Food and eating out are popular entertainment options in Saudi Arabia. People are always on the lookout to try the latest concept restaurant in town or the newest franchise chain. Thanks to Vision 2030’s focus on the opportunities for entertainment, event companies are now organizing and hosting family carnivals, bazars and festivals.
These carnivals are typically held in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dhahran, and in wide, open spaces that accommodate large crowds and families. Home-based businesses and commercial vendors sell a variety of things like local produce, personalized gift items, knick-knacks, jewelry, handicrafts and several different types of food.
Another trend that is making its presence felt in Saudi Arabia are food trucks. Although the concept of food trucks is the norm in the US (think the Halal Food Guys) and other countries, there has been an increase in the number of food trucks in carnivals at Saudi Arabia. At the Al-Janadriyah festival last month, for example, food trucks definitely won attention.
We give you a roundup of five festival foods and food truck specialties, so that the next time you’re thinking of a fun, family day at your local bazaar you know what to head for!
Ice-cream rolls: Borrowing the concept from street-food in Thailand, many vendors now offer ice-cream rolls. Milk and flavoring are used on an iced plate to “create” ice-cream, shaped into rolls with a spatula, and served in a cup with assorted toppings — definitely a winner with the kids!
Mutabbaq: Food trucks offer everything from fast-food to regional food, sometimes even preparing the food in front of you, to entertain the hungry with their food theatrics. Vendors sometimes put on a show by flipping the dough, adding meat and cheese, cutting it up, and serving it with a flourish.
Pancake creations: Funnel cakes and cotton candy are synonymous with carnivals in the US, but prepare to be wooed by different pancake creations in Saudi Arabia. Waffles are served on a stick, with a generous heaping of chocolate sauce and sprinkles. There are also tiny pancakes with caramel sauce and even cute, little panda pancakes!
Luqaimat: This Ramadan classic is a perfect snack for the cold weather. Soft, fluffy balls of dough are deep-fried and served with the traditional sugar syrup, or date and chocolate sauce. Served right out of the pan, this warm delight is a perfect accompaniment to a cup of karak chai or gahwa.
Chai Karak: Ditch your regular cup of coffee for a cup of authentic, milky, aromatic and refreshing chai karak. The chai karak is a popular attraction at festivals, especially during the cooler seasons, and you may have to brave long queues to get your hands on a cup of chai karak.
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Food trucks: Concept of mobile street vendors comes to Saudi Arabia
Food trucks: Concept of mobile street vendors comes to Saudi Arabia
Where We Are Going Today: ‘Mamola’ dessert shop
- If you are looking for a comforting dessert during the winter season, Mamola’s exclusive winter menu offers large, hot cakes perfect for kashta or desert camping
This Saudi Arabia brand offers a variety of traditional, buttery sweets with a unique twist.
As the name Mamola suggests, the dessert chain with branches across the Kingdom takes inspiration from the iconic mamoul cookie, which is known for being a staple on every Eid Al-Fitr table.
The round mamoul is stuffed with dates, walnuts, pistachios or nuts, and the outer layer is sprinkled with crushed white sugar.
Mamola has different variations of the mamoul cookie: cream, sesame, kunafa, and many more.
My personal favorite is the kunafa mamoul. Resembling kunafa, a traditional Arab dessert, the cookie is filled with cream instead of dates and topped with crispy shredded filo dough.
But Mamola has much more than cookies. From cakes to ice cream, the diverse menu will leave you feeling spoiled for choice.
If you are looking for a comforting dessert during the winter season, Mamola’s exclusive winter menu offers large, hot cakes perfect for kashta or desert camping.
My personal favorite is the cinnamon date cake, served in a heated dish. After the first bite, I was blown away. It was soft and sweet, with salted caramel and pecans balancing its toffee flavor perfectly.
What makes Mamola stand out is their attention to detail in their curated boxes, which come in various sizes, making them the perfect gifts for loved ones.
