Umrah Food Guide: What & Where to Eat in Makkah

The daily rhythm: plan meals around prayer

Life in Makkah revolves around the five prayers. Restaurants and food courts near the Haram are quiet during prayer and extremely busy in the 30–45 minutes after each prayer, when hundreds of thousands of people leave the mosque at the same time.

The easiest way to avoid the rush is to eat slightly before or well after the crowd, or to order in advance so your food reaches your hotel when you return.

• After Fajr: a light breakfast — dates, bread, cheese, eggs, fruit, coffee or tea.
• Between Dhuhr and Asr: the main meal of the day for many Saudis. Rice dishes like kabsa or mandi are typical.
• After Maghrib: snacks, coffee and dessert.
• After Isha: dinner. Many restaurants in Makkah stay busy late into the night.

Before and during the Umrah rites

Eat a moderate, easy-to-digest meal one to two hours before you start Tawaf and Sa'i. A very heavy rice meal right before can make you sluggish; an empty stomach can make you dizzy on the Sa'i between Safa and Marwa, which is roughly 3.5 km in total over seven laps.

Carry a few dates and a small bottle of water. Zamzam water is freely available from coolers throughout Masjid al-Haram, so you can refill as you go.

Hydration and Zamzam water

Dehydration is one of the most common reasons pilgrims feel unwell. Drink regularly even when you do not feel thirsty, especially in summer.

It is Sunnah to drink Zamzam while facing the Qibla, in several breaths, and to make du'a. Zamzam is available cold and at room temperature inside the Haram. Fresh juices, laban (a salty drinking yoghurt) and oral rehydration salts from pharmacies also help.

Local dishes worth trying

Makkah is part of the Hejaz region, whose food blends Arabian, Yemeni, South Asian, Turkish and African influences brought by centuries of pilgrims. Try at least a few of these:

• Kabsa — Saudi Arabia's national dish of spiced rice with chicken or lamb.
• Mandi — Yemeni-origin slow-cooked meat over fragrant rice.
• Broast — pressure-fried chicken; AL BAIK, founded in Jeddah in 1974, is the most famous name.
• Mutabbaq — pan-fried stuffed pastry, a classic Hejazi street food.
• Ful and tamees — stewed fava beans with large flatbread, a traditional Makkah breakfast.
• Saudi coffee (gahwa) with dates — the symbol of Arabian hospitality.

Food safety and staying healthy

Makkah restaurants are regulated by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority and the municipality, and hygiene standards in established chains are high. Still, sudden changes in diet, heat and crowds can upset the stomach.

• Eat freshly cooked hot food and avoid food left standing in the heat.
• Wash hands or use sanitiser before eating — you will touch many surfaces in crowded areas.
• Go easy on very oily or spicy food in the first days.
• Keep any medication and diabetic snacks in your bag, not only in your room.

Getting food delivered to your hotel

Walking back to the Haram area after a long day to look for food is tiring, and the food courts in the Clock Tower and nearby malls can be crowded. Ordering to your hotel lets you rest while the meal comes to you.

With Feast Makkah you choose a restaurant, add your dishes, pick your hotel and send the order in one WhatsApp message. You can also choose to have it delivered after a specific prayer.

Frequently asked questions