Short answer: The five Saudi dishes not to miss are kabsa, jareesh (the official national dish), mandi, mutabbaq from a Jeddah street stall and maqshush (the national dessert), all with Saudi coffee and dates. Eat rice-and-meat platters in Riyadh, street food and seafood in Jeddah’s old town, and the regional dishes of the Hejaz, the Asir mountains and the Eastern Province as you travel.
Saudi food grew out of the desert, the oases and the trade routes of the Arabian Peninsula. Wheat, dates, rice, lamb, chicken and camel milk are the base, and spices that came through the ports of the Red Sea and the Gulf, such as cardamom, saffron, cloves and black lime, give the food its warmth without much chili. Each region has its own kitchen: the central Najd is known for wheat dishes, the Hejaz along the Red Sea for street food with Indian, Yemeni and East African influences, the Asir mountains for honey and slow-roasted meat, and the Eastern Province for its oasis rice and Gulf seafood. In 2023, the Culinary Arts Commission of the Ministry of Culture named a national dish and a national dessert, and in 2024 it chose a signature dish for each province. This guide covers the 15 dishes and drinks we would order first, where each one is best, and how to eat well on any budget. For the bigger picture, start with our Saudi Arabia travel guide.
The national and regional dishes
1. Jareesh
Cracked wheat cooked slowly with broth, onion and spices, sometimes with lamb or chicken, until it becomes a thick, creamy porridge, often topped with fried onions. Known as the “master of dishes,” it comes from the Najd in central Saudi Arabia and was named the Kingdom’s national dish by the Culinary Arts Commission in 2023. It is served at family gatherings, festivals and in Ramadan, and heritage restaurants in Riyadh have it on the menu.
2. Kabsa
The dish most visitors meet first: long-grain rice cooked in a spiced broth with chicken or lamb, then piled high on a large platter with the meat on top, nuts, raisins and a tomato and chili sauce (daqqus) on the side. It is the everyday family lunch across the country and the centerpiece of celebrations, often with a whole lamb. Portions are large and meant for sharing.
3. Mandi
Rice and meat with roots in Yemen’s Hadramawt, cooked in a pit or a special oven so the meat is very tender and smoky and the juices drip into the rice below. Mandi restaurants, often with private floor-seating rooms for families, are everywhere in Saudi cities. Order a half or whole chicken or lamb for the table.
4. Saleeg
The signature dish of the Makkah region, which includes Jeddah and Taif: short-grain rice cooked slowly in chicken broth and milk until it is creamy, like a savory risotto, served with roast chicken and a drizzle of ghee. It is mild and comforting, a good choice if you prefer simple flavors.
5. Marqooq
The regional dish of the Riyadh province: a stew of lamb and vegetables such as squash, tomatoes and eggplant, into which thin sheets of wheat dough are cooked until they soften. It is a home-style dish of the Najd, eaten in winter and on family days.
6. Haneeth
Lamb or goat slow-roasted in a sealed clay or stone oven until it falls apart, usually served over rice. It is the signature dish of the Asir province around Abha, where it is a dish for guests and feasts, and it is very tender and only lightly spiced.
7. Hasawi rice
The red-brown rice of the Al-Ahsa oasis in the Eastern Province, chosen as the region’s signature dish. It has a nutty flavor and is cooked with meat or chicken and spices. Look for it in restaurants around Khobar and the Eastern Province, along with Gulf fish and shrimp.
Street food and breakfast
8. Mutabbaq
A thin dough stretched by hand, filled with minced meat, egg and green onion (or with banana and cheese for a sweet version), folded into a square and fried on a big griddle. It is the street food of Jeddah’s historic Al-Balad district, where stalls cook it to order in the evening. Eat it hot.
9. Ful and tamees
A Saudi breakfast classic: slow-cooked fava beans (ful) seasoned with cumin, olive oil and lemon, eaten with tamees, a large, round flatbread baked in a clay oven and covered in sesame seeds. Bakeries with a line outside in the morning are the place to buy tamees fresh. Both are vegetarian.
10. Harees
Wheat and meat cooked together for hours and beaten into a smooth, thick porridge, finished with ghee and a little cinnamon. It is a dish for Ramadan and Eid, when families make it in large pots, and it is similar to jareesh but smoother.
11. Sambusa and balila
Sambusa, triangular pastries filled with meat, cheese or vegetables, are fried in huge numbers for Ramadan iftar but sold all year. Balila, chickpeas boiled with cumin and served in a cup with lemon and pickles, is a cheap evening snack from street carts, especially in Jeddah.
Sweets, dates and coffee
12. Maqshush
Named the national dessert alongside jareesh in 2023: small pieces of baked wheat dough mixed with ghee, honey, dates or date molasses and sugar. It is eaten for breakfast or with coffee, especially in winter, and is linked with the northern city of Hail.
13. Luqaimat
Small balls of dough fried until golden and crisp outside and soft inside, then drizzled with date syrup or honey and sprinkled with sesame. They are the sweet of Ramadan evenings and festivals and are sold hot from stalls at events and in malls.
14. Dates
Dates are the sign of welcome in every Saudi home and office, served with coffee to guests. The country grows many varieties, and Medina is famous for its Ajwa dates; the markets near the center and the date farms around the city sell dozens of kinds. Try a few side by side, from soft, sticky Sukkari to darker, drier types.
