Food

25 of the world’s best sandwiches

Is there a food more humble yet universally adored than the sandwich?

And while one person’s go-to hamburger snack might be another’s katsu sando or chivito, there’s hardly a country on the planet that doesn’t turn to some type of bread with something stuffed inside it to cure a craving.

Traveling the world’s sandwiches is, in a way, like traveling the world.

To help narrow your choices for the sandwich to plan your next trip around, here are 25 of the world’s best sandwiches:

Bocadillo de jamón Ibérico, Spain

There are ho-hum ham sandwiches and then there’s this simple handheld featuring some of the world’s finest jamón, luxurious Iberian ham from acorn-fed pigs. The thinly sliced meat is piled on crusty bread that’s brushed or drizzled with extra virgin olive oil. Fresh tomatoes and perhaps some cheese can be added, but the ham is undoubtedly the star of this show.

A culinary remnant of French colonialism, the baguette sandwich was reinterpreted to their own taste by the Vietnamese. Bánh mì are now sold from food carts on nearly every street corner in Ho Chi Minh City and across Vietnam and are widely loved well beyond the country’s borders.

The classic version is pork-based, starring chả lụa (Vietnamese-style pork roll), shredded pickled carrots, pickled daikon, cilantro leaves, mayonnaise and other ingredients. You can find variations with tofu and thinly sliced lemongrass chicken, too. The taste is crunchy, fresh, savory and utterly delicious.

Torta ahogada, Mexico

This “drowned” sandwich is the most popular street food in Guadalajara, the capital of Mexico’s Jalisco state. Chopped pork is tucked into crusty bread influenced by the French occupation in the 1860s, then drowned in a spicy red sauce that’s said to have become a tradition by accident when a sandwich fell into the sauce

Tramezzino, Italy

While originally from Turin, Venice has taken this popular lunchtime bar snack to the next level — properly stuffing English tea style-triangles of white bread with fillings that include everything from olives and tuna, soft boiled eggs and vegetables to piles of crispy prosciutto with truffle.

Bars all over Venice pull out platters of tramezzini at lunchtime. If you’re doing things right, you’re enjoying them canal-side with a glass of local wine.

Shawarma, Middle East

Shawarma’s name comes from the Arabic word for “turning” — a reference to how this favorite Middle Eastern sandwich’s meaty filling cooks on a vertical spit. In adaptations that spread to the Mediterranean and Europe, shawarma has been reinterpreted as gyro in Greece or doner kebab in Germany, via Turkey.

While there are many variations of this popular street food, its base is grilled spiced meat (usually chicken, lamb or beef) shaved from the rotisserie and tucked into a light sleeve of pita bread, topped with things such as tomatoes, onions and parsley and perhaps tahini sauce and hot sauce, too.

Pambazo, Mexico

Tortillas might first come to mind when it comes to Mexico. But one of the country’s most famous antojitos (street snacks or appetizers) is the pambazo, a favorite street food sandwich from Veracruz and Puebla said to have been inspired by the shape of a Mexican volcano

It’s a seriously filling thing featuring bread tinted red thanks to a soak in slightly spicy guajillo sauce. Open up wide for the potatoes and Mexican chorizo inside, topped with lettuce, cheese and cream.

Muffaletta, New Orleans, United States

Italian immigrants who settled into New Orleans’ Lower French Quarter in the late 19th and early 20th century are to thank for inventing this quintessential New Orleans sandwich made from round, sesame-covered loaves of Sicilian bread that can easily outsize your head.

Inside the muffaletta, layers of chopped olives, Genoa salami, ham and various cheeses (often with Swiss and provolone) mingle to mouthwatering effect.

Chivito, Uruguay

While this Uruguayan sandwich’s name translates to “little goat,” that ruminant’s meat is decidedly absent from this decadent assemblage of thinly sliced steak (called churrasco), ham, bacon, lettuce, mayonnaise and melted mozzarella.

iled high into a roll that’s similar to a hamburger bun or ciabatta, the chivito is customarily topped off with a fried egg – just to make sure you don’t leave hungry.

Pan bagnat, France

If you like a good salade Niçoise, chances are you’ll be a fan of the pan bagnat — a sandwich that similarly hails from Nice in the South of France and is made using crusty pain de campagne, a boulangerie favorite.

Sliced in half (but not completely through), the bread hinges open to reveal layers of raw vegetables, anchovies, olives, sliced hard boiled eggs, chunks of tuna and liberally applied olive oil, salt and pepper. Bon appétit, indeed.

