When the longstanding Saudi favourite AlBaik recently launched its first international outlet in Dubai, it’s fair to say that the Kingdom’s legendary fast-food spot went down a storm. Hungry customers flocked to The Dubai Mall outlet for a taste of the signature juicy fried chicken. With that in mind, we’ve rounded up some more top Saudi restaurant brands that are more than worthy of franchising to the world’s foodiest capitals.
And these guys are just the start…
BazĀru
Thanks to a well-thought-out blend of innovative high-end Japanese cooking, buzzy mood and sleek, sophisticated set-up, homegrown concept BazĀru is blazing a trail through the Riyadh dining scene. It’s quickly established itself as a top Saudi restaurant brand and we think there’s more than enough momentum to take the concept further afield.
The bold, innovative menu is inspired by Japanese street food fare, while the dishes themselves are executed with finesse, flair and a pleasing sense of fun – it’s no surprise to learn that former global executive chef of Zuma Group, Anthony Garlando has contributed here. Signature dishes such as the spiced lamb shoulder gyoza with soy vinegar and chilli oil and cabinara soba noodles with beef bacon and smoked garlic butter set the bar high and keep people not just talking but coming back for more. The complex, handcrafted and really rather beautiful mocktails are also very good.
Open Mon-Sat 7pm-11pm. Ad Diriyah, Riyadh, bazaru-ksa.com (011 200 3919).
Circa
A top Saudi restaurant brand, visit this popular Jeddah breakfast and brunch destination at the weekend and you’ll to need call ahead to book or to be prepared to wait for a table. Rest assured though; the extra effort will be worth it.
A winning combination of modern, industrial-chic décor and friendly staff who know what they’re talking about sets the tone early on at Circa and after that, the food certainly doesn’t disappoint. Standout menu items include the seriously fancy French toast which comes surrounded by fresh fruit, dripping with syrup and adorned with ice cream, the house special eggs Benedict featuring poached eggs on beetroot hash and a much talked about French dip sandwich served with a side of onion soup for all important dunking.
Open daily 8am-5pm. Ash Shati, Jeddah (055 561 0014).
Mama Noura
Pillowy warm bread, juicy, just-carved meat, crunchy fresh veg, golden fries nestled within and a heavy-on-the-garlic sauce that ties the whole thing together – when shawarma is done well, it’s a thing of drool-inducing beauty.
There are of course a number of contenders for Saudi-born shawarma restaurants that deserve to delight diners on a global scale, and we hasten to add that everyone has their favourites, but for consistency and general excellence, we’re going to stick with a classic here and celebrate the no-frills shawarma stalwart that is Mama Noura. Try their take-out chicken shawarma and we think you might just agree. The freshly blended fruit cocktails and juices also have plenty of loyal fans – and with good reason. A top Saudi restaurant brand to suit every budget.
Open daily 6am-3am. Prince Fahad Ibn Saad Abdul Rahman, As Sulimaniyah, Riyadh, mamanoura.com.sa (011 278 7444).
Nine Soft Serve
Nine Soft Serve started out life as a fluorescent pink touring truck and it delivered all the nostalgic childhood feels associated with the tinkling of the ice cream van.
The popularity of this top Saudi ice cream brand and its mouthwatering ices has resulted in the opening of permanent locations in both Khobar and Riyadh, but what hasn’t changed is the bold, funky design of its spaces and the great-looking, great-tasting ice cream (and cakes – oh, the cakes). From the grown-up tiramisu cheesecake softie to the tart-sweet mango passion, not omitting the unabashedly kitsch unicorn soft-serve complete with golden unicorn horn and an indulgent chocolate pretzel number finished with salted caramel sauce, this is no ordinary ice cream.
Open daily 4pm-1am. Al Maathar North, Oyoon Al Jawa Street (058 179 2597).
Pattis
Established back in the ’80s, a love of food and art, commitment to high-quality ingredients and made-from-scratch dishes and a desire to stay ahead of the culinary curve has stood Pattis well.
This top Saudi restaurant brand excels at taking modern food trends and adding Middle Eastern flavours and updating classic regional dishes with zeitgeisty ingredients – its pancakes with saffron syrup and caramelised pistachios, falafel sliders and fattah edamame topped with crispy potato chips are a case in point. With branches in Riyadh and Khobar, we’re inclined to think that Pattis deserves an international eating audience.
Open daily 1.30pm-midnight. Takhassusi Street, pattis.com.sa (11 277 2700).
Raftaar
Indian cooking is taken to a new level at this contemporary Khobar hotspot. The menu offers a mix of familiar dishes (you’ll quickly spot the likes of murgh malai tikka, dal makhni, and channa masala), as well as a few modern curveballs in the form of lamb bhuna sliders with masala fries, avocado papdi chat and wild mushroom kofta.
It’s in the strikingly modern presentation and careful execution of these dishes that Raftarr really establishes a point of difference and creates a talking point though. The desserts are particularly innovative (think deconstructed falooda ice cream and coffee kulfi with cinnamon meringue) and ensure a meal here ends on a high note.
Open Mon-Sat 5pm-midnight. Prince Turki, Alkurnaish, Al Khobar, raftaar-sa.com (054 206 3390).
Section-B
Although there may be more gourmet burger restaurants in this world than there are gourmet burger eaters (well, almost), we’re still going to suggest that there are culinary legs in taking Section-B global, given its status as a top Saudi burger brand.
This home-grown restaurant is the result of a collaboration between six burger-loving friends and the passion they feel for their product and the time spent tinkering with their recipes is clearly evident. The menu might well be short compared to some but boy, do those burgers, sliders and appetisers deliver. To give you a taste: Triple S features deep-fried crispy chicken topped with a tangle of sweet pickles, drizzle of chilli oil, jalapenos and buttermilk dressing and is a lesson in a chicken burger done well, while the okra dish is a game-changer for the vegetable. Order a banana pudding for dessert and you’ll have zero regrets.
Open daily noon-1pm. Pr. Turki Alawwal Street, pillarsholding.com (055 866 4995).
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