If you’re after amazing Asian food in the Saudi capital, there is a thrilling variety of options from cracking casual Chinese spots to funky fusion favourites. The Best Asian restaurants in Riyadh 2022 showcase the Saudi capital’s exciting mix. Discover firsthand with the Time Out Riyadh Restaurant Awards 2022 winners, in association with Pepsi.
The next time you’re craving delicious dim sum or pad Thai that packs a flavourful punch, these are the top Riyadh Asian restaurants to seek out.
Time Out Riyadh reviews anonymously and pays for all its meals. For more on the review process click here.
Here are the best Asian restaurants in Riyadh 2022:
WINNER
Yauatcha
There’s dim sum, and then there’s dim sum from a world-renowned team with fingers in every major global culinary scene. Yauatcha is from the group who created Hakkasan, and the experience shows. Set in the upper portions of Riyadh’s Mode Al Faisaliah shopping mall, this Al Olaya eatery is a destination. The outdoor terrace is a super spot for looking out over the city while you sip jasmine tea and pick your way through an assortment of small-but-mighty bites.
While the menu extends to a few bigger dishes, the emphasis is firmly on that trademark dim sum and sharing-style plates, and we certainly have no complaints. This is a meal you won’t forget quickly, no matter how you slice it, and that is what makes Yauatcha the winner when it comes to Best Asian restaurants in Riyadh 2022. Time to start working your way through the menu.
Al Olaya, yauatcha.com (92 000 6555).
HIGHLY COMMENDED
BB Social
Born in Dubai and now bringing bites, bao, bowls, barbecue and big flavours to Riyadh, BB Social is a modern Asian fusion spot keeping things interesting. By that we mean whole soft-shell crab bao and baonut (a bao-doughnut hybrid) interesting. The descriptions and colourful plates alone appeal to the senses, but there’s no better way to experience them by tasting the dishes. No matter what you’re craving, call up your friends and family and say “Meet me @ BB”, just like the sign says at the Huna Takhassusi eatery.
Huna Takhassusi, Panorama Mall, instagram.com/bbsaudi (11 215 6000).
Billionaire
Most restaurants promise a unique dining experience, but few deliver something as special as Billionaire with its dinner-and-a-show concept. It’s one of the best Asian restaurants in Riyadh because it understands people remember the experience as much as the food. With top live acts and a menu of Asian bites that don’t play second fiddle to the performances, it’s a hit. The restaurant is bold, it’s flashy and it brings something new each time while still maintaining a high standard. You could say that Billionaire is one in a billion.
As Sulimaniyah, billionairesociety.com (92 001 1916).
SHORTLISTED
Baan Thai Restaurant
Casual dining restaurant Baan Thai sure lives up to its motto of good food, good place, good price thanks to its authentic Asian dishes served up in a laidback setting that’s perfect for family gatherings and celebrations. Translating to “House of Thai”, you’ll find all your favourite Thai staples on the menu – think guay tiew tom yum, teriyaki beef, kanoom jeep, khao pad – with some tasty Filipino dishes thrown in for good measure.
Al Urubah (055 919 1106).
Golden Royal Chinese Restaurant
If you’re looking for traditional Chinese food in a casual setting with prices that won’t break the bank, this is the place to go. Serving up much more than luminous-orange sweet ‘n’ sour chicken and the old egg-fried rice, tuck into the likes of barbecue pesto butter prawns, slurpy chicken noodles and shrimp spring rolls, all washed down with some colourful mocktails and juices. Chopsticks at the ready for one of the Best Asian restaurants in Riyadh 2022.
Ar Rahmaniyah, kalieejroyal-restaurant-golden.business.site (055 061 1777).
Kazo
While modern restaurant Kazo serves up all the best dishes from China, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore, top marks go to its expertly crafted dim sum and fried wok dishes. A light and airy space perfect for lunch and dinner with family and friends. The eatery in Le Méridien Riyadh made headlines recently for its two-hour, six-course immersive dining experience Le Petite Chef, which took diners on a culinary tour of the Asian continent without even having to set foot on a plane. See why it’s one of the Best Asian Restaurants in Riyadh today.
Le Méridien Riyadh, Al Woroud District, instagram.com/kazo_riyadh (059 837 0780).
Korean Palace Restaurant
Whether you want to chow down on some kimchi or bulk up on bibimbap, there’s nothing quite like a kickin’ Korean restaurant. The best of the bunch? Korean Palace. Specialising in hearty comfort food with spice, diners rave about its bibim naengmyeon, otherwise known as Korean buckwheat noodles served cold, while you can’t go wrong with the short ribs for starters. Chinese and Japanese dishes also grace the menu, so all bases are covered at this place, earning it a spot on the Best Asian restaurants in Riyadh 2022 list.
Ar Rahmaniyyah, korean-palace-restaurant-riyadh.business.site (056 758 6487).
Lotus
Whether you’re craving a Thai green curry, pillowy chicken dumplings or kimchi and beef noodles, fine-dining restaurant Lotus hits the spot every time. Traversing China, Japan and everywhere in between, it’s an eatery that highlights what the Best Asian restaurants in Riyadh are all about. Chefs even rustle up a killer salad – they come packed with organic vegetables that make for a delicious way to get your five-a-day. Get there early to pitch up at the mocktail bar to enjoy one of the signature drinks.
Hilton Riyadh Hotel & Residences, Al Shohadaa, instagram.com/lotusrestaurantruh (011 234 6666).
MyMakan
It’s not often you’ll find a Malaysian restaurant heaving at breakfast time, but then MyMakan isn’t your bog-standard eatery, hence its place on the Best Asian Restaurants in Riyadh list at the Time Out Riyadh Restaurant Awards 2022. Come 8am and you’ll find both expats, locals and tourists alike munching on everything from nasi lemak and ayam goreng to flavourful chicken rendang ayam. Dinner doesn’t disappoint either, and chefs are regularly whipping up dishes of the day that will have you scooping up every last bite with fluffy flatbread. The cherry on top? It’s extremely good value.
Ar Rayyan, facebook.com/mymakan.ksa (053 613 2826).
Thai Thai Seafood Restaurant
After the best Asian restaurants in Riyadh? Listen up. Doing exactly what it says on the tin, this casual eatery serves up traditional Thai seafood – plus meat and veggie dishes – designed to be shared with friends. Cheap and cheerful, it’s a brilliant spot to tickle your Thai taste buds any night of the week, wowing guests with the likes of sizzling seafood platters, crispy orange duck and the must-try tom yum soup. The Thai pink milk drink is particularly pretty and interesting to sip, too.
Ar Rayyan, facebook.com/thaithaiksa (054 943 5384).
For all the best restaurants in Riyadh click here.
