Fast food restaurants can tend to be drab, identikit venues seriously lacking soul, but in recent years, there’s been a movement towards more creative, thoughtful fast casual fare. Riyadh, like any bustling metropolis, is full of fast food joints – and we’ve done the rounds to come up with the coolest fast-food eateries in Riyadh.
Here’s where to get your next fast food fix.
Blaze Pizza
If you’ve never considered this incredible Italian invention to be genuinely ‘fast food’ then you should see these guys in action. Blaze Pizza promises to dish up its thin-crust creations in just 180 seconds (less time than it takes to get the wrapping off some of the shop-bought, frozen alternatives). The original Riyadh restaurant (at Sidra Mall) was certainly a hangout for hungry hipsters in a hurry and while it has been replaced by an open-plan venue in Riyadh Park, it has lost little of its allure. Yes, hanging out in a food court was really only cool when you were a kid and free from the parental shackles for the afternoon but we think that just adds to the retro vibe. Basketball legend LeBron James was one of Blaze Pizza’s original backers, and we’re cook-a-hoop it’s here in Riyadh.
Riyadh Park, Al Aqiq, https://www.blazepizza.com/ (11 520 0492).
Boazi
Go back a few years and these brilliant steamed buns weren’t even on most people’s radars, unless they’d been lucky enough to have frequented the street food stalls of China or Hong Kong that is. Boazi’s owners are quite clearly passionate about these little beauties and having realise there wasn’t anyone specialising in them here in Riyadh, decided to devote a whole restaurant to them. The neon-lit, industrial-chic venue strikes the perfect balance between cool and comfortable, while the chefs here illustrate amazing dexterity to knock out the brilliant boa at warp speed. The menu is packed with innovative takes on the street food staple, with the Brisket Charcoal offering right up there with the best we’ve ever tasted. We also implore you to sample the Hakuna Matata, a dessert bao stuffed with fried Oreo cookies and vanilla ice cream – awesome.
Al Urubah Road, Al Olaya, http://baoziksa.com/ (053 923 9984).
Poke Six
There has been a massive buzz about Poke ever since it truly burst on to the world’s culinary scene in the mid-2010s. If you’ve never heard of this Hawaiian dish, a real national treasure in those parts, just know it’s hearty, healthy and packed full of flavour. At Poke Six, you can create your own bowl of goodness but for first-timers we’d suggest choosing from the quintet already on the menu. The Wasabi Tuna (tuna sashimi, corn, avocado, mango, tempura crumbs, garlic crisps and a wasabi mayo sauce) on brown rice is usually the way we like to go, although the Crab Ponzu (crab mixed with a spicy mayo, cucumber, carrots, avocado and ponzu sauce) comes a close second on our hit-list. And for that extra health kick, the keto and vegan bowls at Poke Six are equally as impressive. Counting the calories has never been so cool.
Prince Turki Ibn Abdulaziz Al Awwal Rd, Al Mohammadiyyah (053 881 8868).
Smokey Beards Q
If ever there was a place that is so uncool it’s actually über-cool then Smokey Beards Q is arguably it. The décor here is a throwback to the 1970s, with wood panels adorning the ever-so-kitsch exposed, mix-and-match brick walls adding to its hipster allure. As for the food, this Texan-inspired smokehouse is a carnivore’s delight with ribs and beef brisket among the most popular meaty treats being brilliantly banged out by the Smokey Beards Q crew. The portions here a pretty hefty and the meats smoked to absolute perfection. Super sides such as mac ’n’ cheese are the perfect accompaniment to this protein-packed dining experience. This place has been pretty much packed every night since it opened, mostly with men. You don’t need a beard to eat here, but it certainly seems to help (if you don’t mind getting barbecue sauce in it).
Prince Muhammad Ibn Saad Ibn Abdulaziz Rd, Hittin, Riyadh (053 470 0086).
The 60 Pasta
We couldn’t very well compile a list of our favourite cool eateries without including at least one food truck now could we? While we love the look of The Taste of the Road concept (it’s a converted big, yellow US school bus, no less) but for sheer quirk value, the team at The 60 Pasta have the edge. We mean, it’s not every day that you can order a super tasty serving of some fine Italian dishes to be served in a bread bowl, now is it? It might seem like a gimmick but it really works (surprisingly well) and what’s even better is that there is absolute no waste if you manage to scoff the lot. Take one of these brilliant bowls home and there will be very little washing up to do afterwards. Since when have chores been cool, eh?
Imam Saud Bin Faisal Rd, Ad Diriyah (056 824 7558).
Wazzup Dog
With its graffiti-adorned walls, hand-scrawled chalkboard menus and mustard and ketchup-coloured furniture, Wazzup Dog just screams ‘too cool for school’. This hot dog hangout started life in Amman, Jordan, a decade ago filling an obvious gap in the market for frankfurter fans. They lapped it up and the business soon expanded across its homeland before spreading its appeal to Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, the UAE and right here in Saudi Arabia. The concept is pretty straightforward: choose your toppings (we love some jalapeños and crunchy chips on ours) and then dig into the 100 percent beef dogs that have made this place a household name in the Middle East. Who cares if you get mustard all down your pristine, white work shirt? This place definitely doesn’t judge.
Anas Ibn Malik Rd, Al Malqa, https://wazzup-dog.com/ (050 969 6835).