Pic Group president David Sinapian discusses French brand’s expansion and Gulf success
DUBAI: With three Michelin stars at their flagship restaurant Maison Pic in Valence, France, the president of Pic Group, David Sinapian, and his wife and celebrated chef Anne-Sophie Pic are on a mission to take French culinary genius to the world.
After entering a long-term partnership with French luxury label Dior to open Dior Cafes around the world — starting with two outposts in Japan in December 2024 — Pic and Sinapian have their sights set on the Gulf.
“We have almost reached the potential for development of the catering business in Saudi Arabia, and I believe that the future holds great opportunities for the industry in the Kingdom. It is a no-brainer,” Sinapian told Arab News en Francais recently, three years after the Pic Group hosted a pop-up restaurant in AlUla.
Meanwhile, in the UAE, the group opened La Dame de Pic Dubai at the city’s swanky One&Only Zaabeel hotel in 2024, nabbing a Michelin star in the 2024 guide and being voted the World’s Best New Restaurant 2024 at the fifth annual World Culinary Awards.
“I have witnessed an evolution at a pace that continues to surprise me ... and that’s what characterizes business in the Emirates,” Sinapian said of the famously fast-paced food and beverage industry in the city.
“You can be in fashion one moment and quickly out of it the next, because the market changes, and if you can’t adapt, you’re left behind,” he added.
The Pic Group’s international accolades are the latest in a long list of culinary nods for a brand founded in the late 19th century.
The precursor to Maison Pic, Cafe-Restaurant du Pin opened its rather more humble doors in 1889, with Pic’s great grandmother cooking ingredients hunted and farmed by her husband. Pic’s grandfather, Andre, then took over the family restaurant and earned it three Michelin stars in 1934.
Over the decades, Maison Pic lost and gained stars with the most recent blow being dealt after Pic’s father Jacques died in 1992 — the restaurant lost its third star in 1995 before Sophie-Anne returned in 1997 to head up the kitchen. After 10 years of creating memorable dishes in the restaurant, she gained back the third star in 2007.
“We began to build an ecosystem together and expand our business by opening other restaurants,” Sinapian told Arab News of the period that followed.
In 2009, they cut the ribbon on Pic au Beau-Rivage Palace in Lausanne, Switzerland.
“I was in charge of building the project in terms of identity, design and team building, while Anne-Sophie began to create a new menu using Swiss products,” Sinapian said, explaining their working relationship.
The Pic name then expanded its activity internationally, with openings in Paris, London, Singapore, Megeve, Hong Kong, and Dubai alongside its projects in Japan.
A new Monsieur Dior restaurant opening in Osaka, Japan, in 2025, will be orchestrated by the French chef.
“Anne-Sophie has had an affinity for Japan for a very long time, and so have I. It’s the love she has for tea, the products, and Japanese refinement,” Sinapian said.
Where We Are Going Today: Just Taco
If you are craving bold flavors and authentic Mexican street food, Just Taco in Riyadh is worth a visit. Known for its lively atmosphere and delicious menu, the restaurant combines casual dining with a fun twist.
The menu features flavorful choices such as the taco mix platter, offering a variety of tacos packed with authentic Mexican spices. For sharing, the loaded nachos are a hit, with crispy tortilla chips topped with gooey cheese, jalapenos and fresh pico de gallo.
Another standout is the cheesy fries with pulled beef, a hearty dish that combines creamy, savory and crunchy elements.
The food impresses with its freshness and quality, ensuring every bite is flavorful. With reasonable prices, it is an excellent spot to experience authentic Mexican cuisine.
Just Taco has quickly become a favorite for taco enthusiasts in Riyadh, offering consistent quality and memorable flavors.
The cozy ambiance, highlighted by vibrant green and yellow decor, creates a cheerful and welcoming vibe. Friendly staff further enhance the experience, making it a great choice for casual meals with friends or family.
