THE MAGAZINE
Photo credits
Every photograph on The Middle Eats is used under the licence shown, with thanks to the photographers. Photos marked Pexels are used under the Pexels licence; Creative Commons photos keep their original licence. Homepage photos from Pexels: see the story each one belongs to.
Riyadh and Dubai Are Writing the Next Chapter of Middle Eastern DiningPhoto: Abul Lais / Pexels
Chipotle Enters Saudi Arabia as Riyadh’s Global Dining Map ExpandsPhoto: Nourishment DECODED / Pexels
Chipotle Enters Saudi Arabia as Riyadh’s Global Dining Map ExpandsPhoto: MiosotisJade / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Chipotle Enters Saudi Arabia as Riyadh’s Global Dining Map ExpandsPhoto: Sulaiman Al-Kuraishan / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
From Berenjak to Cipriani Dolci: The International Names Choosing RiyadhPhoto: Shameel mukkath / Pexels
From Berenjak to Cipriani Dolci: The International Names Choosing RiyadhPhoto: Saudi Press Agency (SPA), via Saudi Photos Hub / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
From Berenjak to Cipriani Dolci: The International Names Choosing RiyadhPhoto: Nurban / Wikimedia Commons, CC0 1.0
Riyadh’s New Dining Addresses: Nine Openings to KnowPhoto: Steven Jeffery / Pexels
Riyadh’s New Dining Addresses: Nine Openings to KnowPhoto: Miansari66 / Wikimedia Commons, CC0 1.0
Riyadh’s New Dining Addresses: Nine Openings to KnowPhoto: Ahmed / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Beyond Restaurant Openings: Saudi Arabia Invests in Culinary SkillsPhoto: Mario Schafer / Pexels
Beyond Restaurant Openings: Saudi Arabia Invests in Culinary SkillsPhoto: Elekes Andor / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Riyadh Season 2026 Opens on 21 October: What It Means for RestaurantsPhoto: Saudi Press Agency (SPA) / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Yannick Alléno’s Two New Dubai Concepts Put One&Only The Palm in FocusPhoto: Vincent Rivaud / Pexels
Yannick Alléno’s Two New Dubai Concepts Put One&Only The Palm in FocusPhoto: Studio Sarah Lou / Flickr, CC BY 2.0
Gymkhana Lands in DIFC, and Hikiniku To Come Heads for Al QuozPhoto: Marvin Ozz / Pexels
Gymkhana Lands in DIFC, and Hikiniku To Come Heads for Al QuozPhoto: Fuzheado / Wikimedia Commons, CC0 1.0
Gymkhana Lands in DIFC, and Hikiniku To Come Heads for Al QuozPhoto: Jk surana / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
A New Generation of Emirati Dining Is Taking Shape in DubaiPhoto: Zain Alabdeen Hammoudi / Pexels
A New Generation of Emirati Dining Is Taking Shape in DubaiPhoto: Sohail1308 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
A New Generation of Emirati Dining Is Taking Shape in DubaiPhoto: Jjeffreys99 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
The Palm and Jumeirah: Where Dubai’s Autumn Openings Are LandingPhoto: Nihongraphy / Pexels
The Palm and Jumeirah: Where Dubai’s Autumn Openings Are LandingPhoto: EditQ / Wikimedia Commons, CC0 1.0
The Palm and Jumeirah: Where Dubai’s Autumn Openings Are LandingPhoto: Ankur Panchbudhe / Flickr, CC BY 2.0
Orfali Bros and the Rise of Dubai’s Distinctive Culinary VoicesPhoto: Ali Dashti / Pexels
Orfali Bros and the Rise of Dubai’s Distinctive Culinary VoicesPhoto: Masisoz / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Dubai’s 2026 Michelin Guide: A City Competing at the Highest LevelPhoto: Danish Sohail / Pexels
Dubai’s 2026 Michelin Guide: A City Competing at the Highest LevelPhoto: EditQ / Wikimedia Commons, CC0 1.0
Inside Riyadh’s 2026 Restaurant Awards: Chotto Matte Takes the SpotlightPhoto: Lucio Panerai / Pexels
