Food

3 immunity boosting soups can protect against winter viruses

Feel a sniffle coming on? Don’t reach for the Lemsip, grab a hand blender and whip up a soup which can help your body fight off winter nasties from the inside out.

It’s the advice of nutritionist Robbie Puddick, who told the Daily Mail that regular servings of hearty soups could be the secret to warding off colds and flu.

While he said the occasional soup isn’t likely to stop you from reaching for the tissues, having them regularly can ‘support the immune system’ as it’s ‘inherently a very healthy thing to consume’.

He explained: ‘It’s really easy to digest, and obviously, we’re in a generation where gut health and digestive issues are quite common. A lot of people suffer with IBS-like symptoms and poor gut health.

‘But consuming things like soup is a great way of providing really bioavailable nutrition—the proteins from meat will be easier to break down and digest by your gut and the plant-based compounds are beneficial.’

However, while it may be tempting to pick up a tin of soup that takes just minutes to prepare, he warned that ‘they’re often packed full of sugar’ so it’s better if ‘you’re making them from fresh’ which allows you to ‘know exactly what’s in them’.

There’s something distinctly comforting about a bowl of soup on a cold day—regardless of if you’re ill or not—and there could be a scientific reason for it.

After the coronavirus pandemic, a 2022 study looked at the healing properties of traditional Iranian folk medicine—including both chicken and barley soups—when taken by people recovering from covid.

A steaming bowl of chicken soup has long been seen as the perfect tonic for a streaming cold or flu, and the study confirmed it does offer some sort of healing properties.

The researchers found that people who ate soup recovered up to 2.5 days faster than those who didn’t.

Furthermore, they reported milder symptoms of nasal congestion, sore throat and fatigue, and in some people, reduced levels of inflammation-related markers.

Often, soups are made with a base of immunity-boosting herbs, spices and vegetables including garlic, onion, and ginger, all of which are packed with antioxidants and have natural bacteria-beating qualities.

They are also natural sources of vitamins A and C which power the immune system.

A warm mug or bowl of soup also has the potential to loosen mucus and soothe sore throats—plus it’s easy to swallow and digest.

Mr Puddick, who is one of the experts from the NHS’ weight loss programme Second Nature, has shared three soups with ingredients that will help support your immune system in the colder months.

From a hearty, meaty soup to a traditional tomato, find out why you need to add these delicious and cheap to make meals to your weekly menu.

Goulash Soup

The first recipe that he recommended was Goulash Soup, a traditional Hungarian dish

This traditional Hungarian dish is a watery version of a beef stew that includes a multitude of immune system boosting ingredients.

The soup’s origins lie in the ninth century, when it was eaten by shepherds who moved large herds of livestock and sheep through the Hungarian mountains.

In those days it would be made in a cauldron, known as a bogrács, hung from a chain over an open fire.

However, the recipe has evolved throughout history, with the addition of paprika added after the invading Ottomans introduced the spice to Hungary in the 15th century.

Overall, goulash is packed with lots of ingredients that are good for you including garlic, which Mr Puddick says is ‘a big win’ because it contains allicin.

He said: ‘Allicin has been shown in clinical trials to stimulate immune cell activity, which is great for just an individual ingredient.

‘If we’re having garlic regularly across the week, and we put a large amount in our soups, it is definitely a big win.’

Meanwhile, probiotics—good bacteria—found in the Greek yoghurt in this soup, can also help the immune system.

‘There is a good connection between, consuming probiotics and our immune function,’ said Mr Puddick.

A 2011 study showed probiotics, also known as ‘good bacteria’, can help stave off the common cold by stimulating the immune system.

Other research has shown that the ‘good bacteria’ in probiotics support a healthy gut microbiome.

A healthy gut microbiome has the right types of bacteria thriving together to support digestion, the immune system and even mental health.

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, finely diced or minced
1 tsp ground paprika
400g diced beef
400g mushrooms, sliced
1 carrot, diced
1L beef stock
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
200g potatoes, cut into 1cm cubes
100g plain natural or Greek yoghurt
50g fresh flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Method

Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a large saucepan, over medium heat. Fry the onion, garlic, and paprika, until softened.
Add the beef and stir until evenly browned. Add the mushrooms and carrots, and cook until softened.
Pour in the stock and tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for up to 1 hour.
Add the potatoes and cook uncovered for 20 – 30mins, or until the potatoes are tender.
Ladle into bowls, and top with a spoonful of yoghurt and chopped parsley.

