Riyadh’s Culinary Heights: 45 Top-Rated Restaurants of 2025

The dining scene in Riyadh has fully blossomed into a global culinary destination in 2025. The city is a vibrant tapestry of world-class fine dining, innovative upscale concepts, and high-quality casual eateries. Based on accolades from the Time Out Riyadh Restaurant Awards 2025 and recommendations from The World’s 50 Best Discovery, here are 45 of the capital’s must-try restaurants, grouped by cost.

$$$ (Fine Dining & Luxury)

This is the pinnacle of luxury dining in Riyadh, perfect for special occasions and milestone dinners. Expect world-renowned chefs, exquisite ingredients, and impeccable service.

1. LPM (La Petite Maison): A global icon and Time Out’s 2025 winner for Best French, offering impeccable Niçoise cuisine.

2. COYA: The 2025 Time Out winner for Best Americas Restaurant, this vibrant venue immerses diners in the flavours of Latin America.

3. Gymkhana: Crowned Best Indian Restaurant by Time Out for 2025, this London-export serves classic and contemporary Indian dishes.

4. Sumosan: The prestigious winner of Time Out’s Best Japanese for 2025, offering world-class contemporary sushi and sashimi.

5. Chi Spacca: Time Out’s 2025 winner for Best Italian, this is a meat-lover’s paradise focused on masterful butchery and open-fire cooking.

6. Carbone: This Via Riyadh hotspot, a New York Italian-American legend, is famous for its theatrical tableside service and spicy rigatoni.

7. Myazu: A sophisticated and artistic Japanese restaurant, lauded by 50Best Discovery for its high-end sushi and contemporary creations.

8. Roka: Also featured by 50Best, this glamorous spot is famous for its contemporary Japanese robatayaki (fireside-grill) cuisine.

9. Mr. Chow: Located in KAFD, this legendary restaurant offers upscale, theatrical Beijing cuisine and was shortlisted for Time Out’s Best Asian.

10. Spago by Wolfgang Puck: A name synonymous with fine dining, Spago brings its signature Californian-global cuisine to Via Riyadh.

11. Scott’s: A classic London seafood and fish restaurant, this Via Riyadh establishment is the definitive spot to “splash out on top-notch seafood.”

12. Porterhouse: A bold and beautiful steakhouse, recognized by 50Best and a Time Out 2025 shortlist contender for its premium cuts.

13. Benoit: A classic Parisian bistro by the legendary chef Alain Ducasse, located in KAFD and shortlisted for Best French.

14. TATEL: A glamorous, celebrity-backed Spanish restaurant in Bujairi Terrace known for its lively atmosphere and elevated Mediterranean food.

15. Bagatelle: This Laysen Valley hotspot brings extravagant French-Mediterranean dining and a famously vibrant “joie de vivre” to the city.

$$ (Contemporary & Upscale Casual)

This category features chic, stylish restaurants that offer high-quality dining in a more relaxed, yet still sophisticated, atmosphere.

1. Saray: The Time Out 2025 winner for Best MENA, this restaurant serves elevated and authentic Ottoman and Turkish cuisine.

2. Il Baretto: A high-profile, upscale Italian in KAFD, this restaurant was highly commended by Time Out for its authentic dishes and chic setting.

3. Chotto Matte: Highly commended by Time Out in the Americas category, this KAFD restaurant is celebrated for its bold and artistic Nikkei (Japanese-Peruvian) cuisine.

4. Yauatcha: A modern interpretation of an old-school Chinese teahouse, this restaurant is a go-to for world-class dim sum and patisserie.

5. Flamingo Room by tashas: Located in Bujairi Terrace, this beautifully designed spot was highly commended for its elegant European cuisine.

6. Marble: Described by 50Best as a “carnivore’s heaven,” this restaurant focuses on high-quality, smoked, and grilled meats in a stylish setting.

7. Lusin: A 50Best pick, Lusin is celebrated for its stylish take on Armenian cuisine, offering a unique and flavorful dining experience.

8. Mamo Michelangelo: This spot delivers “Italian-French artistry” according to 50Best, serving comforting and authentic dishes from both cuisines.

9. Robata: A 50Best-recommended restaurant specializing in “sumptuous sharing platters” from its Japanese grill.

10. Takya: Championing local cuisine, 50Best highlights Takya for its “Saudi cuisine to shout about,” presenting traditional dishes with a modern twist.

11. Bellbird: A “chic, modern hangout” praised by 50Best and a Time Out breakfast contender, offering contemporary dishes in a vibrant, all-day setting.

12. San Carlo Cicchetti: This “chic” restaurant, also a 50Best pick, brings Venetian-style small plates (cicchetti) and cocktails to diners.

13. Kimyona: A Time Out Asian shortlist-er, this “hidden gem” is noted for its creative dishes and cool, curious vibe.

14. Asador de Aranda: A top European contender, this restaurant is renowned for its traditional Spanish roast lamb, cooked in a wood-fired oven.

15. Namu by Akira Back: Helmed by a Michelin-starred chef, this restaurant in The Esplanade offers innovative Japanese and Korean-inspired dishes.

$ (Casual, Cafes & Budget-Friendly)

High quality doesn’t always mean high prices. This list features casual eateries, top-tier coffee shops, and “cheap eats” that are beloved for their delicious food and relaxed vibe.

1. Sadelle’s: Winner of Time Out’s 2025 Best Breakfast, this New York import (located in Mansard Riyadh) is the city’s top spot for bagels and brunch.

2. Mama Noura: A Riyadh institution. 50Best calls it a “buzzy casual cafeteria,” famous for its shawarma, juices, and traditional pastries.

3. Section B: This “boutique burger joint” started as a local favorite and is now a 50Best-recognized spot for its high-quality, creative burgers.

4. Flour & Firewood: A “sunny brunch star” (50Best) and Time Out highly commended breakfast spot, this bakery is beloved for pastries, coffee, and brunch.

5. OTM (On Top of the Morning): A Time Out 2025 “Best Burger” contender, this spot is celebrated for its delicious and straightforward smash burgers.

6. Wister: A hugely popular local burger joint, frequently cited on blogs and TripAdvisor for its signature “Mapletwist” and high-quality fast food.

7. Shawarma Hlayel: An iconic, top-rated local shawarma spot that consistently ranks as one of the best “cheap eats” in the city.

8. Jwala: Shortlisted for Time Out’s Best Indian, this restaurant is known for its funky, casual vibe and modern take on Indian street food.

9. Lunch Room: True to its name, 50Best describes this as “Riyadh’s all-day dining destination,” offering a wide range of comforting and contemporary dishes.

10. The Social Pizzeria: For “modern Neopolitan pizza,” this 50Best pick is a go-to for authentic, wood-fired pizzas in a casual setting.

11. Bofia: A true Riyadh institution, this long-standing “bofia” (local sandwich shop) is beloved by generations for its simple, delicious, and affordable sandwiches.

12. Half Million: A massively popular, homegrown Saudi coffee chain with locations across the city, famous for its signature drinks and quick service.

13. % Arabica: A world-renowned specialty coffee shop from Kyoto, Japan, with a huge and stylish presence in Riyadh for discerning coffee lovers.

14. Zafran: A highly-rated Indian Bistro on TripAdvisor, consistently praised for its high-quality, flavorful dishes and great value.

15. Tacoville: Featured by Time Out as a top budget-friendly spot, this is the city’s go-to for authentic and “Cali-style” Mexican tacos and street food.