Inside Riyadh’s 2026 Restaurant Awards: Chotto Matte Takes the SpotlightPhoto: Ahmed / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
MENA’s 50 Best 2026: Khufu’s Takes No. 1 as Dubai Holds Three of the Top FourPhoto: Walter Galvis / Pexels
MENA’s 50 Best 2026: Khufu’s Takes No. 1 as Dubai Holds Three of the Top FourPhoto: Guilhem Vellut / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
How Dubai Chocolate Became More Than a Viral DessertPhoto: SiljeAO / Pexels
How Dubai Chocolate Became More Than a Viral DessertPhoto: Jan Helebrant / Wikimedia Commons, CC0 1.0
How Dubai Chocolate Became More Than a Viral DessertPhoto: TravelerMK / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Sweet Meets Heat: Why Swicy Flavours Are Finding an AudiencePhoto: Miguel González / Pexels
Sweet Meets Heat: Why Swicy Flavours Are Finding an AudiencePhoto: Ali Alcántara / Pexels
Sweet Meets Heat: Why Swicy Flavours Are Finding an AudiencePhoto: Ivan Torres / Pexels
The Gulf Restaurant Economy Is Growing — but Not Every Segment Moves TogetherPhoto: Saugat Shrestha / Pexels
The Gulf Restaurant Economy Is Growing — but Not Every Segment Moves TogetherPhoto: Critical Smith / Pexels
Americana’s 59% Profit Jump and Taco Bell’s Return to the UAEPhoto: DΛVΞ GΛRCIΛ / Pexels
118 Million Orders in One Quarter: Inside Saudi Arabia’s Delivery BoomPhoto: Duc Nguyen / Pexels
Gulf Restaurant Investment: Acquisitions, Expansion and a Changing MarketPhoto: YFS Visuals / Pexels
Gulf Restaurant Investment: Acquisitions, Expansion and a Changing MarketPhoto: Kolaiel / Wikimedia Commons, CC0 1.0
Why International Restaurant Brands Are Betting on Saudi ArabiaPhoto: Tayssir Kadamany / Pexels
The Franchise Pipeline Connecting London, Dubai and RiyadhPhoto: Shamba Datta / Pexels
The Franchise Pipeline Connecting London, Dubai and RiyadhPhoto: Kirandeep Singh Walia / Pexels
Foodics Buys Norma AI as Restaurant Tech Bets on DataPhoto: AS Photography / Pexels
Cloud Kitchens, Virtual Brands and the Next Restaurant Operating ModelPhoto: Norma Mortenson / Pexels
Cloud Kitchens, Virtual Brands and the Next Restaurant Operating ModelPhoto: Duc Nguyen / Pexels
Hagouga, Heliopolis: Egypt’s Countryside Cooking, Kept Alive in CairoPhoto: Hagouga
Hagouga, Heliopolis: Egypt’s Countryside Cooking, Kept Alive in CairoPhoto: Hagouga
Najd Village, Riyadh: The Generous Table of Central ArabiaPhoto: xiquinhosilva / Wikimedia Commons (from Flickr), CC BY 2.0
Najd Village, Riyadh: The Generous Table of Central ArabiaPhoto: Tmogarry / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Al Khayma, Al Fahidi: Where Desert Meets Coast in Old DubaiPhoto: Davide Mauro / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Al Khayma, Al Fahidi: Where Desert Meets Coast in Old DubaiPhoto: Ankur Panchbudhe / Flickr, CC BY 2.0
Al Khayma, Al Fahidi: Where Desert Meets Coast in Old DubaiPhoto: Krista / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Abu Shukri, Jerusalem: The Craft of Doing a Few Things WellPhoto: Shlomo Rodad (שלמה רודד) / Wikimedia Commons (Pikiwiki Israel), CC BY 2.5
Abu Shukri, Jerusalem: The Craft of Doing a Few Things WellPhoto: Shlomo Rodad (שלמה רודד) / Wikimedia Commons (Pikiwiki Israel), CC BY 2.5
Abu Shukri, Jerusalem: The Craft of Doing a Few Things WellPhoto: Shlomo Rodad (שלמה רודד) / Wikimedia Commons (Pikiwiki Israel), CC BY 2.5
Hashem, Amman: Downtown’s Table for Seven DecadesPhoto: Freedom’s Falcon / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Hashem, Amman: Downtown’s Table for Seven DecadesPhoto: Ankur Panchbudhe / Flickr, CC BY 2.0