15. Saudi coffee (qahwa)
Lightly roasted coffee brewed with cardamom, sometimes saffron or cloves, and poured from a dallah (coffee pot) into small handle-less cups, a few sips at a time. Arabic coffee, “a symbol of generosity,” is on UNESCO’s list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity, shared by Saudi Arabia and its neighbors: older people and guests are served first, the coffee is poured with the right hand, and you shake the cup gently from side to side when you have had enough. Riyadh also has a booming specialty coffee scene.
Where to eat: Riyadh and beyond
- Riyadh: mandi restaurants, Yemeni and Hadrami kitchens, Lebanese grills and Indian and Pakistani canteens are everywhere, and new dining districts, from Bujairi Terrace in Diriyah to Via Riyadh and KAFD, host international and Saudi chefs. The souqs of Al Batha and Deira sell spices and dates.
- Jeddah: the street stalls and coffee houses of the historic Al-Balad district are best in the evening, for mutabbaq, balila and sweets; see the morning catch at the central fish market near the port and eat grilled fish nearby; the corniche and Tahlia Street have international restaurants and many cafés.
- Medina: famous for its dates, especially Ajwa, sold in the markets and at date farms around the city.
- Taif: the mountain city of the rose harvest, with fruit orchards, honey, and rose water that is used in cooking, coffee and sweets.
- Abha and the Asir mountains: haneeth, honey that is among the most prized in the country, and coffee and fruit grown on the terraces.
- Khobar and the Eastern Province: Hasawi rice, Gulf seafood and the waterfront cafés of the corniche.
- AlUla: restaurants from casual cafés in the old town to fine dining at the desert resorts, with dishes using local dates, citrus and herbs from the oasis; book ahead in the winter season.
Food etiquette and tipping
Hospitality is central to Saudi life. If you are offered coffee and dates, accept at least one cup; hold the cup in your right hand, and shake it gently when you want no more. Eat and pass food with your right hand. In traditional settings, meals are shared from large platters on a floor mat, and you eat from the section in front of you.
Alcohol is illegal in Saudi Arabia, so drinks with meals are water, juices, soft drinks, laban (a salty yogurt drink), tea and coffee. During Ramadan, many restaurants open only after sunset, when iftar begins with dates, water and coffee, and the evenings are lively until late. Eating and drinking discreetly in daytime is a courtesy.
Service charges are not always included. Leaving about 10% in sit-down restaurants, rounding up for cafés and delivery, and giving porters and guides a few riyals is a kind gesture but not expected. Our tip calculator helps you work it out, and our phrase cards have Arabic for “thank you” (shukran) and “the bill, please” (al-hisab, min fadlak).
Eating on a budget
Everyday food in Saudi Arabia is fairly priced. Numbeo’s October 2026 figures for Riyadh, used in our Saudi Arabia trip cost guide, put a meal at an inexpensive restaurant at about SAR 30 ($8) and a three-course dinner for two at a mid-range restaurant, without drinks, at about SAR 245 ($65), and our city guides put a casual restaurant meal at about SAR 25–70 depending on the city. A mandi or kabsa platter shared by two or three people, bakery breakfasts of ful and tamees, and street food in Jeddah keep costs low. A food walk in Al-Balad or a coffee and date tasting is a good way to start; browse food tours and experiences in Riyadh, Jeddah and AlUla in our tour finder.
Food also shapes when to go. In 2027, Ramadan is expected to begin around February 8, with lively evening food markets and iftars; spring brings Taif’s rose season; and the cooler months from November to March are the season of Riyadh Season and AlUla’s winter events. Our best time to visit Saudi Arabia guide covers the seasons and events month by month.
Plan your trip: our free trip planner can build a day-by-day plan around Riyadh, AlUla and Jeddah with time for heritage restaurants and coffee stops. Then see our Saudi Arabia itinerary for 7, 10 and 14 days, and our top 10 places to visit in Saudi Arabia to decide where to go.
Frequently asked questions
What is the national dish of Saudi Arabia?
Jareesh, a slow-cooked cracked wheat dish from the Najd, was named the national dish by the Ministry of Culture’s Culinary Arts Commission in 2023, with maqshush as the national dessert. Kabsa, rice with spiced chicken or lamb, is the best-known everyday dish and the one most visitors try first.
Is Saudi food spicy?
Not very. Saudi dishes are fragrant with cardamom, saffron, cloves, cinnamon and black lime rather than hot. Chili comes in sauces on the side, such as the tomato daqqus served with kabsa, and in some Yemeni-style dishes.
What do people eat for breakfast in Saudi Arabia?
Ful (stewed fava beans) with tamees flatbread from the bakery, eggs with tomato (shakshuka), cheese, olives and labneh, or sweet maqshush with honey and dates, with tea or coffee. Weekend breakfasts with family are long and generous.
Is Saudi Arabia good for vegetarians?
It takes a little effort, as most traditional dishes contain meat, but ful, tamees, falafel, hummus, salads, lentil soup, cheese pastries and dates are easy to find, and Riyadh and Jeddah have Indian restaurants with many vegetarian dishes. Ask “bidun lahm?” (without meat?) when ordering.
What do people drink in Saudi Arabia?
Saudi coffee with cardamom and dates, sweet black tea with mint, fresh juices, laban (a yogurt drink) and soft drinks. Specialty coffee shops are everywhere in the big cities. Alcohol is illegal.
How do you drink Saudi coffee?
Hold the small cup in your right hand and drink it in a few sips; it is served only partly full and refilled. When you have had enough, usually after one to three cups, shake the cup gently from side to side as you hand it back.