Fancy a nice warm bowl of pasta to melt your troubles away? We’ve got your back. This list covers meets all your pasta needs, from the budget to the fine dining options. Here are our picks for the best pasta in Riyadh.
Eataly
One of the most authentically Italian places on the list. They have an open kitchen right upfront so you can see exactly how your food is prepared and see the amazing chefs in action. And if you’re looking to recreate the amazing meal you’ve had at home, you’re in luck. They have cooking classes and sell their high-quality ingredients on-site, so you can take a couple of the souvenirs home and test out your cooking skills.
Open daily 8am-midnight. Al Malik An Nasir, As Sulimaniyah, eatalyarabia.com
II Baretto
London’s Il Baretto has come all the way to Riyadh and is the very first restaurant to open in the King Abdullah Financial District. This newly opened restaurant is making its mark on Riyadh already, they have an intimate indoor seating area, as well as a gorgeous outdoor terrace for an alfresco dining experience too. They are serving up tasty and authentic lasagnas and if you want to be a little classier, try out their lobster linguine.
Open daily 12.30pm-3.30pm, 7pm-1am. KAFD 5.08, 2822 – 6591, ilbaretto.sa (920 012 508)
Italian House
One of the oldest Italian establishments in Riyadh, this place is still on top. On the inside, they have one of the coolest seating arrangements. They have swinging plush green chairs and rustic brick walls too. Looking for a quiet spot to take someone a little special? This is the place for you. They serve deliciously baked tomato sauce penne pasta and what Italian restaurant would be complete without a great lasagna too?
Open daily midday-2am. King Fahd Rd, Ar Rahmaniyyah, instagram.com/italianhousekw
Finzione da Pizza
Taking the traditional practices of native Neapolitans and bringing it to the Saudi capital could have proved a challenge, but the team have pulled it off perfectly, serving some of the best Italian food in Riyadh. Native Italian speakers would be put off by the name of this place (‘finzione’ translates variously as ‘a sham’, ‘deceitfulness’ or ‘pretence’) but we presume its owners were trying to say their chefs are full of ‘invention’. They offer a simple (but tasty) chicken pasta, and if you’re feeling a little extra, go for the people’s favourite cheesy truffle pasta.
Open Sat-Tue 12.30pm-midnight, Wed-Fri 1.30pm-1am. Anas Ibn Malik Road, Al Malqa, instagram.com/finzionedapizza (053 077 9480).
La Casa Pasta
If you’re looking for easy, quick, and cheap comfort food, this is the place for you. La Casa Pasta is known for its fast service, but the taste is definitely not an area they compromise on. Whether it’s their creamy chicken pasta or the classic spaghetti bolognese, you can’t go wrong. Need the kids to eat their veggies in a hassle-free way? Good news, they also offer a tasty vegetable option.
Open daily 11.30am-1.30am. Prince Turki Ibn Abdulaziz Al Awwal Rd, Hittin Square, lacasapasta.com
L’Antica Pizzeria da Michele
What this place has tons of is rustic charm, from plants hanging like chandeliers to wicker baskets like lampshades. The mismatched plates and chairs give it a homely feel, while the food comes with a stamp of approval from the locals, as it’s popular with Saudis who want a taste of Italy. Don’t be fooled by the name though, they have great pizzas, yes, but its pasta is just as good. They have a killer lobster linguine and their risotto is yummy, too.
Open daily 1pm-midnight, U Walk Prince Turki Ibn Abdulaziz Al Awwal Rd, King Saud University, instagram.com/damichele_sa/ (055 463 4487).
Muunnis
Located in one of Riyadh’s best hangout spots, The Zone, Muunnis is definitely one of the coolest ones on this list. It offers tasty fettuccine pasta dishes served on elegant marble plates, and if you’re more of a risotto person, they do an excellent shrimp risotto, along with a brisket truffle risotto too. The amazing outdoor seating area shows a beautiful view of The Zone, so you can admire the wonderful view while enjoying a great warm meal.
Open daily 9am-1am. Al Takhassousi St., The Zone, muunnis.com
Paesano Forna
A new one in the market, Paesona Forna is slowly gaining popularity across Riyadh. With an interior as gorgeous as theirs, how wouldn’t they? As soon you enter, you’ll be greeted by hundreds of tiny lights on the ceiling that makes it look a little like a gorgeous starlit night sky. You’ll also see an amazing mural featuring flowers and two hands stretched out. The most popular items include the lasagna forno and the spinach ravioli.
Open Sat-Wed 1pm-midnight. Thu-Fri 1pm-1am. Imam Saud Bin Abdulaziz Bin Mohammed Rd, An Nakheel, instagram.com/paesanoforno
Piatto
This collection of restaurants has been plating up family-friendly Italian classics across the Kingdom for years. Choose from soups, pasta, pizzas, sandwiches, and meat and seafood dishes. Piatto’s proud of its special brand of ‘hospitaliano’: when a restaurant’s casually cooking up spectacular new additions for your vocabulary, just imagine what it is spinning out of the kitchen. It offers a delightful pesto pasta which is one of its bestsellers, along with a cheesy creamy chicken and pine nut rigatoni tossed a tasty parmesan sauce.
Open Sat-Wed 8am-12.30am. Thu-Fri 8am-1am. 2587-2605 Northern Ring Branch Rd, Al Maseef 13312, piatto.com.sa/
San Carlo Cicchetti
Pronounced ( chi – ket – tee), the name is a nod to their Venetian heritage, Cicchetti means small side dishes or snacks served in traditional “bàcari” (cicchetti bars or osterie). The restaurant has amazing chandeliers hung from the ceiling throughout the space, the ceiling itself is also decorated with a cool off-white design too. The place is true to its Venetian roots, with Venetian head chef Enrico Schiavon manning the reins back in the kitchen. It serves house favourites like melenzane parmigiana (aubergine, tomato sauce, and parmesan) and the ever-so-fancy truffle and pecorina ravioli.
Open daily 1pm-1am. 2662 Prince Abdulaziz Ibn Musaid Ibn Jalawi St, As Sulimaniyah, sancarlocicchetti.sa
Looking for more food inspiration? Click here for our latest reviews.