Smørrebrød, Denmark

Beloved all over Scandinavia but particularly iconic for being one of Denmark’s national dishes, this open-faced sandwich translates to “buttered bread” — but smørrebrød is so much more.

With rye bread as the typical base, toppings include scores (perhaps hundreds) of combinations that range from curried or pickled herring and tiny pink shrimp to sliced boiled eggs and rare roast beef atop a layer of butter. In true Scandi style, smørrebrød goes big on aesthetics, too — the sandwiches are as pretty to look at as they are delicious to eat. Spatlo, South Africa

Particularly linked to the Gauteng province and Johannesburg, South Africa’s spatlo sandwich (often called kota, loosely translated as quarter) is made from a quarter loaf of bread that’s been hollowed out and stacked to the max with meat and much more.

Inside, find seasoned fries, cheese, bacon, polony (bologna), Russian-style sausage and perhaps a heaping of spicy atchar sauce (made from green mangoes) and a fried egg.

Montreal smoked meat sandwich, Canada

Carnivores say oui to this seriously stacked sandwich from Quebec made with smoked beef brisket layered between slices of light rye bread and drizzled with tangy yellow mustard.

The best briskets used in a true Montreal smoked meat sandwich are said to soak for up to two weeks in brine and savory aromatics such as coriander, peppercorn and garlic before being smoked and hand-sliced to go down in eternal sandwich glory.

Po’boy, New Orleans, United States

A classic belly buster that traces its roots to New Orleans, the po’boy (aka poor boy) is rumored to have been invented to feed the city’s streetcar drivers during a 1929 strike.

The history remains fuzzy, but the taste of this sandwich certainly is not.

Folks who sink their teeth into this mayonnaise-laden French bread stuffed with fried oysters (or perhaps fried shrimp or roast beef) and piled with lettuce, tomato and pickles is in for one beautifully delicious mess.

Fricassé, Tunisia

With a comforting deep fried yeast bun for an exterior and a savory mashup of tuna, potatoes and boiled egg inside, this North African sandwich delivers a filling feed in a deceptively small package.

unisia’s favorite picnic and street food sandwich, the fricassé, often gets livened up with additions such as sliced black olives, preserved lemon and harissa – the ubiquitous spicy condiment in this part of the world made from dried red chili peppers, garlic and a spice mix that usually includes caraway, cumin and coriander seed.

Cuban sandwich, Cuba/United States

Originally a luxury item in Cuba, according to Andy Huse, the author of a book on the Cuban sandwich, this Florida favorite is cause for constant debate in Miami and Tampa, where purists spar over its fundamental ingredients as well as its origin.

Whether you take yours with salami (à la Tampa) or not (à la Miami), this sandwich layered with boiled ham, roasted pork, pickles, mustard, Swiss cheese and butter and pressed between pieces of fluffy Cuban bread is a simple, hearty and most often affordable feed.

Cucumber sandwich, United Kingdom

On the dainty side of the sandwich spectrum, cucumber sandwiches are a traditional English afternoon tea staple, often spotted on the same tiered platters with scones and mini-pastries.

Extra soft white bread with the crusts removed gets layered with razor-thin English cucumbers (peeled, please, then lightly salted and drained), butter, a light dusting of fine pepper and perhaps a spray of fresh herbs such as dill. Cut the sandwich into neat triangles and pair with a pot of tea.

Chip butty, United Kingdom

The opposite of elegant, the chip butty means business – after all, this is a sandwich sheathed in buttered white bread and stuffed with fries (aka chips in its native Britain) that seem to carve out their own space in all that soft goodness.

Said to trace its roots all the way back to the 1860s and a seaside fish and chips shop in Lancashire, England, the chip butty can be doused with optional condiments ranging from ketchup and malt vinegar to mayonnaise.

Katsu sando, Japan

A deep-fried pork cutlet – pounded and breaded with panko and tucked into a fluffy Japanese white milk bread called shokupan – is the base for this cult-favorite, convenience store snack from Japan.

Considered yōshoku cuisine (Western-influenced), katsu sando is usually garnished with ribbons of cabbage and comes in chicken and egg salad (tamago) versions, too.

Reuben, United States

Ask people from Nebraska, and they’ll say the Reuben was invented there by a local grocer looking to feed a band of hungry poker players. In New York, the story goes that the sloppily sinful sandwich on rye bread was named for the founder of New York’s Reuben Restaurant.

