Coffee Culture in Saudi Arabia: Saudi Coffee Etiquette and Specialty Cafes in Riyadh

Saudi coffee, or qahwa, is a hospitality ritual first and a drink second. If someone offers you a small cup, accept it. The specialty cafe scene in Riyadh and Jeddah has also grown fast, and Riyadh and Diriyah have several places that serve both styles.

How Saudi coffee is served

UNESCO lists Arabic coffee as a symbol of generosity, a tradition shared by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman and Qatar, with Jordan joining the submission. According to UNESCO:

• Older people and guests are served first.
• The coffee is poured with the right hand.
• You shake the cup gently when you have had enough. Otherwise the host will keep refilling it.
• The coffee often comes with conversation, poetry and shared stories.

Some venues serve Saudi coffee in a traditional pot called a dallah.

Saudi Arabia also has its own coffee heritage. In December 2022, UNESCO added Khawlani coffee, grown in the south of the Kingdom for more than eight centuries, to its intangible heritage list, and the government named 2022 the Year of Saudi Coffee.

The specialty scene

A May 2025 piece from The Saudi Food Show says specialty cafes have expanded quickly in Riyadh and Jeddah, driven by a young customer base, and that Saudi roasters are mixing heritage with modern formats such as cardamom cold brew and Khawlani espresso. It also reports that the Public Investment Fund launched a Saudi Coffee Company backed by a $320 million investment over ten years. These are trade claims; we have not checked them against company filings.

Where to try coffee in Riyadh

The Sandy Times listed these places for Saudi coffee in September 2025. Cafes change hours and sometimes close, so check Google Maps for the current branch and opening times.

• Mjabb, in Diriyah's historic quarter: Saudi coffee with qursan flatbread and labneh with honey, in a Najdi-style setting.
• Camel Step Coffee Roasters: described as a long-established speciality roaster; some branches serve Saudi coffee in a dallah. Camel Step also sells beans and equipment online.
• Elixir Bunn Coffee Roasters: a speciality roaster known for its interior design.
• NOC Caffe & Roastry: a cafe and roastery that sources beans from farms and trains baristas.
• Half Million: a Saudi chain known for espresso drinks, with Saudi coffee also on the menu.
• Namq Cafe: sells ready-to-serve Saudi coffee in containers and combo boxes with sweets.
• Natural Life: a plant nursery and coffee shop that serves Arabic coffee alongside espresso.

For other cities, search Google Maps for "specialty coffee" in your district and read recent reviews; we have not verified individual cafes in Jeddah or the Eastern Province.

Tips for expats

1. Say yes to the first cup. Declining a host's coffee can feel unfriendly.
2. Use your right hand.
3. Shake the cup when finished.
4. During Ramadan, cafe hours change and many open after sunset. See our Ramadan guide.
5. To buy beans for home, a Saudi online roaster such as Camel Step delivers within Saudi cities; check the current delivery terms on its site.

For more places to go out, see our guides to restaurants in Riyadh and entertainment in Saudi Arabia.

Sources

Facts in this guide were checked on 22 October 2026 against these pages. Fees and rules change, so confirm on the official page before you pay or apply.

• UNESCO: Arabic coffee, a symbol of generosity
• Arab News: UNESCO adds Saudi Khawlani coffee to heritage list
• The Sandy Times: Where to try authentic Saudi coffee in Riyadh (6 September 2025)
• The Saudi Food Show: Kingdom's coffee economy (2 May 2025)