In February of this year, World’s 50 Best launched its inaugural list of the 50 Best Restaurants in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) of 2021. 3Fils, a homegrown Japanese-fusion restaurant in Dubai, won the coveted number one spot and also the award of being the Best Restaurant in the United Arab Emirates. While there is no restaurant in Saudi Arabia that entered the top 10 of the list, there were five that entered the top 50 and that’s already considered a great feat considering the many worthy restaurants all over MENA. Also, they’re all in Riyadh! So what are these restaurants?
All are quote familiar to us, we haven’t tried and some we’ve dined in over and over. They’re also not all luxurious. Some of them are within our budget so yes, you can definitely try some of MENA’s best restaurants in Riyadh.
1. MYAZU
Myazu is number 15 in the list and it is the highest restaurant in Saudi Arabia in the list, thus the Best Restaurant in Saudi Arabia award was given to this luxurious Japanese restaurant in Riyadh. We haven’t tried Myazu but we can say that photos of its interiors and food show how exquisite the restaurant is. Myazu chefs create modern dishes with the best high quality ingredients using traditional techniques. A dinner at Myazu will definitely one for the books! Myazu also has a branch in Jeddah.
- WHAT: MYAZU
- TIMINGS: 1:30 PM – 1:30 AM
- WEBSITE: https://www.myazu.com
- MENU: Check HERE.
- RESERVE HERE: https://www.myazu.com/reservations/
- LOCATION: Riyadh – https://g.page/MYAZUSAUDI?share
- Jeddah – https://goo.gl/maps/HPce3BejgCD4e8pRA
2. MARBLE
Number 30 in the list is Marble. This restaurant is quite a surprise in this list just because it’s fairly new in the dine-in scene having started as a food truck that serves burgers and steaks. But isn’t this amazing? What a feat! We’ve tried their Rib Eye Steak and Marble Burger and we can say that they deserve their place in this list. Juicy and tender! Their restaurant in Turki Square is cozy and intimate (we had a few tries before we were finally able to get a table). If you’re in the lookout for fine smoking and butchery craftsmanship, look no further than Marble.
- WHAT: MARBLE CUISINE
- TIMINGS: Monday to Saturday (closed on Sundays) / 1:00 PM – 1:00 AM
- WEBSITE: https://www.marblecuisine.com
- MENU: https://www.marblecuisine.com/menu
- RESERVE HERE: +966-11-430-0040 / info@marblecuisine.com
- LOCATION: https://goo.gl/maps/qNYSLEUH1pTFxEMu8
3. PORTERHOUSE
Number 37 in the list is Porterhouse, a Saudi brand of steakhouse established in 2016 providing a lively yet intimate atmosphere with an exciting menu and great service. They are focused on premium steaks dry aged in house for 21 days and other exciting items including an indulgent Roasted Bone Marrow, which we love. Just thinking about it is making us salivate now. We also like that they have a variety of sauces, toppings, and sides for their meats.
- WHAT: PORTERHOUSE
- TIMINGS: Saturday – Wednesday (12:30 PM – 12:30 AM) / Thursday – Friday (12:30 PM – 1:00 AM)
- WEBSITE: https://porterhouse-sa.com
- MENU: https://porterhouse-sa.com/menu
- RESERVE HERE: https://porterhouse-sa.com/reservation
- LOCATION: https://goo.gl/maps/4nfPLxgFGU9m5DxMA
4. LPM RESTAURANT & CAFÉ
Number 42 is LPM Riyadh, a part of a famous chain of restaurants that can be found in London and Dubai. LPM Riyadh is located in the Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah Hotel and opened just last year. It is a French restaurant influenced by Mediterranean cuisine. With its sophisticated feel that brings you to the French Riviera, the food at LPM is simple, fresh, and well crafted with high quality ingredients. We haven’t tried LPM but our mouths are already watering just from reading some of their indulgent specialties like escargot and foie gras.
- WHAT: LPM RESTAURANT & CAFÉ
- TIMINGS: LUNCH: Sunday – Thursday (12:30 PM – 3:30 PM) / Friday – Saturday (1:00 PM – 4:00 PM) / DINNER: All days (6:30 PM – 11:00 PM)
- WEBSITE: https://lpmrestaurants.com/riyadh/
- MENU: https://lpmrestaurants.com/riyadh/menus/
- RESERVE HERE: https://lpmrestaurants.com/riyadh/
- LOCATION: https://g.page/lpmriyadh?share
5. TOKYO RESTAURANT
Number 50 on the list is Tokyo Restaurant, an oldie but definitely a goodie in our list. We’ve been going to Tokyo Restaurant for years – from their old venue to the new ones. They overhauled their restaurant when they opened in their new locations (the Oruba one not far from the first location) and their prices have also increased but we can say that the food is still good. Our bias is their Makunochi Bento which has a little bit of everything that makes us full every time.
- WHAT: TOKYO RESTAURANT
- TIMINGS: 12:30 PM – 12:00 AM
- WEBSITE: https://tokyoarabia.com/
- MENU: https://tokyo.redro.menu/
- RESERVE HERE: https://tokyoarabia.com/
- LOCATION: https://goo.gl/maps/ew282SAsPX9ysV5cA
- https://goo.gl/maps/buMLXHuhFi1b3aVp8
Have you tried any of these restaurants? What do you think?
