From a brilliant pink London export to an earthy vegan eatery, here are eight of the best spots for breakfast in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia‘s ever-evolving and exciting capital city.
Gonia
Breakfast served: From 9 am
Brilliant greens, canary yellows and royal blues fill the space at Gonia – a trendy cafe and lounge in the city’s An Nakheel neighbourhood. Light and bright with whitewashed walls, it’s a spot for great coffee in a quirky and very un-Saudi setting. A great selection of pastries and delicious breakfast options like waffles loaded with chocolate sauce, ice cream and berries are real highlights.
An Nakheel; @goniaksa
Brekkie
Breakfast served from 7 am to 3 pm Sun-Thurs; from 8 am Fri; from 9 am Sat
Originating from Bali, Brekkie brings the laid-back beachy cafe culture of the Indonesian paradise island to the Saudi capital. Naturally, given the name, breakfast is fantastic, with a playfully named menu called ‘eggs on the way’ alongside breakfast tacos, French toast, Arabic mezze, toasted sandwiches and great coffee and fresh juices. The interiors are photogenic – all soft pastel colours and plenty of greenery – with beachy rattan lights, wall details and the odd stuffed parrot.
Al Mursilat, @brekkie.sa
The Mansion
Breakfast served: all day
Inspired by a grand European house, aptly named The Mansion delivers an upscale breakfast experience in Riyadh’s Al Olaya district. In a beautiful dining room with white walls, columns, black and white tiles, chandeliers, crushed velvet seating and greenery, diners can enjoy a calm start to the day with dishes like falafel sliders, and adorable teddy bear pancakes. There’s everything from eggs Benedict, avocado toast and French toast to more classic, and inventive, local dishes kunafeh croissant, duo of foul and fatteh eggs.
Al Olaya; themansion.com.sa; @themansion_sa
El&N
Breakfast served: all day
Those who avidly follow new openings on Instagram, and are regular visitors to London, will be familiar with EL&N cafe, one of the UK capital’s most Instagrammed cafes with outposts in well-heeled neighbourhoods like Kensington and Mayfair. The bright pink café opened its doors in Riyadh last year in the popular Panorama Mall, and is already a firm favourite thanks to its bold, hot pink interiors and quirky design touches like Miami Vice-style florals, neon signage and bespoke wrap pink retro Cadillac in the dining room. It’s so loved, in fact, that there are now six outlets across the capital, plus a roving pink El&N truck. There’s an all-day menu and the breakfast and brunch menu is particularly tempting, with pink-hued coffees and frappuccinos, and breakfast treats like fluffy Dutch-baby pancakes, creamy Turkish eggs and more wholesome serves like acai bowls and vitamin-boost smoothies.
Various locations; sa.elnlondon.com
Opla
Breakfast served: 7 am to 4 pm
It can be hard to find a decent breakfast café for early birds, outside of fast-food chains, but Opla delivers just that – opening its doors at 7 am and inviting guests to its cheery, pastel-coloured dining room. Marked by a jolly yellow door, Opla has a warehouse-type feel with high ceilings, tiled floors and plenty of greenery, and serves international breakfast classics like avocado toast and croque madame, Turkish shakshuka, Georgian flatbread and French toast, alongside great coffee, fresh juice and smoothies
Prince Mohammed Ibn Salman Ibn Abdulaziz Rd, Ar Rabi; @opla_sa
A.O.K Kitchen
Breakfast served: 8 am to 4 pm
A.O.K Kitchen comes to Riyadh by way of London’s chic Marylebone neighbourhood and is one of the most stylish places to enjoy breakfast in the capital. Marked by a pretty wall of pink flowers and a bright and modern dining room with rattan chairs and potted plants, it delivered a Mediterranean-meets-California vibe that translates into the cuisine. Dishes are free from refined sugar and use limited dairy and gluten – try the gluten-free blueberry pancakes or acai bowl.
Al Aqiq; aokkitchen.co.uk, @iaokkitchensaudi
Atmosphere
Breakfast served: From 6:30 am. Fridays from 2 pm
Atmosphere is one of the newest coffee shops and is a great spot for a quick and light breakfast in Riyadh. Located in the King Fahd district, the neutral and minimalist space serves V60 coffee (hot and cold), cortados, espressos, iced lattes, and many other blends like matcha and the popular Spanish latte. There’s both plant-based and lactose-free milk, and an extensive menu of pastries, cakes and sweet treats for a quick meeting, catch up of breakfast on the go.
King Fahd, @atmosphere.sa
Urth Caffe
Breakfast served: all day
Urth Caffe is a wholesome spot for breakfast in Riyadh – focusing on organic, vegan and vegetarian cuisine in an earthy, health-focused setting. The Saudi-born health eatery boasts a handful of outposts across the country – two in Riyadh alone – and both the Urth Tahliya and Urth Caffe Oud Square have lots of greenery and a laid-back, yet eco-cool, vibe.
Prince Muhammad Ibn Abd Al Aziz, As Sulimaniyah, @urthcaffesaudi
Le Grenier à Pain
Breakfast served: all day
Literally translating to ‘the bread loft’, French bakery Le Grenier à Pain has outposts across France and internationally, three being the Saudi capital. The charming little spot has been an instant his amongst breakfast goers thanks to its freshly baked bread, of course, but also eggs cooked in 10 ways – including some more unusual creations like savoury eclairs stuffed with cream cheese and eggs; and the ‘croffle’, a croissant-waffle topped with scrambled eggs. Find the outposts in trendy Hittin, Granada Mall and the Riyadh Gallery.
Various locations; legrenierapain.me, @legrenierapain.me
Harat restaurant
Breakfast served: 6 am to 12 pm
For a more local, Middle Eastern breakfast in Riyadh head to Harat restaurant, located in the heart of the city and known for its Lebanese, Saudi Arabian and Turkish cuisine. While it’s a popular spot for kebabs and mezze it’s also a great place to break your fast, with signature dishes including Lebanese Bik Fekhara and a delicious Saudi shakshuka. The cafe itself is modern with traditional elements woven throughout – like olive trees in the outer mall seating area and colourful tiles.
Level Mall, harat.com.sa
Different
Breakfast served: all day
There’s a cosy, neighbourhood feel to Different, set in the heart of the city’s Al Malqa district. Pastel hues with dark navy accents create a sophisticated space, where all-day breakfast dishes are served across pretty speckled plates and bowls. You’ll find croissants and bagels alongside indulgent fluffy French toasts, shakshouka and stacks of pancakes on the menu.
Al Malqa; @different.ruh
