My Top Favorite Restaurants in Riyadh

My Top Favorite Restaurants in Riyadh

Not long ago, Riyadh was only an isolated and deserted city. Now, the capital of Saudi Arabia is a vibrant business destination, where Arab tradition meets imported Western culture. We explore the top 10 restaurants in this emerging cultural city that offer much more than just business lunches and traditional Arabic cuisine.


The Globe

Romantic, stylish, with a picturesque view and varied menu, is The Globe exclusive gourmet restaurant Riyadh, on top of the Al Faisaliah tower perched in a glassy sphere. The restaurant itself is a 3 storey town Arabic dishes and modern European dishes with a French focus. The Globe offers three full-course meals with an eye on your taste and budget created. The traditional high tea is not to be missed on Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 16.00 clock. Seated 240m in the sky, guests have a wonderful view over the city of Riyadh, and access to an authentic cigar lounge for those who want to try the range of imported Cuban cigars.

The Globe, King Fahd Road, Al Faisaliah Tower, Riyadh, +966 11 273 2000

Elements

Elements stand out from the crowd for many reasons, but not least is the "interactive" dining experience. While guests choose dishes from the expansive menu that includes dishes from around the world, the chefs provide entertainment by courts in the live cooking is in the open kitchen. A part of the hotel chain Four Seasons element serves breakfast, lunch and a la carte dishes in the style of a world-class hotel chain. Under the careful supervision of the chief Ahmad Sleiman, the restaurant what it promises to be a cosmopolitan and vibrant meeting place for the culinary delights of Riyadh lives. Do not forget to check their special dinner menus on the following evenings: Sunday (Asian Night), Monday (seafood night), Tuesday (Middle Eastern Night) from 7:00 clock to midnight.
Elements, Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh at Kingdom Centre Riyadh (ground floor) 966 (11) 211-5000

ElementsCourtesy Hotel Riyadh

Spazio

A favorite of Prince Walid bin Tala, nephew of the Saudi king, Spazio focuses on Italian cuisine in combination with various international dishes. The center of the hall is decorated as a sushi bar in a nice Art Deco style. But perhaps the best part of the Spazio is the view that is best appreciated after sunset. The hotel is located in the 77th floor of the Kingdom Tower, 65-storey skyscraper 302.3m, he makes second tallest building in Saudi. Has been completed with the dining experience, guests should not miss the incredible sky bridge on foot to the top of the building.

Spazio Kingdom tower - 77th floor, Riyadh 11576, 9661 2111 888

Saudi Arabia, the cultural journey, Najd VillageNajd village | © Knowledge Picture

Najd village

One of the most popular restaurants of locals and tourists alike is the Najd Village. While locals appreciate the delicious, authentic dishes and enjoy the traditional atmosphere, the tourists to gain a first-hand insight into the role of food in Saudi culture. The name of Najd reminiscent of the original name for Riyadh, but also for the people and the food of a bygone era; The restaurant takes visitors back in time to a point when the houses were made of mud bricks or Saudi hung drying dates from the roof and men chai and qahwa over an open fire. Since 1996, the Najd village has merged this tradition with modernity and creates the best Saudi meals in the city, served in a museum facility. The menu offers for both vegetarians and meat lovers, including two legendary specialties: the soft, peppery lamb dish moqalqal and matazzez or Saudi dumplings. Up to 1000 guests can relax in the restaurant, according to the custom fit cushion seat.

Najd Village, Qalat An Najm Al Wahah, Riyadh, +966 01 4646530


Al Sham Set

Famous for its innovative design, Set al Sham is a well known restaurant in Riyadh. His Syrian, Egyptian and Lebanese-inspired decoration with lures has Diners, make use of the private rooms with lanterns, wood and a Syrian-style fountain decorated proved popular. Set Al Sham serves a Middle- Eastern Buffet with extra appetizers, and is the perfect place to Arabic cuisine thanks to its wide range and the local, knowledgeable waitresses know. Main dishes are also served at a reasonable price and offer guests traditional Lebanese dishes like falafel, shawarma, kebabs or hummus. The must-try the desserts are umm ali, a kind of nutty bread pudding and rosewater rice pudding.

