Your eating guide to Riyadh Season 2
Get the scoop on all the exciting gourmet adventures that are taking place at the second edition of Riyadh Season…
Riyadh Season 2, happening from today (October 20) to March 2022, proves to be bigger than ever. With 7,500 events to look forward to, you can expect loads of entertainment, food, and action in 14 different zones.
And for all the foodies out there, we’re beyond excited to share the list of participating restaurants.
There are lots of excellent options, and we’ve rounded up some of the good eats to help guide you as you plan out your meals at Riyadh Season 2 for the coming months.
Zone: Al Atheriyah
Beaumarly by Thierry Costes
Those familiar with the Costes brothers would know that every Beaumarly space in Paris is absolutely an icon. From Café Marly to Café Français, passing through Germain or Matignon, they have for over 20 years been constantly reinventing the art of international brasserie, with a focus on aesthetic appeal, creating the most beautiful spaces, design and gastronomy. Needless to say, we’re looking forward to this dining experience at Riyadh Season 2.
Ristorante Dal Bolognese
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Dine on rich pasta such as lasagna Verde and on expert presentations of simple Bolognese dishes like veal cutlets.
Philippe Chow
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A chic, contemporary Chinese restaurant from New York serving Beijing-style cuisine, whose owner, namesake and executive chef is Philippe Chow.
Sinatra
Pay tribute to Frank with sophisticated riffs on classic Italian cooking. Surrounded by mementoes and swinging music, guests can dine on favourites like spaghetti and clams or osso buco.
Laduree
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Those who still haven’t visited this Parisian tearoom at Centria Mall in Olaya will be happy to know that you can also get your hands on its stunning array of macarons right here at the Al Atheriyah zone.
Zone: Al Murabba
Matthew Kenney
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Get ready for a vegan culinary takeover. Join celebrity chef and restaurateur Matthew Kenney for an exclusive culinary affair and discover the essence of plant-based cuisine.
Beast
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If you’ve been to Beast London, this is where you go to feast on Norwegian king crab and Nebraskan Angus beef. We’re expecting the same modern, elegant, and rustic setting, with a candlelit atmosphere and grand vibe.
Da Paolino Capri
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Like its original branch located on the iconic island of Capri, we’re hoping to dine beneath a blanket of lemon trees. As you might expect, lemon plays a key role in many of the restaurant’s signature dishes; alongside the citrus tang, the menu includes fresh seafood, perfectly cooked steak, and a variety of Mediterranean staples, including pasta dishes.
Barmasa
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Experience modern Japanese cuisine at Michelin Three-Star Chef Masa Takayama’s venue. Continuing the tradition that has made his New York restaurant legendary, Chef Masa allows the inherent flavours of each ingredient to emerge undisguised.
Don Julio
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At Don Julio, the grill takes centre stage, and everything combines perfectly for diners to discover the cuisine that represents Argentina in a single meal. We recommend ordering the house cuts like rump steak and skirt steak accompanied by fries and grilled vegetables.
L’avenue
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Another one that’s part of the Hotel Costes group, L’Avenue is an absolute scene. Order the tuna tartare, a mound of burrata, and a pile of matchstick frites.
Petit Trois
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Expect the menu here to be a canon of French bistro favourites, like garlicky escargots in melting butter and steak au poivre. Save room to indulge in desserts like chocolate mousse or rice pudding with salted caramel sauce.
Jon & Vinny’s
Tuck into an all-day, Italian-inspired fare, including pasta and hand-tossed pizzas at this relaxed, modern diner from Los Angeles (LA).
Pierre Hermé
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Pierre Hermé needs no introduction. His space at Al Murabba will welcome foodies in a pop and colourful atmosphere in line with an assortment of his pastries, cakes and macarons.
Zone: Riyadh Oasis
Novikov Restaurant & Lounge
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A favourite amongst the locals, Novikov is back in Riyadh. The fine-dining Chinese-Japanese restaurant is known for trailblazing an open kitchen concept faced by a fantastic display of seafood and vegetables with a contemporary twist.
Le Grand Venise
Italian cuisine is what this restaurant boasts. Try good cannelloni, lasagna, and veal. Tasty caramel ice cream, cream caramel and gelato will impress you at the first bite.
Girafe
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Three words: gourmet seafood dishes.
Antika
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Serving a fusion of modern Arabic cuisine, the menu at this famed Lebanese export incorporates flavours from across the Middle East. Diners can enjoy a lavish mezze featuring Levantine staples such as hummus, moutabbal, labneh, spicy potatoes, and fried kebbe.
Zone: The Groves
El Lechazo
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Making its comeback is the contemporary Spanish restaurant, El Lechazo. Here, Lechazo lamb is the star of your meal, where it is roasted on a traditional wooden stove.
Zone: Via Riyadh
Spago
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Dine at Spago, Wolfgang Puck’s legendary flagship restaurant, to explore the best of California’s produce and products.
Madeo
This popular Beverly Hills hangout is here at Riyadh Season 2, serving traditional Italian cuisine with Tuscan accents.
Scott’s
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London’s finest seafood institution – what more can we say? It’s known for its fresh fish and shellfish, although it also offers enough meat choices to keep the carnivores happy.
Gymkhana
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Expect polished northern Indian cuisine at this Raj-era themed Indian restaurant. Gymkhana scored a Michelin star the year after it opened in Mayfair, London, and has kept it ever since. Standout dishes include soft shell crab with crunchy bhel (puffed rice) and the wild Muntjac biryani, in which the pastry top is sliced off the table-side.
Raoul’s
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Come here for the steak au poivre, which is what this old-school SoHo institution is known for.
Chi Spacca
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Carnivores are catered to at Chi Spacca, the meat-centric, upscale Italian restaurant from LA. Order the steak, or the spice-rubbed lamb shoulder chops, or the stuffed, braised veal breast.
Sexy Fish
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For those wanting a fun night out in lavish surroundings enjoying pan-Asian cuisine, there’s nowhere better than Sexy Fish.
Wagyumafia
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Premium Japanese beef specialist, Wagyumafia brings a distinctive dining experience focused on one of Japan’s most coveted ingredients – pedigreed Wagyu beef. We definitely can’t wait to try its famous wagyu katsu sandwiches. Think fluffy Japanese milk bread (with the crusts trimmed) smothered in tonkatsu sauce, flanking a thick slice of Kobe beef chateaubriand, served deep-fried and cut into quarters.
Ferdi
The menu at Ferdi is known to be fairly hotchpotch, with ceviche and guacamole listed alongside Greek-style salads and a Spanish delicatessen. But, you’ll inevitably find yourself drawn to their basics… So, try the famous ‘Mac Ferdi’ cheeseburger if it’s on the menu at Riyadh Season 2.
Joan’s on Third
This trendy gourmet marketplace from LA offers speciality goods and homemade cafe fare. Stop in for a quick bite noshing on a grilled maple rosemary chicken breast or a short rib sandwich.
Bianca
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Bianca is another spot from LA that’s here for the Riyadh Season 2. Serving upscale French, Italian and Argentinian, the sandwiches are great. Oh, and do order the pastries, including the pistachio tart and chocolate zucchini bread.
Still hungry for more? We will continue updating this list as we know more…
Images: Instagram