Chino in Riyadh: A funky café opens with toys, tarts and teas

Get ready for a nostalgia trip at this hipster hangout.

Saudi Arabia’s coffee scene is always causing a stir. Riyadh is famous for its sleek coffee culture, but it’s not often that you find a fun, funky venue. The newly opened Chino is changing that, as it has opened a café with a difference. 

Located in Wadi Al Shouara, Chino feels like an adult’s playground. The café is already getting the Insta love, as it is standing out from the coffee crowd. The venue is easy to stop, thanks to its bright green sign and dark, polished wooden exterior. While the outside looks grown up, inside it is packed with personality. 

The playful touches range from a chain basketball hoop to pink graffiti stating “je m’en fous” (which translates to “I don’t care”). Lookout for the humorous black and white photos on the wall, which include a woman carrying eggs on her head.

The décor takes you on a nostalgia trip, as the shelves boast old-school toy cars, deflated basketballs and stuffed animals. We spotted Woody from the Disney film Toy Story on the shelf, and teddy bears in candle holders.

Take your pick from counter top seats, emerald green tables with chairs or one of the beautiful banquettes, and then sip the day away. The drinks menu spans hot and cold drinks, which include a Cortado, Espresso, Flat White and Latte, plus Iced Latte, Iced Lattechino and Iced V60. 

The food menu includes a selection of flatbreads: Cheesachino with three cheeses and honey, Labenchino with zaatar and labneh, and Lahma B Ajin with balsamic, beef and cheese. Plus, the desserts include Cheesecake, Chinnabon, Pecan Tart and Tiramachino. 

Chino, we’re impressed. 

GO: Follow @chinoruh on Instagram for more information.