Riyadh is not stingy when it comes to new restaurants to chow down at and the many cafés to sip your freshly brewed coffee at. However, canteens in Riyadh are slowly shoving their way into the mix, adding a few more picks when it comes to chill spots to lounge around at and enjoy simplistic yet promisingly delicious eats.
Don’t let thoughts of cold school lunches put you off of canteens because these next-gen Riyadh canteens do things differently. Meaning better food, cooler atmospheres and no stress of homework. The best canteens in Riyadh are casual spots to enjoy a leisurely meal at any time of day or night and offer just the right nostalgic vibe without sending us straight back to science test nightmares.
Ready to chow down canteen-style? Make like the cool kid that you are and head to the best canteens in Riyadh.
Bofia
Hungry for Saudi breakfast spots in Riyadh? There’s nothing quite like the city’s famous local neighbourhood bofias, serving everything from egg sandwiches to shawarmas. A simple form of eating that won’t break the bank, bofias are popular spots to enjoy local breakfast items. That’s where Bofia (with a capital “B”) comes in. The eatery is keen on elevating the usual experience in a cool space but without pretension. The new spot serves Saudi staple dishes like shakshouka, kebdah (liver), and foul tawa. Roll up those sleeves and dig in hands first.
Open daily 5am-4pm. Al Imam Abdul Rahman Ibn Faisal, @bofia.sa.
Ghabashi
Another canteen to keep an eat out for is Ghabashi. When looking for a spot that serves traditional Saudi eats, this canteen delivers. For traditional items to-go, Ghabashi is located in one of Riyadh’s most popular districts, Al Malqa. Giving off homey vibes with self-service hot beverage dispensers and fresh juices, you can browse a menu filled with a selection of local dishes that will have you wanting more including kebdah, steak, chicken, shakshouka sandwiches and fatayer.
Open Sat-Wed 7am-midnight, Thu 7pm-2am, Fri 5pm-2am. Aldahna Street, Al Malqa, @ghabashi.sa.
Maqsaf
A hip spot with two branches in the city, Maqsaf offers a variety of filled pita options including egg and turkey sausage, truffle scrambled eggs and halloumi sandwiches. The spot serves simple food suitable for all hours of the day, be it breakfast, lunch, or dinner. There’s even a merch store. We never had one of those in our school canteens.
Open Sat-Thu 3.45am-1am. Fri (closed). Various locations including Ar Rayyan and Al Mohammadiyyah, @maqsaf.saudi.
Muqsaf 90
After airy canteens in Riyadh that can rival the city’s minimalist cafés? Muqsaf 90 has huge windows, LED signs and a great-looking breakfast menu. Chow down on shakshouka, croissant sandwiches and baked goods paired with a cold brew. Want more to Instagram? There’s a yellow ceiling covered with playful doodles. If you’re after some creative inspiration, and some possible reminiscing about art class, this could be the canteen for you.
Open Sun-Thu 6am-2pm. Fri (closed). Sat 8pm-4pm. An Namudhajiyah, @muqsaf90.
Looking for new restaurants? Click here for the exciting eateries coming soon to the Saudi capital.