Set Al Sham, Thalateen St, Olya, Riyadh, +966 1 2930803

Mirage restaurant

Whether you visit with family or alone, Mirage is the ideal choice if you are longing for some excellent Chinese cuisine. How blessed with "the best Chinese chef in the Peninsula" by Lonely Planet, Mirage offers an expansive selection of Chinese dishes with some Taiwanese supplements. The choices are great and parts come in shareable sizes, but what makes Mirage is even more enticing his acting Interior Deco: massive aquarium with colorful fish, lit waiting areas and a pond in the middle of the dining area. This device holds adult guests and effectively directs kidstoo so that Mirage a suitable place for families. Despite the upscale interior, Mirage affordable prices make eating there accessible to all.

Mirage, Al-Takhassosi Rd, North West Riyadh (west of the Kingdom Tower), + 966-1-4834127

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Lusin, Culture TripLusin Restaurant | © MiraFoods

Lusin

Lusin Restaurant Riad offers guests with something like an unusual experience: the opportunity to work with authentic Armenian food. After the Armenian word for "moon" named Lusin lovingly shows little-known Armenian food culture and tastes. The restaurant serves a wide selection of excellent and distinctive cuisine, including possibly the biggest kebab of the city, delicious tabbouleh, and lesser-known dishes such as saborak and Manti. The interior is relaxing, with poor lighting and background music is a woodwind instrument of Armenian duduk, made traditional in Armenia.

Lusin, Centeria Mall, 2nd Floor, Olaya Street, Al Olaya, Riyadh, 02690 966 9200

Taste of India

Taste of India TOI or as the locals call it, is a striking restaurant that specializes in Indian cuisine, from biryanis and tandoors less known traditional specialties from all over the huge South Asian nation. With earned a reputation for its friendly atmosphere and quality food TOI is a word-of-mouth favorite in a city often relies on gimmicks and promotion. Waiver Glamour for a good, tasty food and reasonable prices, is the city reached a local favorite for locals Riyadh.

TOI, Batha Main Street (Near Cross Bridge second, just behind the fog multi Shop) 966505923330

Fairuz garden

Fairuz Garden is a paradise for Lebanese food lovers. Although portions are on the small side but they are of high quality, taboulleh presented Fatoush, hummus, cakes ghanoush, kibbeh and many other traditional selection of hungry guests. Fairuz Garden created a stylish yet relaxed atmosphere with a beautiful interior design: dim lights, trendy furniture and large fountain in the open space. The spacious restaurant offers separate areas for families and singles, as well as indoor and outdoor use. Visitors can opt for the terrace with views over the Kingdom Tower.

Fairuz garden, Wadi Hanifa, Al Olaya, Riyadh 12214, +966 11 216 7171

al Nakheel

The authentic restaurant is in Arabic and North African cuisine and has won the admiration of locals and tourists alike deserve. Al Nakheel serves hot and cold buffet breakfast as well as offering all day dining. His dishes and service at a high level to increase it to sit at the leading Arab restaurants not only in Riyadh, but throughout Saudi Arabia. Center located on the top floor of the Al Khozama, Al Nakheel provides guests with magnificent view of Riyadh. The best time to visit Al Nakheel still is certainly April to November when the restaurant opens its terrace with panoramic views, the al fresco dining experience with spectacular scenes from Riyadh round the guests.

Restaurant in Riyadh: Ketchenation Restaurant Riyadh

Restaurant in Riyadh: Ketchenation Restaurant Riyadh

Kitchenation has to search for the coolest café in Riyadh be. I can not believe it has taken me so long to put in place the Tahalia Street can be found. Granted, it is tucked away in the new Mira Hotel between the more casual clothes restaurants wa Zaatar time and Elevation Burger hidden. It has also only been in the last five months and last month I again twice - once alone and once with a group.

Think A walk through the lobby to the cafe is almost, "it will be a boring old hotel cofffee business." But if you go around the corner and the color jumps on you almost that make you stop and go "Whoa". When I crossed the threshold into the cafe right for the first time that I could not help smiling at the eclectic collection of colored chairs and cushions around wooden tables. On the walls, shelves with a seemingly random display of knick-knackery, some old and historical views, while some are looking for used and pre-loved. In the midst of a scroll of brown paper is being written to the philosophical sayings. It's all very eye-catching and well, funky. Funky is used usually not a word to describe something in Saudi.


