Saudi Arabia’s laid-back second city
Five flights a week from Kuwait

Top Tables

Al-Baik
Al-Baik is a Saudi institution with Jeddah as its heartland – and a global following of fanatical fans. Customers around the globe have even dedicated Facebook pages to its near-legendary fish and shrimp pita.

Corniche Road, +966 2 606 4635

Casper & Gambini’s
This casual dining restaurant attracts a hip young crowd as well as families and businesspeople, lured in by free Wi-fi internet and well-priced food. The area for men has comfortable leather couches and small tables for relaxed dining. Andalus St, +966 2 665 2552

Melange
At this top-floor restaurant with four different dining rooms, a talented Portuguese chef prepares Iberian dishes and fantastic steaks – their chateaubriand is sensational. After your meal, sit back and enjoy the colour-changing and remote-controlled “bohemian” shisha. Tahlia Street, +966 2 669 5619

Pizza Fusion
Jeddah’s first organic pizzeria is nestled in a quiet corner of the Rawdah Star shopping complex. Almost all the ingredients are organic and the multigrain pizza base makes for a lighter, healthier and tastier meal. The bright and cheery family section is a welcome respite from all the smoky shisha cafés nearby. Rawdah Star, +966 2 261 6933

Sindian Shawarma
The shawarma at Sindian is legendarily good, to the extent that people often travel from outside the city to eat it. There are no electric grills here; the meat is cooked horizontally on a fiery charcoal grill, giving it a unique flavour. Fresh toppings and a rich garlic mayo confirm its status as the best shawarma in town. Rawdah St, +966 2 667 8189

At Your Leisure

Old Jeddah
A maze of winding streets full of tiny shops and eateries, Old Jeddah is a glimpse of a vanishing Arabia. Exquisite wooden latticework balconies and façades cover the traditional houses, some of which are currently being restored.

Al-Balad, start at Maydan Al-Baya