What’s not disputable is the goodness crammed inside a Reuben – sliced corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Russian or Thousand Island-style dressing. You’ll need napkins. Lots.

Croque monsieur/madame, France

An archetypal sandwich from France that originated as “un snack” in French cafes, this crunchy (croquant) marvel comes in female and male incarnations (madame et monsieur).

or the croque monsieur, slices of white bread are stuffed with thinly sliced ham and emmental or gruyere, often dipped into egg batter, buttered and pan fried. For the croque madame, the egg component is served fried atop the sandwich.

Philly cheesesteak, Philadelphia, United States

Mouthwateringly simple, the City of Brotherly Love’s most beloved sandwich is a delectable hot mess layered with ribeye steak sliced thin, oozing sheets of provolone and sauteed peppers and onions to your liking.

Purists insist the Philly cheesesteak is enveloped inside a hoagie bun. But if you’re whipping one up at home, any thick white bread is sure to be satisfying.

Broodje haring, Netherlands

Like a taste of the salty North Sea distilled into sandwich form, this classic Dutch sandwich is for serious seafood fans only.

Served cold, broodje haring features crunchy baguette-style bread filled with thin slices of chilled herring that’s been cured in salt and piled with diced onions. Depending on where you are in the Netherlands, it might have sliced gherkins, too. Look for it anywhere there’s a market at the stalls called vishandels.

Falafel pita, Middle East

You won’t miss meat in this vegetarian staple of Middle Eastern cuisine. The falafel pita is exactly what its name suggests. Crunchy fried balls of falafel – made from soaked, ground-up chickpeas mixed with herbs – are pushed into a warm and fluffy pita pocket and brightened up with lettuce, tomatoes, tangy tahini sauce and other additions that might include chili sauce and hummus.

You’ll find people lining up for this sandwich on the streets of Beirut, Amman and many other places across the Middle East and beyond.

Choripán, Argentina

Sausages splashed with mustard and chimichurri sauce are the savory makings of this classic Argentinean mouthful whose name is a mash-up of chorizo (sausage) and pan (bread).

Choripán’s origins are thought to trace back to the country’s cowboys called gauchos, known for their grilled meat asados. But today, the casual and filling sandwich is found beyond Buenos Aires and the Andes at food carts, futbol games and restaurants across South America. It’s best enjoyed hot off the grill.

Lobster roll, New England, United States

New Englanders hold their humble lobster roll dear – a summertime coastal treat piled with big chunks of steamed lobster meat that’s often mixed with lemon juice, mayonnaise and herbs and tucked into a roll resembling a hot dog bun.

You can find them at seafood restaurants across the United States. But a classic lobster shack on the stretch of coastline from Maine to Connecticut will make for a scenic backdrop that’s hard to beat.

CNN TRAVEL

Food

Saudi authority warns against Nestle infant formula

Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has issued a warning on social media against the consumption of Nestle’s infant formula, including NAN, ALFAMINO, S-26 GOLD, and S-26 ULTIMA).

There is, it says on X, potential contamination with cereulide toxin produced by Bacillus cereus bacteria. The authority also stresses that this is a voluntary precautionary recall.

Exposure to cereulide toxins can lead to symptoms such as nausea, frequent vomiting, and abdominal pain, it explained on its website. However, the authority confirmed that no reports of illnesses associated with these products have been received in Saudi Arabia to date.

In its warning, the authority called for customers to stop using the batches that were being recalled and asked them to dispose of the products instead. The government body said it has taken the necessary measures and is currently overseeing the withdrawal of these products from the market in direct coordination with the company

The SFDA affirmed its commitment to monitoring food safety and ensuring strict compliance with health regulations.

If you or someone you know find food-related violations in Saudi Arabia, report it via the Unified Call Center (19999) or the “Saudi Vigilance” service.

The recall comes soon after Nestle global launched a worldwide recall of some products that were thought to be contaminated and could cause food poisoning in infants.

Food

‘Protein is overhyped,’ says top Saudi vegan blogger

Around nine years ago, Raoum Al-Suhaibani started a blog with the aim of sharing recipes and articles about her plant-based diet and lifestyle.

Known online as “Sukkari” after the dates from her home region of Al-Qassim, she has gained a prominent following and cultivated more than 640 thousand followers across her social media platforms.

