Tastes old and new in Riyadh

When you’re an expat living in Riyadh, there are many things that may make you feel nostalgic for home. Seeing as the two senses most closely linked to memory and nostalgia are, of course, smell and taste, Riyadh offers many opportunities to sample and remember the aromas and taste of home! 
 
Riyadh is home to a multitude of restaurants of all kinds of cuisine: from casual, American style diners and joints (including a Cheesecake Factory) to Michelin-star restaurants bringing tastes of France, Italy, and other worldly cuisines right to your plate. Some of the world’s most popular and most skilled chefs are currently working in Saudi Arabia.  
 
From the most familiar comfort food to the most sophisticated delicacies for a discerning palate, Riyadh is up to the challenge. Antara itself also has a variety of ingredients and foodstuffs both local and imported at Tamimi Market, to help you make that special treat you love. Not feeling up to cooking? The restaurants at Antara will bring a taste of home with their international dishes, such as the spicy latino flavors of Taqado, the idyllic fruity combinations of Poke Sushi, the fine NYC dining experience at Circle Café or the sheer variety of Gather. 
 
But let’s be honest: food is more than having a meal at a restaurant, or cooking your specialty on a Saturday afternoon. It’s occasionally dunking a pack of chocolate chip cookies in a glass of milk for breakfast, nibbling on some cheese at midnight, or savouring a candy bar after lunch, or munching on your favorite flavor of potato chips or spicy nachos and sipping a cold can of your favorite soda on your porch. Food is safety, and familiarity, and comfort. 
 
The good news is, whichever part of the world you’re from, Riyadh will be able to provide those moments to you. From a pop tart to a twinkie, from a peanut butter cup to shortbread biscuits, from a stroopwafel to mochi, and from flaming hot Cheetos to natto, many venues and retailers carry imported snacks and drinks to snap your tastebuds back home with a bite.  
 
If you’re working near the centre, why not check out Al-Jarallah for a large selection of imported sweets? Or if you’re more of a housecat, websites like Delish R Us will deliver a huge selection of snacks both sweet and savory, as well as drinks from all over the world to your doorstep. 
 
So no matter where you’re from, if you swear by your home’s delicacies or if you want to sample all the gastronomic wonders the four corners of our world can offer, do not be worried. Where food is concerned, Riyadh can be as indulgent and as comforting as you want it to be – just like a chocolate cookie dipped in milk.