Saudi Cuisine

Saudi cuisine is generous, fragrant and rooted in the traditions of the Arabian Peninsula, shaped by Bedouin heritage and the flavours of the wider Middle East and the trade routes. Its national dish is kabsa, a fragrant, spiced rice cooked with tender lamb or chicken and shared from a communal platter, alongside grilled meats, the slow-cooked mandi and mutabbaq, fresh flatbreads and dips, and, above all, the dates and cardamom-scented Arabic coffee offered everywhere as the cornerstone of the country's legendary hospitality.

What you actually see

• Kabsa - the fragrant spiced rice with lamb or chicken, the national dish.
• Mandi and grills - the slow-cooked meat and grilled dishes.
• Dates and Arabic coffee - the traditional welcome of dates and kahwa.
• The communal platter - the shared feasting of Saudi hospitality.

When to go

Year-round; meals are shared from communal platters, and hospitality is famously generous. During the holy month of Ramadan, eating and drinking in public in daylight is not permitted, so plan around it, while the nightly iftar meals are a special experience.

Honest expectations

During Ramadan, public eating and drinking in daylight are restricted out of religious observance, so time a visit accordingly. Alcohol is entirely prohibited across the country. Genuine home-style Saudi food can be found in dedicated restaurants amid much international dining. The dates, cardamom coffee and communal kabsa, and the overwhelming generosity of the hospitality, are the highlights.

Nearby

Every region has its specialities; the coast for seafood, the interior for the meat and rice dishes.