Riyadh’s coffee scene has changed faster than almost any other category in the city. Five years ago, you went to a mall for coffee. Now there are cafes pouring saffron qahwa lattes in the Diplomatic Quarter, design-led spots in Al Malqa where the matcha is as good as the espresso, and bakery-cafes turning out feta zaatar croissants and ube cream pastries that have built genuine cult followings.
We’ve spent the last few months working through the new and the established, ordering coffees, matchas, ube drinks, dessert lattes, and pastries, and these are the coffee shops in Riyadh we keep going back to. Some are obvious. Some are quietly excellent and overlooked. All of them earn the trip.
Best Coffee Shops in Riyadh: 12 Cafes to Try
Brew92
The Jeddah-born specialty roaster that’s become one of the most consistent picks across Riyadh. Brew92 is named after the optimal brewing temperature of 92 degrees Celsius, and the precision shows in every cup. Beyond the coffee, the menu has expanded to a serious matcha programme, properly stone-ground, and a strong line of dessert-leaning lattes including pistachio and Spanish.
Best for: serious coffee drinkers and matcha fans alike. Order the V60 if you want to see what the team can actually do, or the pistachio latte if you want the sweet cup.
Elixir Bunn Coffee Roasters
One of Riyadh’s pioneering specialty cafes, Elixir Bunn Riyadh opened in 2014, and still one of the most aesthetically pleasing chains in the city. Italian terrazzo floors, matte black spiral staircases, and a vinyl collection better curated than most record stores. The menu has grown well beyond coffee, the iced cereal latte and the Lotus-crumb dessert drinks are the ones the regulars order alongside the espresso.
Best for: a long working morning or a slow weekend coffee. Open late on Thursdays and through the night on Fridays, which we’ve used more than once.
OFFBRiEF Café
The trendiest cafe in town right now, full stop. OFFBRiEF Riyadh sits in Diriyah, with studio-style minimalism rather than the usual cafe cosiness, industrial-inspired decor, and a menu of inventive drinks and desserts that change often enough to be worth checking back. The ube cream latte was the standout on our last visit, and the dessert plates land somewhere between cafe and patisserie.
Best for: design-led photos, creative drinks, and the outdoor terrace once the weather turns. Easily one of the most Instagrammable coffee shops in Riyadh.
Half Million
The specialty chain with the most relaxed vibe and the strongest dessert programme in this list. Half Million Riyadh pulls a real crowd, and it’s deserved. V60, iced drip, and cold brew on the coffee side, plus iced lattes in cereal, pistachio, and rotating seasonal flavours. The Coffee Crunch dessert (espresso, ice cream, chocolate, Lotus crumbs) is the order, and the cheese and zaatar croissants are some of the best in the city.
Best for: a longer cafe afternoon with a group, or anyone who treats dessert as part of the order. Branches across Riyadh, plus Jeddah, Sharqiyah, and London.
Camel Step
Established in 2014, Camel Step is the specialty roaster that locals send out-of-towners to first. The menu is properly focused, hot or cold, sweetened or not, with the iced V60 as the standout. They’ve added matcha and a handful of seasonal lattes, but the core experience is still about the bean and the brew. Coffee for people who actually want coffee.
Best for: a focused stop where the coffee does all the work. The iced V60 is one of the best in the city.
Drip Coffee
A Saudi homegrown brand started in 2015 by a young Saudi entrepreneur, and now one of the most popular cafe chains in Riyadh. Drip Coffee‘s Riyadh drinks menu sits comfortably between specialty coffee and accessible cafe culture, properly pulled espresso alongside flavoured lattes, matcha, and a small but consistent food programme. The atmosphere works equally well for a quick stop or a longer sit.
Best for: a reliable everyday cafe that doesn’t ask you to be a coffee enthusiast. Several locations, all consistent.
Ralph’s Coffee at KAFD
Ralph Lauren’s cafe, and one of the more atmospheric spots on this list. Crisp white and deep green tones, curated artwork, and a terrace that comes into its own on Riyadh’s cooler winter nights. The drinks lean classic, well-pulled Americanos, velvety flat whites, the house Ralph’s coffee blend, plus a proper afternoon tea programme. Less about innovation, more about consistency and atmosphere.
Best for: a polished afternoon, a meeting, or a date. The KAFD outdoor terrace is the play in winter.
L’ETO Caffe
The London import that’s now in seven countries, including Saudi. L’ETO have Neoclassical interiors that make every visit feel like a small occasion, and a menu that leans equally hard on coffee, food, and dessert. The cakes and tarts are the headline, light, fruity, rich, the whole spectrum, and the matcha menu is one of the better ones in the city. Healthy options on the food side too, but the dessert is what people actually come for.
Best for: a long catch-up with friends, weekend brunch, and anyone who treats the cake choice as part of the day’s planning.
Urth Caffé
The LA-born organic coffee and tea house that landed in Riyadh and quickly built a serious following. Urth has been running in the US since 1989, and the Riyadh menu carries the full breadth of what made the brand work back home, properly sourced organic coffee, an extensive matcha and chai programme, fresh-pressed juices, and a food menu that holds up across the day.
The matcha boba is the cult order, the avocado toast is the brunch default, and the cake counter rotates often enough to keep things interesting. Interiors lean warm and lived-in rather than studio-minimal, which makes it one of the easier cafes on the list to settle into.
Best for: a long, slow stop with a friend, a casual meeting, or a weekend brunch when you want food and coffee at the same level.
Ashjar
Named after the Arabic word for trees, Ashjar blends design, plants, and serious coffee into one downtown spot. Lush interiors, community tables, lots of natural light, and specialty-grade beans roasted on-site. The matcha is properly ceremonial-grade, the pour-overs are dialled in, and the pastry programme is small but consistent. It feels like an oasis in the middle of the city’s busier blocks.
Best for: a slow weekday morning, a quiet study session, or an afternoon when you need somewhere calm. The community tables make it easier to come solo.
BAC Bakery
The cafe-bakery hybrid in Al Yasmin that’s built a serious following on its food alone. Beige-and-white interiors, fringe lamps, properly designed everything, and a feta zaatar croissant that’s the order. The coffee side is well-handled, but BAC Bakery Riyadh is where you go when the food matters as much as the cup. The seasonal pastries (date, pistachio cream, ube on the new menu) are the ones to watch for.
Best for: a long brunch-style cafe afternoon, especially on a weekend. Save room for at least two pastries, the savoury and the sweet.
Ba’a Bakehouse
The local gem overlooking Wadi Hanifah. Ba’a Bakehouse is the cosy, homey end of the Riyadh cafe spectrum, comfy seating, warm light, and brownies that have built their own following. The coffee is good, the matcha is solid, but truly nothing compares to that first bite of one of their baked goods. The dessert programme rotates often enough that there’s always something new on the counter.
Best for: a winter afternoon visit, a date that runs long, or anyone who wants the cafe that feels like a friend’s living room. Pair the coffee with a brownie and don’t overthink it.
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If you want to discover more places, and things to do across Riyadh, explore more guides and local updates on Platinumlist KSA.