“I knew I had a message that I wanted to share with people. I hated seeing people just dieting for years and yo-yoing on that, and because I struggled at the beginning, finding my journey to eating healthy and actually enjoying it instead of it being a struggle,” she told Arab News.

To critics who say veganism is not a balanced diet, she states: “Protein is overhyped. If anything, people should eat more fiber. No one is getting enough fiber, and they’re all having digestive issues. But instead of looking into that, (they’re) just like ‘keep cutting more food and cutting gluten’.”

Published in September, her cookbook “Tamr wa Tahina” (“Dates and Tahini”) was in the works for five years and includes some of her first blog recipes.

It not only offers cooking instructions, but also explains the nutritional value behind certain ingredients, offers solutions to common digestive issues like irritable bowel syndrome, and provides tips for hair and skin care.

Al-Suhaibani was keen to create simple recipes incorporating easily accessible and common ingredients.

“I do have a few unique ingredients in certain recipes, like black garlic or whatnot, but they are always optional, and I always like to try to give alternatives to people, because I know not everyone lives in a big city and has access to things like tofu and almond butter,” she said.

Al-Suhaibani’s journey began when she started posting the vegan recipes she had created. After she discovered vlogging on YouTube, she became intrigued by the idea of creators connecting with viewers.

“With YouTube, you feel really close to the creator. You can relate to them, even if they live a very different life from you,” she said.

She explained the video platform also allowed her to figure out what she wanted her own life to look like by discovering other lifestyles, furthering her horizons beyond Saudi Arabia.

“It helped me figure out what I want, and it’s what gave me a purpose to start a YouTube channel. I was like, oh, it’d be nice to show people that you can live a healthy life in Saudi. You can be vegan. You can be active,” she explained.

Al-Suhaibani decided to try a vegetarian diet for one week while studying in the US.

“I used to absolutely hate vegetables, and I always joked that I would never be a vegetarian. And then, literally the next year, I became vegetarian,” she said.

She wrote a research paper for one of her classes about vegetarianism and its impact on health, the environment, and the economy.

“That played a role in convincing me that it’s not just for my health. After the week finished, I just absolutely could not go back to eating even chicken,” she recalled.

Her decision opened up a world of options and challenged her creativity to switch up ingredients and come up with innovative meal ideas.

“Everyone thought it was going to be a phase,” she said. “After I graduated, I started thinking about dairy and eggs and how they don’t really make sense for us to consume as humans. I started doing my research about that too, because I’m the type of a person that doesn’t commit to something easily, but if I commit, I’m committed.”

She embraced a vegan diet around the end of 2016. “I always tell people who want to be vegan to do it gradually,” she said, emphasizing the importance of educating oneself on nutritional and ethical aspects.

Around the same time, she began practicing yoga after taking a university course and completed her yoga teacher training in India in 2017.

“As someone who had zero knowledge about yoga, it was pretty challenging. But even with that I was still drawn to it afterwards, and I wanted to continue,” she told Arab News.

“Before I started yoga, I had a lot of anger issues, and I think it helped calm me down a lot … No matter what I’m going through, how sad I am, how angry or frustrated, whatever it is, it just centers me,” she said.

“Tamr wa Tahina” is available to purchase at Jarir Bookstore and online at Sukkari Store, which also offers an e-book version.

Story by Arab News

Discover

The best restaurants in Riyadh

Riyadh’s restaurant scene is evolving at rapid speed, but our tried-and-tested picks are a good place to start

Riyadh’s restaurant scene has never been hungrier for attention. What was once a city of simple shawarma joints and kabsa spots has reinvented itself into one of the most exciting culinary capitals in the Middle East — a playground for celebrity chefs, global fine-dining heavyweights and homegrown culinary trailblazers alike.

With the long-awaited metro system unlocking new pockets of the city, and Riyadh Season bringing dozens of exciting pop-ups, there’s never been a better time to eat out in the Saudi capital. Here are the best restaurants to check out in Riyadh in 2025.

apital. Here are the best restaurants to check out in Riyadh this year.

