The relationship between love and food is a longstanding one, and the chance to take your spouse for a romantic dining experience can be one fraught with indecision and, let’s face it, usually a lot of pressure.
Lucky for you though, Riyadh has romantic restaurants in its droves, serving anything from Italian to Asian cuisine in some seriously beautiful settings. A special night out can however mean different things to different people, so we’ve found some of the very best for a variety of tastes. Get ready for brownie points by the bucketload.
Billionaire Riyadh
Billionaire Riyadh isn’t for the faint-hearted. This is one of the restaurants in Riyadh for people who want some entertainment and spectacle on their visit. Diners can choose from either an Italian or an Asian menu. From the Italian side, we like the sound of the black truffle tagliolini, lobster ravioli and wagyu tomahawk, while the Asian menu features standouts like scallop ceviche, wagyu sando buns and Korean baby chicken. This isn’t just a dining destination though with singers and regular performances to experience. The wait staff even get involved.
Dabab Street, Sulaimaniya, billionairesociety.com (092 001 1916).
Entrecote Café de Paris
This restaurant is particularly saucy. Literally – it flies in the historic Café de Paris sauce from Geneva, where the original recipe was conceived in 1930, its ingredients still to this day a family secret. You and your spouse can try the sauce alongside the steak of your choice at this simple yet classic restaurant, followed by the likes of chocolate fondant or profiteroles. Yes, the menu is small, but its views are expansive and its dining room is slick, sophisticated and elegant. Understated romance at its finest.
Al Faisaliah, Tower 21, King Fahd Road, entrecote-cdp.com (9200 18998).
LPM Riyadh
This French and Mediterranean fusion favourite is made for special occasions. Whether you’re sitting outside on the sun-drenched terrace or seated inside the contemporary restaurant, French classics like Burgundy snails, beef tartare and crème brûlée provide a pinch of Parisian glamour for couples looking for some romance. It even has a dish with a romantic story behind its conception: its Vivienne lamb dish with Kalamata olives, cardamom, paprika and honey is named after LPM’s owner Peter Waney’s late wife, who loved the LPM recipe so much she would serve it at home to dinner guests. We have a tear in our eye, too.
Al Motassem Street, Al Olaya, lpmrestaurants.com/riyadh (9200 11794).
Lusin
We love the interiors of this Armenian restaurant in its two Riyadh homes. Its Centria Mall spot might just cinch it as our favourite though. This is the place for a proper feast of its signature eggplant rolls, grilled kibbeh and stuffed lamb. Its cherry prawns are must order with crispy prawns sat alongside its pink cherry sauce, and its desserts are tough to choose from too – we think the rose ice cream topped with candy floss is a particularly good choice for romantic occasions though.
Open daily 8.30am-12pm. Lusin, Centria Mall, Olaya-Tahliya Intersection, lusinrestaurant.com (966 9200 02690).
Myazu
If it’s a memorable meal you’re after then Myazu and its aesthetically pleasing dishes will not disappoint. Its Collection menu is seriously impressive, with traditional Japanese food and sushi served with elegance, flair and sometimes dry ice. Perfect for sharing, its dishes may be serious but they’re fun to eat, too – think popcorn shrimp, fries loaded with manchego cheese, waygu sandos and red snapper granita. Sushi is where the drama comes in, with platters served on ice-filled plates, or branches surrounded by flowers. Its drinks don’t eschew the dramatic either (flaming garnishes feature) and the décor is modern Japanese opulence.
Dabab Street, Sulaimaniya District, myazu.redro.menu/en/restaurant/riyadh (92 000 9686).
Najd Village
If you want to get out of the city but still want something memorable then Najd Village is the perfect spot. Offering authentic Saudi cuisine in a beautifully traditional and charming setting this is the spot for special occasions or for making memories. Diners eat seated in private booth-like areas, and dishes are designed for sharing. The food will give expats a taste of local cuisine, with dishes like mtaz, meat moqalqal, groats, wish the village, badia hashi and madhog chicken on the menu. And much, much more. The village itself is the perfect place for a trip away from the capital’s centre, with its highlands setting providing a change of vista as well as the chance to experience its unique architecture.
Bakr As Siddiq Road, Al Wahah, najdvillage.com (9200 33511).
The Globe
Take dinner to new heights and book yourself a table atop the Mandarin Oriental Hotel at its most date-worthy restaurant, The Globe. Sure, you’ve only got eyes for each other, but the panoramic views this restaurant offers certainly put up a fight. High tea is a popular choice, as are the tasting menus which feature luxurious dishes such as foie gras torchon, and mushroom and truffle grassini. The à la carte menu, however, offers the chance to order oysters and what sounds like a show-stopping bouillabaisse soup with lobster, mussels and clams – surely worth the ascent alone.
King Fahad Road, Olaya, mandarinoriental.com/riyadh (011 273 2005).
Walton Street Scalini
This restaurant with its drapes, Italian-style décor and purple flowering canopies is the epitome of romance. Its Italian fare is made up of classics like linguine alle vongole (linguine with clams), veal Milanese and gnocchi, while there are also more extravagant dishes on the menu: anyone for lobster spaghetti, king crab linguine or pacheri with truffle? For a really romantic setting, we’d suggest sitting outside on the terrace. Festooned with flowers and featuring green and white candy strip furniture, it’s pretty as a picture. Some of the dishes are prepared directly at your table.
Signature Center, Hateen District, Prince Turki Ibn Abdulaziz Al Awwal Road, Hittin, scalini-riyadh.com (01147 77753).
Yauatcha
Cherry blossom accents the lofty interiors of this atrium restaurant that lends itself beautifully to an elegant dining experience. Specialising in dim sum, this is a great choice for couples who enjoy sharing dishes with each other – even if you don’t, at least dim sum’s one of the fairest ways to go. Highlights include seafood and black truffle, and the lobster and caviar, while larger dishes offer the chance to try XO lobster and Chilean seabass. In the winter, diners can even head up to the open-air rooftop where a special menu of bao buns is served and couples who fancy carrying on into the evening can stay and enjoy beats from the live DJ.
Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Road, Al Olaya, yauatcha.com/riyadh (966 9200 06555).
