Just under ten years ago a rich and diverse culinary scene was non-existent in Saudi Arabia. A few local restaurants largely serving local Saudi fare from the country’s diverse regions were commonplace but recently everything has changed.

From celebrity chefs like Wolfgang Puck opening his restaurant Spago in Via Riyadh, a new upscale complex with high-end restaurants and retail stores, to homegrown upmarket eateries serving traditional Saudi fare with a modern twist and new street food joints, the gastronomic landscape in Saudi Arabia has exploded. It is multicultural, diverse and rapidly expanding its local and international offerings to lure in diners from around the country, the wider region and internationally.

And with so many options, knowing where to start is hard. Don’t worry, we’ve done the hard work for you with a round-up of the 13 best places to eat in the Kingdom this year.

1. Takya

Order the incredible shrimp muflag at Takya

Order the incredible shrimp muflag at Takya

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This homegrown Riyadh restaurant offers a fusion of authentic and contemporary Saudi dishes. Located in Bujairi Terrace in Diriyah amid a modern setting with décor that echoes traditional Saudi architecture and design, this eatery is the brainchild of Hadeel Almutawa and she has gathered recipes from across the Kingdom’s diverse regions.

Signature dishes include mathlotha, smoked rice and durum wheat balls stuffed with lime and chili, and shrimp muflag, a paella-like native dish.

2. MYAZU Riyadh

Enjoy some of the best sushi in the world at Myazu

Enjoy some of the best sushi in the world at Myazu

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An eatery where sushi meets Saudi, this popular restaurant is grounded in Japanese culture and offers a menu that fuses traditional techniques with contemporary dishes. The culinary team is meticulous in its gastronomic presentation and they have made this establishment the place to be in Riyadh. Be sure to try the marinated yellowtail sashimi with jalapeño, scallop and foie gras gyoza, and chan san rolls.

3. Marble

Marble has become known as one of the best steakhouses in the Kingdom

Marble has become known as one of the best steakhouses in the Kingdom

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This eatery is dubbed one of Riyadh’s best steakhouses. Situated within upscale sleek surroundings, the restaurant’s longtime mission has been to be among the best farm-to-table grills in the Saudi capital. It is succeeding, offering some of the finest cuts of meat in the city.

Saudi owners Abdulrahman Alsowailem and Meshal Alakeel first established their outpost in a makeshift wooden stall on Prince Turki Road. They established a loyal following, opened their restaurant two years later and it has been a top choice ever since. Be sure to try the Marble burger and the prime rib, a 400-gram opened-flame ribeye cooked over oak wood and served with mashed potato, kale chips and homemade mushroom sauce.

4. Villa Mamas

Villa Mamas serves incredible Middle Eastern cuisine

Villa Mamas serves incredible Middle Eastern cuisine

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Founded by Bahraini chef Roaya Saleh, Villa Mamas serves contemporary Middle Eastern cuisine. It was established in Bahrain in 2012 and has since expanded and opened other branches in London, Abu Dhabi, and most recently in Diriyah, which is its largest and most lavish location. Be sure to try the butter chicken dumplings, penne mountain, and cherry, feta and lamb kofta.

5. Toki Restaurant

Toki's crystal shrimp dumplings are the stuff of legend

Toki's crystal shrimp dumplings are the stuff of legend

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A long-time favourite Chinese restaurant since it opened in 2000, Toki boasts stunning upscale surroundings that reflect lavish Chinese décor in a dimly lit setting. The cuisine offered includes a mix of Cantonese and Szechuan delicacies with a Western twist and this restaurant remains greatly sought after in Jeddah as a place to celebrate special occasions.

Be sure to try the dim sum, crystal shrimp dumplings, lettuce wrap and smoked corn chicken, and Sichuan aromatic crispy duck, among other delicacies.

6. The Lucky Llama

Drawing inspiration from traditional Peruvian dishes and Japanese cuisine, this eatery has quickly become a hotspot in Jeddah. The presentation is just as top-notch as the décor in the Lucky Llama, with mirrored walls that make the rooms appear bigger than they are and creating a fun counterpart to one’s dining experience.

