Zuma Riyadh

About Zuma Riyadh

Zuma arrived in Riyadh in December 2024 — and Riyadh was ready. The King Abdullah Financial District had been building itself into a global business hub for years; Zuma's KAFD location validated that ambition in one reservation. Within months of opening, FACT Magazine named it the Restaurant of the Year 2025 in Saudi Arabia. The city's business elite, its expat community, and its increasingly cosmopolitan social scene all converged at a single address.

The global Zuma template — contemporary Japanese izakaya, three kitchens, theatre-standard design — translates to Riyadh without compromise. The two-floor space is connected by a dramatic spiral staircase and shaped by interiors that blend mashrabiya-inspired lighting with stone, timber, and metal in earthy tones. The robata grill anchors the ground floor; the sushi counter runs along the upper level. A contemporarily designed bar operates on both floors — serving Zuma's acclaimed zero-proof programme with the same conviction the brand's bars bring to spirit-based cocktails elsewhere.

The Three Kitchens

Zuma's format is a masterclass in simultaneity. The main kitchen handles the broader menu — cold dishes, hot dishes, the celebrated miso marinated black cod, and a range of Japanese Mushroom Rice Hotpot preparations that have become signature. The robata grill takes whole cuts and turns them over Japanese white charcoal in a process that is as much performance as cooking — the smoke drifts, the sound is industrial and intimate at once, and what arrives on the wooden boards is consistently among the best grilled food in the city. The sushi counter operates as a restaurant-within-a-restaurant: precision-made nigiri, sashimi of exceptional quality, and maki that manages to be both contemporary and deeply traditional.

The miso marinated black cod remains the signature — glistening, yielding, with a miso crust that caramelises into something close to perfection. The spicy beef tenderloin with sesame, ponzu, and chilli has developed its own cult following. Both appear on virtually every table.

Best For

Zuma is Riyadh's default power dining venue — the table where deals get done, where alliances form, and where the city's business elite is most consistently present. The energy of the room supports conversation without overwhelming it; the format of sharing plates creates a natural rhythm of engagement. For a client dinner where you want to convey taste, confidence, and global awareness, Zuma delivers all three without effort.

It is equally strong for group celebrations — the sharing menu format, the energy of the robata theatre, and the room's natural momentum make Zuma a birthday or team dinner venue with few equals in Riyadh. Book a robata counter table if one is available.

Practical Information

Address: 2.09 King Abdullah Financial District, Metro Blvd, Al Aqiq, Riyadh. Directly adjacent to the KAFD Metro station.

Hours: Daily 12:30pm – 1:00am. Lunch and dinner service.

Reservations: Table reservations essential for dinner Thursday–Saturday. Lunch reservations advised but walk-ins possible. Bar counter available for walk-ins daily.

Dress Code: Smart casual to smart. Avoid sportswear or flip-flops.

Awards: FACT Restaurant of the Year 2025, Saudi Arabia. Michelin Guide Saudi Arabia 2026.