In case you weren’t aware, ’s sprawling, drool-worthy list of the best cities in the world for food was published last week, and 20 destinations from all over the planet were included thanks to input from experts, and people who actually live there.
Two of these cities are in the Middle East, and the first of these was Riyadh, which sits in thirteenth place. An impressive 91 percent of locals here rated their city’s food, with 84 percent agreeing that it’s an affordable place to eat, and 76 percent said going to a restaurant is inexpensive.
So, what characterises the city’s food scene? Well, Riyadh is home to plenty of high-end dining spots, such as Maiz, Carbone and Myazu, but it also has a great café culture, and you can check out some of the best options in the city here.
Yousra Zaki, a food editor, recommends heading to ‘Myazu, a swish home-grown Japanese restaurant crowned Restaurant of the Year at the Riyadh Restaurant Awards 2024, and order the grilled scallops. Drizzled in umami butter and topped with a passion fruit shiso salsa, you’ll remember it long after the last bite.’ Yum.
The second Middle Eastern city to make the ranking was Abu Dhabi, which followed closely behind at number 15 on ’s list. A solid 88 percent of locals rated the city’s food scene, and interestingly, the most common adjective used was ‘family-friendly’, followed by ‘delicious’ and ‘healthy’.
‘From mandi experiences at hole-in-the-wall eateries like Al Mrzab, where guests can dine in traditional majli-style (sitting on the floor on cushions), to stunning beachside Japanese spots like NIRI serving up hit after hit, you’ll find it all in the UAE capital,’ writes Yousra, ‘There are irresistible eats in every corner in town.’
The must eat dish in Abu Dhabi? That would be the burrata pizza at Marmellata. Sounds pretty darn good, right?
Still hungry?
Fill up on our full roundup of the best cities in the world for food, or check out the top destinations for dining out in Europe, South America and Africa, as well as the city which claimed the top spot on our list.
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