You’ll meet all sorts of people in Riyadh’s late-night cafés. From the shift workers to the insomniacs to the push-the-pram-round-the-block-because-baby-still-won’t-nod-off parents. Whatever your purpose for being up at an unearthly hour, the rewards of having a friendly face serving you a welcoming cup of something warm (and perhaps a snack or slice of cake) are infinite. We night owls can always do with a little lift. Hence why we hail the capital’s cafés that work almost round the clock to keep our slumbering spirits up. These are a few of the finest late-night cafés in Riyadh.
Al Masaa Café
Where else to start but than with what is officially the world’s biggest coffee shop? The sheer scale of Al Masaa Café is truly remarkable, with as many as 1,050 patrons being happily seated at any one time. The nearer you get to closing time, the more elbow room you’ll have. But the standards of service never drop, and neither does the quality of its notoriously great caffeine offerings. Having finished a ‘graveyard shift’, we often pop here for a cuppa and perhaps a slice of Al Masaa’s cracking cheesecake as we gaze up at Kingdom Tower safe in the knowledge we’ll get a nice lie-in after our we hail a taxi and our head hits the pillow.
Open daily 6am-2am. King Abdullah Road, Al Mohamadiyah, Riyadh, https://almasaacafe.com/ (014 561291).
Average Café
To call a venue ‘Average’, you are either setting the bar pretty low or are confident in your product. Thankfully, this one is the latter. The baristas at AV (its more user-friendly name) really know their stuff and can conjure up some hugely uplifting caffeine creations. But if a cup of coffee or tea is not what you’re craving, you can always have them knock you up one of their magnificent mojitos (the pomegranate one is arguably the best). Feeling a bit peckish after all that hard graft? A pancake or waffle provide the perfect midnight feast.
Open daily 24/7. Hafsah Bint Umar St, Al Rawdah (053 676 8696).
Epi Café
Another catchy name, another cracking coffee shop. The menu at Epi might not be as far-reaching as some of its rivals but we appreciate that this ‘latte house’ sticks to its guns when it comes to producing good, honest coffee at prices that won’t break the bank. Whenever we come here late at night, it’s usually still quite busy. That’s a good sign, clearly, and it seems Epi’s clientele know exactly what to expect from it and therefore will make a trip here their slumber-stopping ritual of choice. That said, plenty of people we know find a coffee before bed can actually help them drift off. Plus, if poring through page after page of options doesn’t sound like your idea of the ideal book before bedtime, simply order the ‘coffee of the day’ and let your cares drift away.
Open Sat-Wed 7am-2am, Thu 7am-3am, Fri 1pm-3am. U Walk by Arabian Centres, Prince Turki Bin Abdulaziz Al Awwal Road, An Nakheel, (no number).
Gourmet Café
Although its name might sound a little pretentious, Gourmet Café’s offerings are anything but. OK, so it does tap into the new-fangled style of distilled coffee now and again but if you’re old school when it comes to your cuppa then they certainly have you covered here. The venue itself is warm and welcoming and should the mercury still be touching uncomfortable heights, the menu of cold drinks is one you’d surely want to cool down with after a night of hard graft (try the Petunia, we really don’t know why we hadn’t supped one before). The Gourmet of its name quite likely comes from the desserts it musters up. Waffles, pancakes, red velvet and the consummately cheeky Choco Rock are all made to please. And if you happen to be here on one of Riyadh’s chillier nights, the winter menu will instantly warm even the coldest of hearts.
Open daily 24/7. Off Al Abbas Ibn Abdulmutalib Street, Al Taawun, https://www.gourmet-cafe.net/ (050 387 2470).
Jolt
This high-end haven for all the coffee cognoscenti might have a second home in London’s fashionable Fitzrovia but has its origins in the luxurious surroundings of Kingdom Tower. And it definitely doesn’t let that architectural masterpiece down when it comes to sheer excellence it provides with each and every cup-full. While Jolt more than comfortable covers the bases for those seeking a more traditional caffeine hit, it’s via the lattes that this place really excels. For a real boot-warmer you surely can’t beat one of its spicy varieties (the red velvet is frankly fantastic). But on a sultry summer’s evening the cold lattes (we can thoroughly recommend the pistachio rose version) will give even the most ready-for-bed brains a welcome Jolt.
Open daily 24/7. Kingdom Tower, Prince Turki Ibn Abdulaziz Al Awwal Rd, Al Mohammadiyyah, (059 393 7252).
Voltage Café
We’re sorry but we can’t help but have Electric Six’s greatest hit stuck in our heads whenever we come here. Luckily, though, there’s no danger (danger!) of you feeling anything but electrified after a late-night visit to Voltage. The venue itself is one of the most laidback charming you’re likely to find in Riyadh’s vast array of coffee shops. Turquoise accents, comfy seats and a buzzing barista team all provide a most striking of first impressions. But those are all brilliantly backed up by the quality coffee on offer. Modern techniques meet those more traditional in a perfect blend of old and new. The accompanying cake menu will also leave you full of beans. And thanks to the very reasonable prices at Voltage, your bill won’t come as a shock either.
Open Sat-Thu 6am-2am, Fri noon-2am. Prince Saad Ibn Abdulrahman Al Awal Rd, Ar Rawabi, https://salla.sa/voltagecafe.com (050 803 5015).