On the one hand, the Cafe is a counter with a range of sweets that you twice, just to make sure that you see things, how well each is displayed on a colorful set of mismatched cups and bases, with the sweets only identifiable by their handwritten name on wooden blocks. The pavlova dreams are huge. What are the macaroons sitting in their clever containers that I can not always decide is a snake or hollowed turtle!


The menu is so colorful and has an almost childlike quality with quite an extensive choice for a hotel cafe. Once seated the placemats are an entertaining game that you occupied and absorbed in laughter and conversation until you arrive keeps your meals.

As hotel food goes, it's pretty good - tasty and well presented. The Crispy prawns and crispy shrimp salad were both very satisfying as appetizers and cooked to perfection. The chicken strips are easy to share with others. The pizzas are huge and a doggy bag was required by our group at the end of our meal. Being on a bit of a diet the day I went with friends who I opted for Chicken Caesar and liked the chicken breast on the side of my plate, juicy waiting for me to add it to the salad itself.


Not in my diet the day I went alone, desert was an absolute eye candy treat. And would not you know it, that's exactly when my phone ran out of battery, so I did not get to take a photo. I would have chosen the smaller pavlova dream served with fruit and it was artfully presented decorated in a chocolate sauce and flower on a plate. Not and decided maybe I could come another day for this desert and make sure that I my camera - I sat looking at it for a few minutes whether I should go and charge the phone to take a picture !

I have not only enjoyed my meals to Kitchenation, but the surrounding area. It would be great if the funky surrounds also been relaxed smiling service. Not that the service does not come with a smile. It did. But it's just that Saudi Arabia and the staff in most restaurants is always to look for spots in fear of losing their jobs if they do not say anything, or drop a fork. A bit of hilarity along with the Kitchenation order acceptance would not have come at a more pronounced evil cafes I to Riyadh.

Riyadh Restaurant: Eleven A Restaurant Riyadh

Riyadh Restaurant: Eleven A Restaurant Riyadh

We went to ElevenA on the recommendation of a Saudi friend about two years ago. Since I do not for a while I can only assume it is still there.

   Eleven A is the eleventh floor of the Faisaliah Tower. The veiw was very nice, not overrated decor and Middle Eastern buffet food quite nice. You could even sit outside on the balcony if you believed, although the day was it was a bit windy for outdoor dining. My recordings of the place leave a lot to be desired, but gives you an idea of what to expect. Those of you with vertigo problems may not want to sit next to the window. You may feel as if you fall through.





My only shot of the food. Is not it awful! I must have been wanting to get it. Do not take pictures of food, when hungry - Note to self.


Now that I dug out these photos from the folder on my computer, I can in order to make a return trip to 11A, to see if anything has changed.

Restaurant in Riyadh: Café Lenotre

Looking for an outdoor venue for my coffee, I fell in Lenotre, in Centria Mall. Lenotre Family section has a large outdoor balcony, which, on a beautiful winter day, a great place to shade to sit under large umbrellas and enjoy a selection of breads, before tucking into whatever main course can be ordered.



The deck overlooks the tip of the Faisaliah tower peeking over the new Narcissus Hotel construction and if you go there often enough, you can follow the progress of the building GOSI who watch built across the street, although the noise can interrupt your lunch not much.

Indoors, the furnishings are elegant, simple, admittedly, I rarely here to eat because of the access to the outdoors. Lenotre is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Through his name I assumed the menu would be French although it tends to lean towards a broader palate.

Lenotre has a shop where you can very nicely dressed plate of dates and different dates to buy related products to take home. They also create the most delicious little ice, great for dessert hand out when you have guests around for the evening.

How to check iqama status online?

iqama status

I have been receiving a lot of emails on my facebook and my blogs regarding the procedures of iqama checking online and iqama validity. Well, it’s not that hard to check them but the problem is the website is in Arabic format no English. Many people like me who currently living in the KIingdom find it hard to understand Arabic language because this is not my mother tongue.

Knowing what is your iqama status is vital for us workers in order see what our sponsor’s company status in labor ministry as it will affect also its workers. The authorities has been very transparent on what is really going on, they launched website that can determine the status of your iqama like green, red or yellow.

There are handful of steps to check iqama status online, you will just simply add your iqama number and  and the catcha code and you ok! But hardest part is the bar that you will type in your iqama number. To know the procedures you can simply go here. Be sure that you will type your number correctly without mistake for you to get the exact iqama status that you are looking for.

Please feel free to leave your comment if you have something to ask.