Sana’a’s Table: Zurbian, Mulawah and the Bubbling Pot of SaltahPhoto: Maria Gropa / UNESCO / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO
Sana’a’s Table: Zurbian, Mulawah and the Bubbling Pot of SaltahPhoto: SharabSalam / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Sana’a’s Table: Zurbian, Mulawah and the Bubbling Pot of SaltahPhoto: AninnymouseEditor / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Tawlet, Beirut: Lebanon’s Village Kitchens at One TablePhoto: Peter Feghali / Wikimedia Commons (from Unsplash), CC0 1.0
Tawlet, Beirut: Lebanon’s Village Kitchens at One TablePhoto: Peter Feghali / Wikimedia Commons (from Unsplash), CC0 1.0
Naranj, Damascus: A Table Named for the Bitter OrangePhoto: Jan Smith (jemasmith) / Flickr, CC BY 2.0
Naranj, Damascus: A Table Named for the Bitter OrangePhoto: Tfoz257 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Dar Yacout, Marrakech: The Diffa, Course by CoursePhoto: David Berkowitz / Flickr, CC BY 2.0
Dar Yacout, Marrakech: The Diffa, Course by CoursePhoto: David Berkowitz / Flickr, CC BY 2.0
Dar Yacout, Marrakech: The Diffa, Course by CoursePhoto: David Berkowitz / Flickr, CC BY 2.0
Baghdad’s Masgouf: Smoke, River Air and Patience on Abu Nuwas StreetPhoto: Omar Chatriwala / Al Jazeera English / Wikimedia Commons (from Flickr), CC BY-SA 2.0
Baghdad’s Masgouf: Smoke, River Air and Patience on Abu Nuwas StreetPhoto: Al Jazeera English / Wikimedia Commons (from Flickr), CC BY-SA 2.0
Baghdad’s Masgouf: Smoke, River Air and Patience on Abu Nuwas StreetPhoto: David Stanley / Flickr (via Wikimedia Commons), CC BY 2.0
Emirati Machboos: The Rice Dish That Carries a Culinary HeritagePhoto: Anthony Rahayel / Pexels
Emirati Machboos: The Rice Dish That Carries a Culinary HeritagePhoto: Theinfo / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Saudi Kabsa: One Dish, Many Regional ExpressionsPhoto: Ali Dashti / Pexels
Saudi Kabsa: One Dish, Many Regional ExpressionsPhoto: Sammy Six / Wikimedia Commons (from Flickr), CC BY 2.0
Saudi Kabsa: One Dish, Many Regional ExpressionsPhoto: Basel15 (Jamal Tariq), en.wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain
Luqaimat and Date Syrup: A Gulf Dessert with Staying PowerPhoto: Pshahma / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Luqaimat and Date Syrup: A Gulf Dessert with Staying PowerPhoto: Wikiemirati / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Luqaimat and Date Syrup: A Gulf Dessert with Staying PowerPhoto: Iyhab1994 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Kunafa Reinvented: From Cheesecake to CroissantsPhoto: Lara / Pexels
Kunafa Reinvented: From Cheesecake to CroissantsPhoto: Mohaned tamzini / Pexels
Kunafa Reinvented: From Cheesecake to CroissantsPhoto: fuji frame / Pexels
Beyond Riyadh and Dubai: The Restaurants Shaping the Wider GulfPhoto: abdullah alallah / Pexels
Beyond Riyadh and Dubai: The Restaurants Shaping the Wider GulfPhoto: Darthjipsu / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Beyond Riyadh and Dubai: The Restaurants Shaping the Wider GulfPhoto: Chainwit. / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
From Jeddah to Doha: Five Cities Beyond the Main Gulf HeadlinesPhoto: Abdelghani Sad djaballah / Pexels
From Jeddah to Doha: Five Cities Beyond the Main Gulf HeadlinesPhoto: Dr. Thomas Liptak / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
From Jeddah to Doha: Five Cities Beyond the Main Gulf HeadlinesPhoto: Samarstha45 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Bahrain’s Best Restaurants Awards Return for a Fifth Year, with Public Voting Open and a December GalaPhoto: Satheesh Cholakkal / Pexels
