In case you missed it, these notable restaurants in Riyadh have sadly closed
Brute, Clap, Iris and Isabel have all hung up their aprons
Everyone has a favourite restaurant that we miss dearly in Riyadh.
Some fell victim to the rising challenges faced by restaurants, such as increasing retail rental costs and a prolonged economic downturn. Despite their untimely end, the capital’s most beloved restaurants have not faded from our collective memory.
Here are some of the restaurants in Riyadh that we’re going to miss.
Brute
The final closure of Brute was a blow to meat enthusiasts. This chic eatery has won a legion of fans, who flock to its dining room for delicious Latin American and steakhouse specialities such as braised beef back ribs, empanadas and the star ancho ribeye. It came as no surprise when the popular steakhouse at Ramla Terraza, one of Riyadh’s most sought-after dining destinations, was the winner of What’s On Riyadh Awards 2023 for Favourite Latin American Restaurant.
Clap
No Japanese restaurant closure rocked the city so hard as Clap, which shuttered with little warning. We’re not sure what happened here, especially after its huge pop-up success on the rooftop of Majdoul Tower (part of Riyadh Season’s Riyadh Sky back in 2022). But we’ll never forget the experience at Clap – chowing down on salmon tartare with spicy miso and poppadum, yellowtail sashimi with tosazu dressing, and wagyu beef and foie gras gyoza while enjoying the live entertainment.
Iris Café
An atmospheric local’s favourite, this much-loved establishment at Ramla Terraza has also shut. Opened in early 2023 by the same team – Addmind Hospitality – behind the iconic Iris brand in Beirut, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Bahrain, and Doha, the first-ever Iris Café in Riyadh was a similar concept but with a Saudi twist, featuring the same buzzing atmosphere in a more laid-back lounge setting. The gorgeous open-air garden setting was perhaps most well-known for its parties, with groups crowding in on weekends when international DJs brought the tunes to the rooftop. We’re not surprised if news of its closure sparks a wave of nostalgia among customers and fans.
Isabel
This one was a bit of a shocker. Isabel Mayfair’s international debut in Riyadh has quietly closed, probably in June. The highly anticipated London restaurant only opened in January 2025. We recently passed by the venue in Sulaimaniyah and saw that a modern Mediterranean restaurant, Pantera, has now taken over the space. It was a brief but lovely chapter for the stunning Isabel Riyadh. Despite its strong brand identity, we believe the chosen location for Isabel Riyadh may not have been well-suited to its target audience or provided the necessary visibility for a new market entry.
Images: What’s On Archives