Tomato soup

When you are not feeling well you may be craving a tin of tomato soup and a cheese toastie.

But a tin of Heinz’s tomato soup, while delicious, is packed with 20g of sugar—which is two thirds of the NHS adult daily recommended intake.

So, keeping in line with the advice of Mr Puddick, it’s always better to whizz up a steaming bowl of red soup using fresh ingredients at home.

This soup has a smooth texture is a brilliant source of vitamin C, which previous studies have found contributes to immune defence.

However, he said it’s better to get it from food rather than supplements because foods have the right balance of vitamin C and zinc.

‘When we consume these ingredients from whole foods, they come in the right balance, so this doesn’t tend to be an issue.’

Typically, he added that tomato soups can be lacking in protein which can leave people still hungry.

‘A lot of people have tomato soup with a bit of bread on the side and that’s their lunch, and they might feel hungry an hour or two after,’ he said.

‘It’s probably because they haven’t provided their body with enough protein alongside it.

‘So, it may be better to have it as a side, or with eggs or some smoked salmon on the side if a main.’

Luckily, this tomato soup recipe includes cannellini beans, giving it some additional protein.

If you’re vegan, you can also skip the cream, which is added for smoothness, and use coconut milk instead.

Ingredients

1.5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 large carrots, chopped
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 x 400g tins whole or chopped tomatoes
2 x 400g tins cannellini beans
700ml water or vegetable stock
300 ml single cream
Handful fresh basil, to serve

Method

Add the oil to a large saucepan, over medium heat.
Add the carrots and onions, and cook until softened.
Add the garlic and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and lower the heat to low/medium. Cook for 25 minutes to reduce the acidity of the tomatoes.
Add the beans and stock, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer for an additional 10 minutes.
Turn off the heat and add the cream, transfer to a blender or use an immersion blender until smooth.
Top with the fresh basil and serve

Roasted cauliflower and fennel soup

Cauliflower is a cruciferous superfood that’s low in carbs which supports digestion, heart health and the immune system.

It is rich in vitamin C and vitamin K both of which can help support your immune response.

Studies have shown that fennel is rich in antioxidants that protect against cell damage and support the immune system.

This soup contains basil, which is rich in antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory properties like vitamin K that are great for your immune system.

‘A lot of herbs and spices have anti-inflammatory properties,’ said Mr Puddick.

Interestingly, he explained a lot of people think all inflammation is unhealthy, when it is integral to the immune system.

In the right amounts, he said: ‘Inflammation is healing, and our immune system, our immune response, is an inflammatory response.

‘It’s our body sending out these killer cells and all of these immune-supporting cells that can fight pathogens and infection.’

Adding walnuts to this soup, he added, ensure that you feel satiated for longer, preventing unnecessary snacking.

Walnuts are rich in omega-3s, protein, fibre and antioxidants which are great for your heart and brain.

A recent study found that eating walnuts can boost your brain power, improving memory in young adults

Meanwhile, another found a fistful of walnuts a day can lower bad cholesterol which has been linked to increased risk of heart disease.

Ingredients

1 large head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 small fennel bulb, roughly chopped
1 shallot, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely diced or minced
150mL water
800mL chicken stock
300mL single cream
2 bay leaves
60g hazelnuts
1 small handful of chives, sliced

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan.
Toss cauliflower in 2 tbsp oil on a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper.
Roast the cauliflower for 30–35 minutes (tossing halfway) or until florets are browned all over and tender.
While the cauliflower is roasting, add 1 tbsp olive oil to a large saucepan, over medium heat.
Fry the shallot, fennel and garlic until softened (5-8mins). Add 150ml water and cook until mostly evaporated (around 5mins).
Add roasted cauliflower, stock, cream, and bay leaves; season lightly with salt and pepper.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until cauliflower is very tender, 20 minutes.
While the soup is simmering, fry the bacon in a small non-stick frying pan and set aside once golden brown. No need to add any oil as the bacon will release oils.
In the same pan fry the hazelnuts until golden and roasted. Set aside to cool and then roughly chop. Remove the bay leaves from the soup and discard.
Allow the cauliflower mixture to cool slightly before using a blender or stick/immersion blender until a smooth consistency is formed.
Serve topped with hazelnuts

Daily Mail

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