Madinah (Medina) is the second holiest city in Islam and the home of Masjid an-Nabawi, the Prophet's Mosque. It lies in the Hejaz about 400 km north of Makkah and is the capital of the Al Madinah region. The city is open to all visitors, but non-Muslims may not enter the Prophet's Mosque and its marked precinct. This guide covers the mosque district, Quba, Uhud and the other ziyarah sites, where to stay and eat, and how to get around.
Madinah food is Hejazi at heart: dates, barley and wheat dishes such as harees, balilah, mutabbaq and tamees bread, with Central Asian manto and yaghmosh and Bukhari rice brought by long-settled communities. Yemeni-style mandi and Saudi kabsa dominate the restaurants, and Turkish, Lebanese, Pakistani and Indian kitchens serve the pilgrim trade. Madinah is famous above all for its dates, especially Ajwa. Everything is halal and alcohol is banned, so cafes and evening dessert shops are the social scene. Restaurants near the Haram pause briefly at prayer times.
Must-try dishes
Iconic dishes that define Madinah.
Madinah dates with Arabic coffee
Ajwa (small, dark, soft), Sukkari (golden, very sweet) and Safawi (dark, firm) are served with cardamom coffee.
Where to try: Dates markets, Row Cafe, Naseem Haneen
Price: SAR 20-150 per kg (~$5-40), depending on variety
Mandi
Smoked Yemeni-style rice with chicken or lamb on a shared tray.
Where to try: Al Romansiah
Price: SAR 35-90 (~$9-24)
Hashi mandi
Young camel meat served over spiced rice, a Madinah-listed speciality.
Where to try: Al Romansiah
Price: SAR 50-100 (~$13-27) (estimate)
Bukhari rice
Rice with carrot and raisin and chargrilled chicken or lamb, a legacy of Central Asian communities.
Where to try: Al Faris Lilrose Al Bukhari
Price: SAR 20-50 (~$5-13)
Manto and yaghmosh
Steamed dumplings and a meat-and-onion dish associated with Madinah's Central Asian influence, served at the Chefs Market.
Where to try: Souq Al-Tabbakha (Chefs Market)
Price: SAR 15-40 (~$4-11) (estimate)
Mutabbaq
Fried stuffed pastry, a traditional favourite sold at stalls and cafes.
Where to try: Gate 330 stalls
Price: SAR 5-8 (~$1-2)
Ful with tamees bread
Slow-cooked fava beans with oven-baked flatbread, the Hejazi breakfast served from about 04:00 at small shops.
Where to try: Hejazi breakfast shops behind the main hotel blocks
Price: SAR 8-20 (~$2-5) (estimate)
Harees and wheat soup
Wheat-based dishes that lead Ramadan tables in Madinah.
Where to try: Souq Al-Tabbakha (Chefs Market)
Price: SAR 10-25 (~$3-7) (estimate)
Kunafa and qishta sweets
Cheese or cream-filled pastry with syrup, with tulumba and baklava.
Where to try: Al Fateh Restaurant, Naseem Haneen
Price: SAR 10-30 (~$3-8)
Top restaurants
Handpicked picks for the best dining experiences.
Restaurants by cuisine
Browse picks grouped by cuisine type.
Middle Eastern
Turkish
Street food
Local flavours at affordable prices.
Gate 330 stalls
Northern perimeter stalls selling shawarma (SAR 6-10, ~$2-3), mandi rice (SAR 15-25, ~$4-7), mutabbaq (SAR 5-8, ~$1-2) and grilled corn; many stay open overnight and some take cash only.
Find it at: Northern side of Masjid an-Nabawi, near Gate 330
Stalls behind the Haram near King Fahd Gate
Ice cream, fresh pomegranate juice and baleela (chickpeas) sold from small shops.
Find it at: Behind Masjid an-Nabawi, King Fahd Gate area
Bengali market streets
Several streets behind the mosque with breakfast, lunch and dinner counters at low prices.
Find it at: Behind Masjid an-Nabawi
Arabic coffee and dates
Cardamom coffee in small cups with dates; shake the cup gently from side to side to say no more.
Find it at: Throughout Madinah
Food markets
Where locals shop and graze.
Souq Al-Tabbakha (Chefs Market)
Traditional food market with more than 40 restaurants selling manto, yaghmosh, mandi, harees, kebabs, kabuli rice and fish. A March 2025 Saudi Press Agency report says it moved from beside the Prophet's Mosque to the Al-Magharba district, about one kilometre away on Prince Abdulmohsen bin Abdulaziz Road; older listings place it in Al Jumuah.
Hours: Hours not published; typical restaurant hours late morning to late night, verify on arrival
Al-Manakhah dates market
One of Madinah's oldest markets, selling Sukkari and Safawi dates, nuts, honey and dried fruit; bargaining is expected.
Hours: Typically about 10:00-22:00; closes at prayer times (verify)
Al-Baqi market
Stalls next to Masjid an-Nabawi known for Ajwa dates and gift boxes.
Hours: Typically about 10:00-22:00 (verify)
Quba dates market
Dates stalls near Masjid Fajr in the Quba area, known for mabroom dates and gift boxes; Al-Aliya date farm sits next to Quba Mosque.
Hours: Typically about 10:00-22:00 (verify)
Dining etiquette & tips
Navigate the local food scene confidently.
Restaurants near the Haram close for 20 to 30 minutes at each prayer; eat about 20-30 minutes before the adhan or 15 minutes after the prayer ends.
Breakfast shops open around 04:00; dinner runs late, and many places stay open to 01:00-02:00.
In Ramadan most places open only after sunset; eat and drink in public only after sunset.
Local families and charities run free sunset meals of bread, yoghurt, dates and coffee at the mosque courtyards on Mondays and Thursdays and daily in Ramadan; only registered caterers may serve inside the mosque grounds.
Budget stalls near Gate 330 are cash-only in many cases; restaurants and malls take mada, Visa and Mastercard.
Always taste dates before buying, buy from the batch sampled, and ask for sealed, dated boxes for travel.
- Halal
- All meat is halal and alcohol and pork are not sold anywhere in Saudi Arabia.
- Vegetarian
- Possible through ful, falafel, hummus, rice and Indian vegetable dishes at Hyderabad House and Zaitoon; confirm no meat stock.
- Vegan
- Limited; Lebanese, Indian and hotel buffet menus offer the most choice.
- Gluten free
- Grilled meat, fish and plain rice dishes are safest; bread accompanies most meals.
- Allergies
- Sesame, nuts and dairy are common in sweets and dips; tell staff before ordering.
Food budget guide
What to expect at different price points.
| Level | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | About SAR 15-25 (~$4-7) per meal | Gate 330 stalls, Al Baik, Kudu and ful breakfasts. |
| Mid-range | About SAR 40-100 (~$11-27) per meal | Mandi houses, Levantine and Pakistani restaurants and mall seafood. |
| Upscale | About SAR 99-180 (~$26-48) per meal | Hotel buffets such as Arabesque at Shaza Al Madina and full dinners at Agate. |