Riyadh’s New Dining Addresses: Nine Openings to Know

Riyadh’s restaurant openings in 2026 stretch from Lebanese family dining to a London smash-burger brand. These nine, listed in the order they opened or soft-launched, give a cross-section of what has arrived since January. Dates are those reported by the sources linked under each entry, and most outlets give a month rather than a day.

Amar, Lebanese · January

Jeddah’s popular Lebanese restaurant opened in Riyadh on 20 January, at La Corte Mall on Tahlia Street. FACT said the full Riyadh menu had not been published at opening and expected it to follow the Jeddah pattern of mezze, charcoal-grilled dishes and sharing mains; later listings name kebbeh nayyeh, shrimp fattet and shish taouk, with knafeh and umm ali among the desserts. The room is dark-wooded and softly lit, with outdoor tables too.

Apple Butter, London café · January

The London café brand opened in the King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) in January, after two branches in London, on Langham Place and Monmouth Street. The look is relaxed and garden-picnic casual, with brick walls, rattan chairs and marble-top tables. The all-day menu pairs truffle scrambled eggs and butter chicken with local sweets such as pistachio umm ali and saffron milk cake.

Kantami, Japanese izakaya · February

The Al Khobar izakaya opened a second restaurant at Nawaf Square in Al Malqa, reported by FACT on 2 February. Its founder, Fahad Alturki, has said each Kantami takes a different Japanese city as its theme, with Khobar modelled on Kyoto and Riyadh on Osaka, set in a future of robots and cyborgs. The menu includes roripoppu prawn lollipops and Azabu salmon donburi. Kantami won Favourite Asian Restaurant at the What’s On Saudi Arabia Awards.

Berenjak, Persian · April

London’s Persian grill took over the former Chi Spacca space at VIA Riyadh in a collaboration with Cool Inc. Charcoal-grilled kebabs, mazeh sharing plates and slow-cooked stews anchor the menu. Our report on Berenjak and Cipriani Dolci has the full story.

Cipriani Dolci, Venetian · by early June

The Cipriani family opened its first Saudi restaurant in the Diplomatic Quarter, an all-day pasticceria with seating for up to 170. Carpaccio alla Cipriani and baked tagliolini sit alongside cakes such as the vanilla meringue. FACT and BBC Good Food Middle East both reported it open on 1 June.

Mahsan, Anatolian · 13 June

Chef Omur Akkor has spent 32 years in kitchens and the last 15 on archaeological digs in Turkey, researching around 100,000 years of Anatolian food history, according to LIST Magazine. Mahsan, inside Shorofat Park, opened on 13 June, LIST says, and cooks recipes from Gaziantep, Adana, Kilis and central Anatolia. Dolma, sarma and charcoal-grilled meats share the menu with harees, the wheat dish Turks call keşkek, which the chef names as a signature.

Jade Room, contemporary Chinese · July

Jade Room soft-launched on Prince Turki Bin Abdulaziz Al Awwal Road in Al Malqa, FACT reported on 15 July. The menu runs from crystal prawn dumplings and crispy chicken wontons to Hunan stir-fried beef and Kung Pao chicken, with a mocktail list that includes a Jasmine Green Chai and a Jade and Tonic.

Emily’s Brasserie, hotel brasserie · summer

On the 18th floor of the Radisson Collection Residences on King Fahd Road, Emily’s Brasserie looks over the skyline through large French windows. The cooking is European and Mediterranean with a Middle Eastern touch, from spaghetti al ragù and lamb chops to grilled sea bass, tarts and cakes, and the doors open at 7am for breakfast. Curly Tales reported it open on 3 September.

Manna, smash burgers · 28 September

Manna began in 2022 at London’s Arcade food hall as a partnership between Arcade and chef Feroz Gajia. Restaurant Online reports that it opened in Riyadh on 28 September, five days after a new Dubai site in DIFC. The menu is built around the Classic Smash, the Hot Smash and the Double Manna, with seasoned waffle fries on the side. Sources differ on the Riyadh district, naming both Al Dabab and As-Sulimaniyah.

More are on the way. In early July, The Riyadh Atlas listed La Maison Ani, a French-Mediterranean bakery-restaurant due by the end of the year, and Arcade Riyadh, a London food hall, among the arrivals still to come. For the business logic behind the wave, see why international brands are betting on Saudi Arabia.

Sources & fact-check15

1. New in Town: Riyadh’s Hottest New Restaurants for 2026FACT Magazines, 28 September 2026
2. Jeddah’s popular Lebanese restaurant Amar is now open in RiyadhFACT Magazines, 20 January 2026
3. London’s Apple Butter cafe plants its seed in the Saudi capitalFACT Magazines, 23 January 2026
4. Kantami brings its cult izakaya from Al Khobar to RiyadhFACT Magazines, 2 February 2026
5. Kantami: Inside the Japanese izakaya serving ‘post-apocalyptic’ comfort food in Saudi ArabiaArab News, 24 July 2026
6. 6 New Restaurants in Riyadh in 2026The Riyadh Atlas, 3 July 2026
7. From London to Riyadh: Berenjak opens a permanent restaurant in VIA RiyadhFACT Magazines, 16 March 2026
8. Cipriani Dolci Riyadh Opens in One of the Capital’s Most Prestigious NeighbourhoodsFACT Magazines, 1 June 2026
9. Meet the chef reviving ancient Turkish recipes in the heart of RiyadhLIST Magazine, 30 June 2026
10. Mahsan Offers an Immersive Anatolian Dining Experience in RiyadhFACT Magazines, 2 July 2026
11. Jade Room Brings a Modern Chinese Restaurant to RiyadhFACT Magazines, 15 July 2026
12. Emily’s Brasserie Serves Delish Food With Panoramic Views On Side, From The 18th Floor In RiyadhCurly Tales, 3 September 2026
13. Manna opens two further sites in the Middle EastRestaurant Online, 5 October 2026
14. Where We Are Going Today: Manna offers thick, juicy smash burgersArab News, 9 October 2026
15. What's On Saudi Arabia Awards 2026: Here are the winnersWhat's On Saudi Arabia, 3 September 2026

Every name, number and date in this story was checked against the sources above before publication. Spotted something wrong? Tell us — we correct errors openly. See our editorial standards.