant’s signature eclectic décor featuring Ferdinand’s old toys and memorabilia, a mix of velvet and wood furnishing with a Parisian accent, and a welcoming, intimate ambience.

Ferdi, Via Riyadh, Al Hada, 1pm to 12am Sun to Thurs, 2pm to 12am Fri, 1pm to 12am Sat. @ferdi.saudi

Spago by Wolfgang Puck, Via Riyadh

Spago is the flagship restaurant of the Wolfgang Puck Fine Dining Group, and it’s now landed at Via Riyadh. Here, it offers an imaginative and seasonal menu of Californian cuisine with global accents highlighting the freshest and healthiest ingredients in a sophisticated and inviting atmosphere.

Spago by Wolfgang Puck, Via Riyadh, Al Hada, daily 6pm to 1am. @spago.sa

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