Al Mamlaka Social Dining

Struggling to pick between Riyadh’s restaurants? Al Mamlaka Social Dining solves that dilemma by bringing almost two dozen of the city’s best under one roof. Tucked beneath Olaya’s Kingdom Centre, this green-hued food hall – anchored by a bar shaking up non-alcoholic cocktails – is a smorgasbord of coffee shops, desert stops and street food spots, including scaled-down outposts of Easy Bakery (don’t miss those swirly chocolate croissant wheels), Nozomi, Overjar, Burger Boutique and Hanoverian. For something heavier, head to the sit-down spots: the first Middle East branch of El Ta’koy slings flavour-packed Hawaiian bowls and bao buns, while Assembly by Chef Tommy – of Beirut’s beloved Baron – elevates traditional Lebanese-Armenian shish skewers with contemporary twists (splurge $27 for a stick of meat and an hour of unlimited mezze). The queues can be long on weekends when the food hall is open until 3am, but it’s a feast that’s well worth waiting for.

Address: Kingdom Centre, Olaya St, Al Olaya

Al Orjouan

Forget everything you think you know about hotel buffets at The Ritz-Carlton’s Al Orjouan, which lays out a feast fit for a king in the grand halls of a former royal palace. The variety of dishes is dazzling, from mini cocottes of scrambled eggs with rich truffle oil at breakfast to authentic ful medames served throughout the day, plus a curated selection of dates including the finest local and international varieties. An Arabian-inspired beverage menu features the Desert Rose – combining pomegranate syrup, rose water and honey – and the Green 600, an inventive mix of green apple, cucumber, spinach juice and an olive syrup “ice cube” that celebrates the ancient olive tree in the hotel’s grand courtyard.

Address: The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh, Al Hada

Attaché

In a former horse stable on the edge of Riyadh’s walled-in Diplomatic Quarter, this hush-hush member’s club from the team behind MDLBEAST sees foreign officials rubbing shoulders over a multicultural menu that’s equal parts style and substance. Dining reservations are open to all, with winning dishes like twice-baked Swiss comte souffle, locally caught sea bass and a glistening strawberry dome – revealed beneath a cloud of candy floss with a blowtorch – crowning the indoor-to-outdoor space. As the night rolls on, the party spills into Unstable, the restaurant’s clubby alter ego next door. Moody low ceilings and edgy beats keep the after-hours crowd going until late, although in keeping with the diplomatic theme, you’ll need to apply for a “visa” online first to get inside.

Address: Al Safarat

Barbar

What began as a humble Lebanese bakery has since expanded across the Middle East to Riyadh, where hot Arabic breads and generously sized shawarma platters are served from roaring ovens 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The canteen-style dining room is unpretentious, putting the focus entirely on dishes like the akkawai cheese man’ousheh, chilli-spiced Beiruti hummus drizzled with tahini and sandwiches stuffed full of meat, fish or fried vegetables. It’s also one of the cheapest places to eat in the city — a chicken shawarma loaded with cucumber pickles, fries and garlic sauce will set you back just $2.67.

Address: Prince Muhammad Ibn Abd Al Aziz Street, Al Olaya

Café Bouloud

At Riyadh’s first cheese cave, maître fromager Philippe Caillouet works his magic, carving and spiralling wheels of gruyere, wedges of Fourme d’Ambert and his signature Paris Medina goat’s cheese, stuffed with fresh mint from Saudi’s second-holiest city. It’s a fittingly French amuse bouche for celebrated chef Daniel Boulud’s first Saudi restaurant, which delivers a roll call of continental classics flecked with local flavours in a mid-century dining room wrapped in hand-drawn murals of Arabian horses in Central Park. The Café Riyadh pot de crème, paired with saffron biscuits and wafer-thin curls of caramel, is a must-try, while the thyme-slicked Dover sole Grenobloise and lavender-honey glazed duck breast speak to the kitchen’s delicate hand. The restaurant’s non-alcoholic wine library – overseen by Caillouet when he’s not tending to the cheeses – is equally impressive, with bottles matched to dishes or folded into the cooking itself.

Address: Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh at Kingdom Centre, Kingdom Centre, Olaya Street, Al Olaya

Carbone

Riyadh is the first global outpost for this New York celebrity favourite, where stars from David Beckham to Kim Kardashian come for cuisine that pays homage to the great Italian-American restaurants of the mid-20th century. The original in Greenwich Village is so popular with A-listers that George and Amal Clooney are said to have once failed to secure a last-minute reservation. While the lavish dark blue and red velvet interiors in Riyadh are far more elegant than in the low-key New York original, the menu remains full of classics. There’s an alcohol-free spin on the restaurant’s famous Spicy Rigatoni, direct from Mario Carbone’s family recipe book — plus the kitchen’s signature shell-shaped carrot cake with thick frosting that swirls around the plate.