7. Pampas

Enjoy incredible views of Jeddah when you dine at Pampas

Enjoy incredible views of Jeddah when you dine at Pampas

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This chic Argentinian steakhouse located in Assila, A Luxury Collection Hotel, offers breathtaking views of Jeddah’s skyline from the 17th floor of the hotel alongside mouthwatering Latin American steak. Premium cuts of meat are grilled over an acacia wood fire in an open-plan kitchen allowing diners to marvel at the chefs in action.

Guests will love the wonderful array of sauces, from tomatillo chilli to chimichurri, with various slabs of black Angus and Australian cuts.

8. MYAZU Jeddah

Myazu's Jeddah outpost is just as impressive as the popular Riyadh restaurant

Myazu's Jeddah outpost is just as impressive as the popular Riyadh restaurant

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We’ve already highlighted the Riyadh outpost of this incredible Japanese restaurant but it would be remiss not to mention its increasingly popular spot in Jeddah.

Dubbed one of the best restaurants in the Kingdom and boasting an east-meets-west concept, the Saudi-born MYAZU is known as the pioneer for home-grown Japanese cuisine. The location is a modern yet Japanese-inspired setting, boasting a design of deep brown woods and atmospheric lighting – no wonder it has quickly become one of the go-to spots in Jeddah.

Featured dishes include the restaurant’s renowned robata grills, maki, and wagyu sushi with oscietra caviar. There are also delicious mocktails to pair dishes with.

9. Niyyali

The eggplant shrimp is a fan favourite at Niyyali

The eggplant shrimp is a fan favourite at Niyyali

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One of the newest restaurants in Jeddah and located in the Shangri-La hotel, Niyyali offers Middle Eastern cuisine with a strong Lebanese focus. Chef Ali Al Hajj offers innovative dishes with a twist on tradition such as hummus truffle, one of the restaurant’s specialty options. Overlooking the Red Sea and the F1 racetrack, come here for soulful Arab cuisine amid modern décor and breathtaking views. Be sure to try the eggplant shrimp.

10. A.O.K Kitchen

A.O.K Kitchen is the place to be at the weekend

A.O.K Kitchen is the place to be at the weekend

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This London-born restaurant founded by Kelly Landesberg is one of the trendiest newcomers in Riyadh at the moment, particularly for weekend eats. A cross between zesty Mediterranean flavors with an Arab twist and health-conscious fare, A.O.K Kitchen is great at any time of the day.

Located amidst the skyscrapers of KAFD (King Abdullah Financial District), Chef Konstantinos Rampias, a Greek culinary expert, has prepared a menu that will inspire the senses and entice the taste buds.

11. Al Qriah Al Tarithia

This restaurant is a top pick for those seeking to indulge in Saudi cuisine, especially from the northwestern region of the Kingdom where Tabuk is located. This is the perfect pick for authentic dishes in a traditional setting. Be sure to try Mandi, a popular meat and rice dish, and camel meat served with an accompaniment of rice with spices.

12. Oah Yamal

This Khobar-based restaurant serves a carefully curated selection of Gulf/Saudi cuisine drawn from the western region of the Kingdom to the Hejaz and served in a location filled with traditional Saudi heritage design and architecture. Be sure to try the Prawn Majbos, an aromatic rice special dish cooked with prawns and spices, and the Saayd Oah Yamal, a seafood dish with rice.

Sit outdoors at Somewhere in AlUla Old Town and enjoy the views alongside the incredible food

Sit outdoors at Somewhere in AlUla Old Town and enjoy the views alongside the incredible food

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13. Somewhere

This AlUla restaurant, which also has branches in Riyadh, fuses Arabian and Mediterranean flavours with incredible results. All within an alluring space replete with indoor and outdoor seating amid a lush verdant oasis in AlUla Old Town near the AlJadidah Arts District.Popular plates include Palestinian musakhan, kale tabouli sala, and beetroot rice, among other delicacies. All ingredients are fresh, and like other AlUla restaurants, Somewhere champions the farm-to-table concept.