One potential drawback is the shared-gender restroom, which may not suit everyone. However, the excellent food and lively atmosphere more than compensate for this.
For more information, visit their Instagram: @justtaco.sa.
Where We Are Going Today: ‘Thai Soi’ restaurant in Riyadh
- The stir-fried noodles had just the right amount of spice and a beautiful medley of vegetables and chicken, with a savory sauce that brought all the ingredients together
Thai Soi is one of those hidden gems you just happen to stumble upon. In my case, I was looking for the perfect coconut green curry on a particularly chilly night in Riyadh. Lo and behold — Thai Soi popped up on my HungerStation app.
The restaurant offers diners a genuine taste of Thailand in the heart of Riyadh.
To start, the spring rolls, which are available vegetarian or with prawns, were a delightful appetizer — perfectly crispy, fresh, and bursting with flavor. Each roll was light yet packed with a savory filling, complemented by a sweet and tangy dipping sauce that elevated the dish.
For the main course, I opted for the green curry prawns, and the dish did not disappoint. The curry had the perfect balance of richness and spice, with the prawns cooked to perfection. The creamy coconut milk base, combined with the zesty green curry paste, created a satisfying depth of flavor that lingered long after the last bite.
The drunken noodles were equally impressive, although they were a bit cold upon delivery. While drunken noodles are meant to be made extremely spicy, you can opt to remove the heat.
The stir-fried noodles had just the right amount of spice and a beautiful medley of vegetables and chicken, with a savory sauce that brought all the ingredients together. They were a tad on the drier side, although not soggy, but the portion size was generous.
No Thai meal is complete without dessert, and the mango sticky rice at Thai Soi was a sweet, refreshing finish. The sticky rice was perfectly chewy and paired wonderfully with the ripe, juicy mango, making for a simple yet exquisite treat.
The restaurant is great to visit, at one of two locations in Riyadh, as the vibrant interior decor and motifs give the perfect ambience to feel like you have escaped the city for a few hours.
It is also a nice option for at-home functions as Thai Soi sells a dumplings party box with 20 pieces of mixed dumplings and sauces, and a mix starter platter with six starters and dips. The restaurant also offers a catering service for larger groups.
Where We Are Going Today: Wingstop
Wingstop Inc. is a renowned US restaurant chain specializing in buffalo wings, and its arrival in Riyadh has generated quite a buzz.
Wingstop brings bold flavors to the local dining scene, and it is no surprise that the restaurant has become a hotspot for wing enthusiasts.
The excitement in the air was palpable at the Tahlia branch, as everyone seemed eager to sample the much-talked-about wings. They have a Louisiana Rub which delivers a delightful blend of spices that kept us reaching for more.
Another highlight is the Mango Habanero. The sweetness of the mango balances perfectly with the heat of the habanero, making it a must-try for those who enjoy a little kick to their wings.
For dipping, you can opt for the ranch sauce and honey mustard, both of which complement the wings nicely, adding an extra layer of flavor.
The onion rings with ranch sauce are incredibly crispy and delicious — a perfect side that pairs well with the meal.
However, not every dish hit the mark. The garlic parmesan wings, while tasty, has a buttery flavor that feels a bit overwhelming, and the Hawaiian wings are excessively sweet.
There are also cheese fries, which, to the disappointment of some visitors, do not quite meet expectations. They lacked the flavor punch some hoped for, making them the weakest link in their meal.
However, a redeeming recommendation from the staff was the Wingstop seasoning fries.
The pricing at Wingstop is reasonable with eight pieces for SR34 (approximately $9). Given the quality and quantity, this is a fair deal for diners looking to indulge in flavorful wings.
With three branches across Riyadh — Tahlia, King Fahad Metro Station, and Sahara Mall— Wingstop is conveniently accessible.
Overall, the standout flavors and lively atmosphere make Wingstop a worthy addition to Riyadh’s dining landscape.