Address: Mansard Riyadh, A Radisson Collection Hotel, Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Road, Ar Rabi

Chi Spacca

American breadmaker-turned-chef Nancy Silverton’s temple to the art of butchery flaunts a West Coast vibe in a sophisticated space where slow food takes centre stage. The restaurant’s brick-walled dining room is bathed in the glow of a wood-fired open grill, which turns out tender dry-aged steaks, beef and bone marrow pies (a signature from the original restaurant in Los Angeles) plus whole sea bass drizzled with charred lemon. Although Chi Spacca is mainly for meat-lovers, vegetarians are well catered for too — the surprisingly juicy portobello mushroom, with its carefully charred edges and lashings of cheese, is a standout in its own right. Silverton herself is known to swing by when she’s in the region.

Address: VIA Riyadh, Makkah Al Mukarramah Road, Al Hada

Il Baretto

One of the first restaurants to open among the gleaming towers of Riyadh’s King Abdullah Financial District, this art-deco-styled restaurant continues to impress. Take a seat on one of the red-leather stools at the bar, in the heart of the space, for some mean non-alcoholic cocktails (we’ve nursed many a ‘No-groni’ there on a weekend afternoon). Like the London flagship, Il Baretto is classic Italian: beef carpaccio with black truffle; homemade pappardelle with lamb ragu; and wood-fired pizzas. Watch for evenings with live jazz – the venue, with its teal walls and black and white photos, seems made for it.

Address: King Abdullah Financial District

LPM Riyadh

If the ladies from And Just Like That… had a regular lunch spot in Riyadh, LPM would be it. This classic Mediterranean bistro has made many a person’s day with its burrata, although our personal favourite is the homemade rigatoni with cream and mushrooms. Meals are served on crisp linen tablecloths by remarkably polished waiters; beige walls and banquettes are brightened by colourful pops of modern art. Reserve ahead; the weekends are hopping.

Address: Al Motassem Street, Al Olaya

Maiz

Among all the restaurants to open as part of Bujairi Terrace, a tradition-inspired village in Diriyah overlooking At-Turaif, Maiz is the most authentic choice. It showcases the best Saudi food from the kingdom’s various regions, with contemporary twists on classics such as lamb khabsa, chicken saleeg and massabeeb, a dessert with mascarpone, Arabic coffee and Saudi farm honey. The design is contemporary, with nods to tradition in the sadu pillows and gahwa cups. Access to Bujairi Terrace is free in the summer; otherwise check Diriyah’s website to book tickets.

Address: Bujairi Terrace, Ad Diriyah

Mamo Michelangelo

This little piece of Provence in Saudi Arabia is a popular branch of the Michelangelo restaurant that Italian chef Mamo started in Southern France and is now at home in the Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah. Amid the lemon trees, “planted” in an indoor tiled terrace, beneath terracotta-painted arches, waiters serve risotto al tartufo in copper pans and wood-fired pizzas on colourful crockery. Whatever you enjoy for the first or main course, keep some room for the tiramisu, served in a large bowl with “Mamo” emblazoned in cocoa – always an Instagram crowd-pleaser.

Address: Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah, King Fahd Road, Al Olaya

Myazu

While global restaurant brands are fanning out all over the city, perhaps one of the best restaurants in Riyadh is actually homegrown. Myazu, which also has a location in Jeddah, is next-level Japanese food in a dramatically lit, contemporary Zen space designed by Noriyoshi Muramatsu. Dishes from the sushi counter and robata grill range from the light marinated yellowtail sashimi with ponzu dressing to the Wagyu sando with katsu sauce. The mushroom takikomi-gohan, its signature rice dish cooked in a clay pot, is comfort food at its most luxurious.

Address: Musad Bin Jalawi, As Sulimaniyah

NUE by Nomad

Bahrain’s beloved Nomad has finally landed in Riyadh, bringing its signature copper accents and chic, laid-back vibe to a curving, glass-fronted space tucked behind greenery on Olaya Street. Downstairs, trendy shoppers from nearby Centria Mall spill in for pillowy short rib bao buns, frothy mastiqua spritzers, and an expanded bakery selection (though sadly the marmite butter cornbread didn’t make it across the Gulf). Upstairs offers a quieter escape, with a small balcony of tucked-away tables perfect for lingering over a flat white or watching Riyadh’s fast-paced world go by.

