10 Saudi Dishes to Try in Makkah
أطباق سعودية يجب تجربتها
3 min readUpdated 30 Sept 2026
Saudi cuisine is far more varied than most visitors expect. Each region has its own dishes, and the Hejaz — the western region that includes Makkah, Madinah, Jeddah and Taif — has one of the richest food cultures in the Kingdom thanks to centuries of pilgrims settling here.
Here are ten dishes every visitor to Makkah should try, what they are and when they are usually eaten.
1. Kabsa (كبسة)
The national dish of Saudi Arabia: long-grain rice cooked in a spiced broth with chicken or lamb, tomato, dried black lime (loomi) and spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and bay leaf. It is usually served on a large shared platter, topped with nuts and raisins, with a spicy tomato sauce (dakkous) on the side.
2. Mandi (مندي)
Originally from the Hadramawt region of Yemen, mandi is meat or chicken slow-cooked in a sealed underground or clay oven so the fat drips onto the rice below. It is smoky, tender and one of the most popular restaurant meals in Makkah.
3. Madghout and Mathbi
Close cousins of kabsa. Madghout is rice and meat pressure-cooked together; mathbi is meat or chicken grilled on hot flat stones. Both are common in Saudi rice restaurants.
4. Saleeg (سليق)
A creamy Hejazi dish from Taif: short-grain rice cooked slowly in broth and milk until soft, served with roast chicken and a pool of ghee. Think of it as Saudi comfort food.
5. Mutabbaq (مطبق)
Thin dough folded around minced meat, egg, leek and spices, then pan-fried until crisp. Mutabbaq is a Hejazi street food especially popular in the evenings and during Ramadan. Sweet versions are filled with banana or cheese.
6. Harees (هريس)
Wheat and meat cooked for hours until smooth, finished with ghee and cinnamon. It is a traditional Ramadan and celebration dish across the Arabian Peninsula.
7. Jareesh (جريش)
Crushed wheat simmered with meat or chicken, onions and spices, often topped with caramelised onions. It originates from Najd in central Arabia but is eaten throughout the Kingdom.
8. Ful and tamees
Stewed fava beans eaten with tamees, a large flatbread baked in a clay oven. This is the classic Makkah and Jeddah breakfast, and small ful shops are a fixture of the old neighbourhoods.
9. Broast
Pressure-fried chicken has become a modern Saudi icon. AL BAIK, founded in Jeddah in 1974, made broast famous in the Hejaz, and its garlic sauce is almost as well known as the chicken itself.
10. Saudi coffee and dates
Not a dish, but no Saudi meal is complete without it. Gahwa is lightly roasted coffee brewed with cardamom and sometimes saffron or cloves, served in small cups with dates. Arabic coffee was inscribed on UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list in 2015.
How to try them during your trip
Rice dishes like kabsa and mandi are traditionally eaten at lunch and are ideal for sharing with family or an Umrah group. Mutabbaq and sweets are evening foods. Order to your hotel through Feast Makkah from Arabian kitchens such as Al Romansiahy, Al Waleema and Raydan.
Frequently asked questions
What is the national dish of Saudi Arabia?
Kabsa — spiced rice cooked with chicken or lamb — is widely considered the national dish.
What is the difference between kabsa and mandi?
Kabsa is rice cooked in a spiced broth with the meat. Mandi comes from Yemen and is slow-cooked in a sealed oven, giving a smokier flavour and very tender meat.
What food is Makkah famous for?
Hejazi dishes such as mutabbaq, saleeg, ful with tamees and masoub, along with broast from AL BAIK and Saudi coffee with dates.
