Located in As Sulimaniyah, it combines glamour and gourmet.
A black panther statue crouches, ready to pounce. Sleek chandeliers shimmer like city lights. Dua Lipa pulses through the speakers. It’s not a nightclub, but it feels like one. Located in the Saudi Arabian capital, Isabel Mayfair Riyadh is part of the country’s reimagined dining scene, and is ready to get the party started. Welcome to a world of fun and fancy dining.
In 2017, Isabel Mayfair opened on Albemarle Street in London. In 2025, it opened in Riyadh, and it will also open later this year in Abu Dhabi. The name is a tribute to the restaurateur Santa Cruz’s grandmother. The concept blends together Latin and Mediterranean flavours.
The restaurant has transported a touch of London to Riyadh. The London restaurant sits in a Beaux Arts building, which dates back to 1905. The Riyadh restaurant combines the charm of an Art Deco mansion with Gatsby-era opulence.
Designed by David T’kint of DTK Studio, Isabel Mayfair Riyadh spans three areas: a dining room, a conservatory, and a speakeasy bar. The jungle chic design boasts emerald greens to golds. While it comes close to kitsch, it manages to remain plush and playful. The LED projects tropical leaves on the walls, and cloudy frescoes on the ceiling. It’s Sistine Chapel meets late-night lounge, more locale notturno than museum.
Isabel Mayfair Riyadh’s menu spans appetisers, starters, salads, mains, sides and desserts. Italian classics are at the heart of the mains, from a Cacio E Pepe to Spaghetti Bolognese. Lap up the luxury and choose from dishes containing ingredients such as lobster, saffron, and truffle.
While there are nods to the London menu, the Riyadh dishes have also been adapted for the market. We start with the Lamb Croquettes, a moorish marvel in London. I was hoping for the same taste in Riyadh, but these are round rather than long and taste more like potato and less like lamb.
The Corn Salad is a popular dish – and we can see why. The colourful and crunchy dish showcases a range of textures. It combines grilled sweetcorn, pomegranates and tomatoes, and is so good, we finish the plate.
The Lobster Linguine is on the saucier side. The pasta is made freshly in-house and perfectly al dente. The lobster’s texture is soft and the flavour is subtle. Even the cutlery for the mains makes a statement, as the knife is embossed with the restaurant’s name.
We won’t judge you if you visit Isabel Mayfair Riyadh just for dessert. Locals have already been coming for the coffee and cakes. The dessert menu is filled with Italian favourites including Affogato, Sorbet and Silky Tiramisu.
The Silky Tiramisu comes with Insta-theatrics – it is presented in a cylinder, which is lifted to let the creamy concoction melt onto the plate. The Paris Brest is often ordered for special occasions, and candles are added to the top of the pastry with hazelnut praline. A bright yellow passionfruit curd sits between the two pieces of pastry, combining that fun and fancy.
Drinks at Riyadh restaurants often feel like an afterthought and are sickly sweet. At Isabel Mayfair Riyadh, the list has been carefully curated. The Honey Grapefruit was the best mocktail I have tasted in Riyadh. It combines citrus, salted honey, coriander and grapefruit, with three precise drops of cilantro on top and a salted rim that brings everything together.
The staff are dressed in white coats, knowledgeable about the menu, and happy to help. One of the chefs, who previously worked at the FACT Dining Award Carbone, came out to present a plate. Plus, there is a well-dressed crowd of locals.
Isabel Mayfair Riyadh: where elegance meets excitement.
GO: Visit www.isabelriyadh.com for more information.