Saudi cuisine revolves around fragrant rice, slow-cooked meat and hospitality: you share a large dish on the floor, open the meal with dates and qahwa (cardamom coffee). Bedouin influences from the Najd, coastal in Jeddah, Yemeni in the south.
Incontournables
National dish: basmati rice simmered in a spiced broth (cardamom, saffron, black loomi lime), topped with chicken, lamb or camel, garnished with raisins and almonds
Rice and meat (lamb or chicken) slow-cooked in an underground oven, which gives a characteristic smoky flavour, a speciality of Yemeni origin
Cracked wheat simmered for hours with chicken or lamb to a creamy, comforting texture, a dish from the Najd declared the national dish in 2023
Folded, fried crepe stuffed with spiced minced meat, eggs and vegetables, served hot with a sauce, a very popular street snack
Viande grillee en broche (poulet ou boeuf) dans un pain, l'incontournable de la restauration rapide locale
Creamy rice cooked in chicken broth to a risotto consistency, a speciality of the Hejaz region around Taif
Dates (ajwa, sukkari) served with light Arabic coffee flavored with cardamom and saffron, a welcome ritual that opens every encounter
Dessert of crispy angel-hair strands over melting cheese, drenched in syrup, a much-loved Levantine legacy
Boissons
A light, pale coffee flavoured with cardamom and sometimes saffron, served in small cups with dates, the heart of Saudi hospitality
The noir sucre a la menthe fraiche (shai), servi a toute heure
Pressed fruit juices (pomegranate, mango) and laban, a salty milk drink close to buttermilk, very refreshing in the heat
As the country is alcohol-free, mocktail bars abound; 'Saudi champagne' is a fizzy mix of apple and mint
Street food
Vocabulaire
| Langue locale | Francais |
|---|---|
| Al-hisab | The bill |
| Shukran | Thank you |
| Akl | Food |
| Ma' | Eau |
| Qahwa | Coffee |
| Khubz | Bread |
| Lahm | Meat |
| As-salamu alaykum | Hello (peace be upon you) |
Etiquette
Eat and give with the right hand, the left is considered impure
Refusing dates and qahwa on arrival is frowned upon: accept at least out of politeness
Meals are often shared from a large common dish, seated on the floor
During Ramadan, don't eat, drink or smoke in public during the day
Restaurants often divided into a family section and a single-men section
Regime
Foul (fava beans), hummus, falafel and moutabbal (eggplant caviar) are vegetarian
Kabsa comes in a vegetable version at some restaurants
Levantine and Indian cuisine widely available for vegetarians in the city
Budget
8-20 SAR
Stands de rue, marches, vendeurs ambulants
20-50 SAR
Gargottes, cantines, restaurants familiaux
80-250 SAR
Restaurants connus, zones touristiques
Les voyageurs Orizn partagent leurs restaurants et street food preferes sur la carte live. Rejoins la communaute.