Bahrain’s Restaurant Groups Report a Softer Year as Visitor Numbers FallPhoto: Abdulla Alkettab / Pexels
Takht Jamsheed, Bahrain’s Persian Restaurant Since 2002, Opens a Second Home at Marassi GalleriaPhoto: Golboo Maghooli / Pexels
Cairo Food Week Marks Its Fourth Edition With Chef Takeovers Across the CityPhoto: Amr F. Nagy / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Cairo Food Week Marks Its Fourth Edition With Chef Takeovers Across the CityPhoto: Vyacheslav Argenberg / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Marrybrown Plans 100 Egyptian Outlets in Deal With Talaat Moustafa Group’s Retail ArmPhoto: Ralff Nestor Nacor / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Marrybrown Plans 100 Egyptian Outlets in Deal With Talaat Moustafa Group’s Retail ArmPhoto: Vyacheslav Argenberg / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Nobu Opens Its First Cairo Restaurant at Eastown in New CairoPhoto: Andrew A. Shenouda / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Nobu Opens Its First Cairo Restaurant at Eastown in New CairoPhoto: Tzahy Lerner / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Kuwait’s Delivery-App Commission Caps Hold After a Court Annuls Their Penalty ClausePhoto: Tayssir Kadamany / Pexels
Kuwait’s Delivery-App Commission Caps Hold After a Court Annuls Their Penalty ClausePhoto: Norma Mortenson / Pexels
HORECA Kuwait’s 14th Edition Welcomes More Than 8,000 Trade VisitorsPhoto: Frans van Heerden / Pexels
NAC Opens Its First Kuwait Restaurant in Hessah District, Where Nobu Is Also DuePhoto: Tayssir Kadamany / Pexels
Beihouse Leads Lebanon at MENA’s 50 Best 2026 as Beirut Places Three RestaurantsPhoto: Raini Svensson / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Beihouse Leads Lebanon at MENA’s 50 Best 2026 as Beirut Places Three RestaurantsPhoto: Serge Melki / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
HORECA Lebanon Marks 30 Years With a November Show at Beirut’s Seaside ArenaPhoto: Vyacheslav Argenberg / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Scalini Opens in Downtown Beirut in a $2 Million Bet on High-End DiningPhoto: Vyacheslav Argenberg / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Scalini Opens in Downtown Beirut in a $2 Million Bet on High-End DiningPhoto: TorbeyCharbel / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Salalah’s Al Baleed Culinary Festival Returns for a Fifth Edition in NovemberPhoto: Juozas Šalna / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Salalah’s Al Baleed Culinary Festival Returns for a Fifth Edition in NovemberPhoto: Mohthearthlover / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Omani Restaurant Brands Sign Franchise Deals Abroad as Seven Fries Opens in New DelhiPhoto: Francesco Bini / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Pickl Opens Its First Oman Restaurant at Muscat’s Souq Al MadinaPhoto: JIP / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Pickl Opens Its First Oman Restaurant at Muscat’s Souq Al MadinaPhoto: Abubakr Saeed / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Qatar International Food Festival Closes Its 15th Edition with a Record 490,493 VisitorsPhoto: Natalya Rostun / Pexels
Alba Earns Doha’s Third Michelin Star as the Guide Grows in Its Second YearPhoto: Sajjad Naqvi / Pexels
Msheireb Foodhall Opens in Doha as Qatar’s First Internationally Operated Food HallPhoto: Michael Coghlan / Wikimedia Commons (via Flickr), CC BY-SA 2.0
Msheireb Foodhall Opens in Doha as Qatar’s First Internationally Operated Food HallPhoto: bobbyqat / Wikimedia Commons (via Mapillary), CC BY-SA 4.0