Eight stand-out restaurants at Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea resorts

Visitors can eat their way round one of the most ambitious tourism projects in the world

Outdoor seating at one of Sita's six pavilions in Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve. Photo: The Ritz-Carlton

Miso black cod. Turkish-style eggs. Camel milk cheese. Peruvian ceviche. You might be isolated on the coast of an island at Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Project – the nearest town is about an hour’s drive away – but you will certainly eat well.

The five-star resorts in this purpose-built, ambitious tourism destination have a handful of restaurants each, but here we present some standout options, where the flavours from inventive dishes will linger in your memory long after you’ve left.

Iki.Roe

Hotel: Shebara

You’re on an island in the middle of the ocean, yet you might as well be at Nobu in Dubai, as the miso-marinated black cod at Iki.Roe, within the futuristic Red Sea resort Shebara, is just as delicious. This fine-dining spot, which is only open for dinner, fuses Japanese and Peruvian flavours and offers an omakase dining experience, alongside creative mocktails from Solera bar.

Enjoy Japanese-style robata grills, as well as sushi, sashimi and Nikkei ceviche, a perfect blend of each culture’s cuisine. Dining by the open kitchen allows a front-row seat as the chefs display their impressive skills. For me, it’s the terrace overlooking the inky black darkness that stretches beyond the horizon that really shines.

Ariamare

Hotel: Shebara

Sophisticated interiors at Ariamare. Photo: Shebara

One of the most striking features of Shebara is its arrival pavilion. From a distance, as you approach the resort in a speedboat, the silver, spaceship-shaped, orb-like structure glistens on the horizon, with towering green trees springing up from a central garden.

It’s here you’ll find Mediterranean restaurant Ariamare, where the menu brings together treasures from the land and sea. This includes everything from fresh catch of the day from the surrounding waters, to fusion creations such as yellowfin tuna sashimi with Mediterranean flavours and home-made pasta that is put on display at a “pasta lab”.

A sweeping terrace offers stunning sea views, but there’s also a sophisticated ambience to soak up inside, where you can get the best of both seating options through floor-to-ceiling windows.

Tilina

Hotel: The St Regis Red Sea Resort

Each evening, as the sun sets on the terrace of refined steakhouse Tilina, the signature St Regis tradition of opening a corked bottle with a sabre takes place.

Floating over the reef on its own pier, this is the ideal spot for a romantic dinner, where you can indulge in a tasting menu or order a la carte from the selection of international dishes that use plenty of locally grown Saudi ingredients.

Of course, you can’t go wrong with the prime cuts of steak, which are served with all manner of sauces, including a selection of fine French mustards. The menu also includes seafood dishes, including Josper-grilled prawns, as well as fresh salads and delectable desserts.

Sita

Hotel: Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve

There's a Levantine restaurant within the six pavilions at Sita. Photo: The Ritz-Carlton

Sita means “six” in Arabic, and this all-day dining restaurant comprises six gorgeous wooden pavilions housing a French-style patisserie, Levantine restaurant, spice library and a central clay oven where the team host bread-making classes.

The space is manned by some of the friendliest staff you’ll come across. It’s also where breakfast is served, which takes in tasty egg dishes with influence from a variety of cuisines (whether you have them scrambled on avo toast or Turkish-style shakshuka), alongside Arabian staples, from foul medammes to manakeesh.

Through floor-to-ceiling windows in the restaurant, you can see a vegetable garden that contributes several ingredients you’ll find in your food. Guests can also plant their own seeds to leave their mark on the property.

Basalt

Hotel: Desert Rock

A continental breakfast in the morning, fresh Peruvian flavours come lunch and modern Indian cuisine by nightfall. This is what you can expect from music-­focused Desert Rock’s all-day dining restaurant, which is constantly transforming itself to impressive effect.

The evening menu in particular stands out for its contemporary take on traditional Indian flavours. You can watch the chefs whip it all up in the central open kitchen, where guests can also attend cooking classes through the day.

Adjacent to the restaurant is the Analog Room, where you can select from a library of vinyl albums and listen to them on the spot on provided record players.

Nyra

Hotel: Desert Rock

The gorgeous rooftop lounge-bar Mica, at Desert Rock, which looks out over the mountainous landscape. Photo: Desert Rock

Before you dine at Nyra, grab a mocktail at Mica, Desert Rock’s rooftop lounge-bar where DJ sets, good vibes and incredible mountain views are on the menu. Top tip: try the Mistik pot, a blend of Turkish cold-brew coffee with citrusy orange and lime zest, which comes served in an ornate metal pot. Once you’ve had your fill of the creative mixology, head to the elegant restaurant, with its stone flooring and wooden elements that blend perfectly with the rugged, mountainous surroundings.

The focus here is on wood-fire cooking and “primal artistry”. The open kitchen showcases traditional smoking and curing techniques, as well as protein-ageing methods, courtesy of Michelin-lauded chef Osman Sezener who melds ancient techniques with contemporary gastronomy.

Bariya

Hotel: Six Senses, Southern Dunes, The Red Sea

Breakfast is a real treat at Six Senses Southern Dunes, thanks to Bariya, where healthy hot and cold plates are served from live stations and morning staples can be chosen from an a la carte menu of Arabian classics.

Knock back a potent juice to kick-start your day and ­nurture your gut with the kitchen’s home-made fermented beverages. The indoor-outdoor seating blends neutral hues and natural materials with the dune-strewn landscape.

Lunch is also served here, with a selection of regional and international cuisine, a fresh salad bar and dessert display, all in line with the signature Eat With Six Senses concept, which focuses on health-promoting, sustainable meals.

Al Sarab

Hotel: Six Senses, Southern Dunes, The Red Sea

Watch the sun set from Al Sarab terrace. Katy Gillett for The National

Discover a degustation menu of Saudi and other Arabian flavours for dinner at Al Sarab, where the terrace – at the highest point of the resort – looks out over the undulating desert.

It’s the perfect spot to be at sunset, sat comfortably in Sadu-styled chairs, admiring the burnt orange horizon, before indulging in an evening feast of Middle Eastern tapas featuring locally sourced ingredients such as seafood caught earlier that day and camel milk cheese, alongside beverages whipped up by inventive mixologists.