Sultan’s Steakhouse

Amid a throng of restaurants jostling for attention on Riyadh’s brightly lit Boulevard, there’s one that – by virtue of sheer scale – is the loudest.

A beacon for those seeking flame-grilled beef, Sultan’s Steakhouse arrived in Riyadh in 2016, on the back of a successful first outing in Jeddah.

Saudi-born, Turkish-inspired, American-style – it’s all very culinary third-culture kid. Wherever it takes its inspiration from, absolutely central to Sultan’s is its meat-centric menu.

And if you need reminding, there’s a glass-fronted butcher-style counter to eye your prospective order through.

Served up in a sprawling, high-ceilinged and yet sparsely appointed dining room, Sultan’s signature dishes fill the air with the scent of seared steak as no-nonsense staff stride hurriedly around the room.

Rarely in Riyadh – or anywhere, for that matter – will diners be warned they’re over-ordering. The candour at Sultan’s breaks the mould, cautioning against a second salad. Kind, sure. But they’ve not seen these diners in action.

On the meat front, it’s a struggle to choose – with almost everything determined to be a house speciality, and a lengthy series of options to navigate. To order the Sultan’s butcher-made sausage’s, or the Sultan’s king meatball with cheese? Sultan’s spaghetti steak, or Sultan’s special fillet? Sultan’s lokum burger, or Sultan’s king cheeseburger? (Though at SAR345 and 4,000-plus calories, probably not the latter.).

Burgers rank some way below the capital’s best, but steaks are where Sultan’s stands out – well marked, enthusiastically seasoned and, crucially, cooked as requested.

This isn’t Riyadh’s most opulent steakhouse – but nor is it quite the city’s most lavishly priced – and it seems to owe a good deal of its popularity to its accessibility. Despite the regal name, there’s no standing on (or dressing for) ceremony here.

And that prime location in happening Hittin certainly doesn’t hurt, either…