This inaugural selection by the MICHELIN Guide represents a significant milestone for Saudi Arabia growing culinary and hospitality sector.
With 36 restaurants across Riyadh, Jeddah and AlUla added to the first official list of dining destinations that are MICHELIN recommended, it is clear that the Kingdom has an offering of excellent dining experiences; from traditional Saudi and Arabic cuisine, to eclectic fusion dining and Asian-inspired menus. The inclusion of these establishments on the MICHELIN Recommended list signifies that they have all met the guide's foundational standard of serving consistently high-quality cuisine.
Crucially, the recognition of just six restaurants with the highly coveted Bib Gourmand designation highlights those special places where inspectors found superior cooking paired with exceptional value for money — a true mark of approachable excellence in a burgeoning and busy market. This foundational guide sets the stage for future announcements, providing travellers and food enthusiasts with a reliable, curated list of where to dine while building anticipation for the eventual awarding of the ultimate accolade: the Kingdom's first MICHELIN Stars.
Check out the list of Saudi Arabia's 11 MICHELIN Bib Gourmand awarded restaurants, right here.
Saudi Arabia's MICHELIN Recommended Restaurants
AlUla
The historic, cultural destination of AlUla made a strong impression in the inaugural MICHELIN Guide inspectors. Despited a limited number of non-seasonal restaurants, the ancient UNESCO city has a total of 5 restaurants earning a spot on the prestigious MICHELIN Recommended list, including two restaurants (Joontas and Tofareya) scooping up the much-lauded Bib Gourmand recognition.
Jeddah
Jeddah has secured a significant presence in the inaugural MICHELIN Guide, with 14 restaurants recognised and added to the official recommendation list. This strong selection immediately highlights the city's cosmopolitan dining scene, which caters to diverse and sophisticated palates. While the majority of these establishments — including prominent names like ROKA and Rasoi by Vineet, alongside local legends — were named MICHELIN Recommended, a truly unique distinction was earned by The Lucky Llama and Samia's Dish, as the recipients of a Bib Gourmand award. This recognition confirms that Jeddah offers a remarkable range of high-quality dining experiences, from world-class international cuisine to excellent value-for-money fusion, positioning it as a dynamic hub for culinary exploration on the Red Sea.
- Fish Market
- Karamna
- Kuuru
- The Lucky Llama (Bib Gourmand)
- Maritime
- Meez
- Myazū
- Niyyali
- Rasoi by Vineet
- ROKA
- Samia's Dish (Bib Gourmand)
- Tamees House
- Toki
- Yaza
Riyadh
The Kingdom's capital city of Riyadh leads the inaugural MICHELIN Guide recommendations, with 33 restaurants officially recognised and added to the list, underscoring the city's role as the Saudi's primary gastronomic hub. This extensive selection showcases a remarkable range of culinary offerings, featuring globally celebrated names like Café Boulud and Il Baretto alongside a wealth of innovative local concepts and diverse international cuisine. Most notably, 7 of these establishments were honoured with the coveted Bib Gourmand distinction — including Fi Glbak, KAYZO, Mirzam, and Tameesa. This recognition highlights Riyadh’s ability to deliver not only high-end, internationally competitive dining (as seen in the numerous MICHELIN Recommended entries) but also exceptional value and quality in more approachable settings.
- Aseeb
- Benoit, Alain Ducasse
- Cafe Boulud
- Em Sherif (Bib Gourmand)
- Fi Glbak (Bib Gourmand)
- The Globe
- Hocho
- Hong
- Julien by Daniel Boulud
- KAYZO (Bib Gourmand)
- Il Baretto
- Long Chim
- Lusin
- Maiz
- Mirzam (Bib Gourmand)
- MLLE
- Myazu
- Najd Village (Bib Gourmand)
- Namu
- OVUN
- Robata
- The Rubi Room at Hōchō
- Ruhi
- Ruya
- Sasani (Bib Gourmand)
- Takya
- Taleed by Michael Mina
- Tameesa (Bib Gourmand)
- Tanjiah
- Thara
- Tofareya
- Villa Mammas
- Yawmiyat by Dalal
- Yokari
These are the 3 Types of MICHELIN recognitions
When talking about and exploring the various MICHELIN distinctions, its important to take into account the different levels of recognitions within the MICHELIN Guide. These varied recognitions indicate various levels of culinary excellence, and experiences in a city or country.
- A restaurant designated MICHELIN Recommended signifies a high-quality establishment identified by inspectors as serving excellent food, meeting the guide's basic standard for inclusion and consistency, but does not necessarily meet Star or Bib Gourmand levels.
- The MICHELIN Bib Gourmand award is given to restaurants that offer genuinely exceptional value for money; these establishments serve high-quality cooking.
- The highest honour is arguably the most well known, the MICHELIN Star. This recognition is awarded for superior cooking, focusing solely on the quality of the cuisine, the mastery of flavour and technique, the personality of the chef in the cooking, and consistency. Currently the MICHELIN Star rating guide ranges from One Star to Three Stars. One star denotes "high quality cooking, worth a stop"; two stars indicate "excellent cooking, worth a detour"; and three stars represent "exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey."
When will the MICHELIN Stars be announced for Saudi Arabia?
It is expected that the official MICHELIN Star restaurants for Saudi Arabia will be announced before the end of 2025.