Address: 3074 Prince Muhammad Ibn Abd Al Aziz, Al Olaya

Roma Restaurant

Long before Saudi flung open its doors to tourists and its dining scene erupted in a frenzy of new openings, there was Roma Restaurant. Tucked at the base of an office building in Olaya since 1991, this unassuming Italian stalwart has been the city’s go-to for honest plates of pizza, pasta and tiramisu for nearly 35 years. While a flashier outpost now graces the Boulevard, the original still reigns supreme, with a menu that swings from the hearty truffle-laden dishes of the north to crispy golden arancini balls from the south. The pasta selection is immense, split between perfectly al dente dry varieties and fresh handmade options — you can’t go far wrong with a bowl of Bolognese or the bright and buttery pasta al limone.

Address: Ceiricon Buildings, Shubah Ibn Al Hajjaj, Al Olaya

Sobhy Kaber

Sobhy Kaber is renowned for its generous portions of succulent Egyptian kofta, aromatic tagine and creamy baba ghanoush — plus cow’s trotters, pigeon grits soup and crispy fried veal liver for more daring diners. The restaurant is an offshoot of the wildly popular original branch in Cairo’s Rod El Farag neighbourhood, where queues for tables often run out the door well into the early hours. Its legendarily low prices continue in Riyadh, with salads starting at $2.13 and clay pots full of spicy tagine based on traditional Egyptian recipes costing around $12 for a portion that could easily feed four.

Address: Al Takhassousi, Al Mathar Ash Shamali

Urth Caffé

Organic coffee, free-range eggs and leafy green trees as decor: with such good vibes, it’s little surprise California’s Urth Caffé has rapidly spread its roots since opening its first Arabian Gulf branch in Riyadh in 2017. It can be hard to find a casual breakfast spot outside of hotels early on a Friday morning, so Urth is a welcome option. Highlights of the breakfast menu, which includes vegan and gluten-free options, are avocado toast, shakshuka and, of course, granola.

Address: 5090 Prince Muhammed Bin Abdulaziz Road, As Sulaimaniya District

Villa Mamas

This celebrated restaurant – the fourth outpost launched by Bahraini chef Roaya Saleh, adding to London, Abu Dhabi and the original branch in Saar – aims to evoke the feeling of home through rustic wood-panelled interiors and a menu that makes use of fresh, seasonal ingredients. Traditional tabbouleh and pomegranate salads give way to creative twists on classic Gulf dishes that see medallions of minced lamb teetering atop balls of mashed potato and chicken tahchin swirled with barberries and rose petals. Yet it’s the herb-garnished skewers of tandoori shish with yoghurt and scalding hot bowls of dum biryani, revealed by breaking apart the dough sealing in the spice, that really steal the show.

Address: Bujairi Terrace, Ad Diriyah

Yauatcha

At Yauatcha’s open-air rooftop, delicate dim sum parcels served in classic bamboo baskets offer a more “accessible” take on Cantonese cuisine from the team behind high-end Hakkasan. The menu features dozens of varieties of yum cha (with plenty of options for vegetarians) served baked, fried, steamed or grilled amid smart, airy surroundings dotted with cherry blossom trees and touches of greenery. Order the colourful steamed platter for a selection of the greatest hits, including translucent crystal shrimp har gau, sea bass wrapped in sunbeam yellow shells and plump pink seafood dumplings.

Address: Al Faisaliah Mall, Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Road, Al Olaya

Zuma

After years of anticipation, Zuma has finally landed in Riyadh, bringing the same magnetic glamour to the Saudi capital as its ultra-trendy siblings in places like London, Dubai, Bodrum and Mykonos. Occupying a sleek, soaring space in King Abdullah Financial District, the perpetually packed dining room is a showstopper, flanked with sweeping staircases, glowing amber walls and a head-turning mix of wood and stone. The izakaya-style menu is equally as dramatic: miso-marinated black cod that melts like butter, rock shrimp tempura you’ll fight over and Riyadh exclusives like yuzu-drizzled lobster carpaccio and beef gyoza stuffed with earthy seasonal mushrooms. Upstairs, the glowing bar, flanked by suspended glassware, shakes up zero per cent cocktails for the baying crowds as they wait for tables — try the Rikka Tonic for a zingy burst of yuzu and grapefruit, or the strawberry-sweet Ozaka Spritz.

Address: Metro Boulevard, King Abdullah Financial District

By Mo Gannon and Scott Campbell