Al Madinah Province in western Saudi Arabia combines Madinah, the city of the Prophet's Mosque, with AlUla's UNESCO-listed Hegra, the Red Sea port of Yanbu, and early Islamic sites at Badr, Khaybar and Uhud. This guide covers sights, hotels, food, access rules for non-Muslims and getting around.
Madinah's food mixes Hejazi cooking with the tastes of pilgrims from around the world. Traditional Madani dishes include jareesh (cracked wheat porridge), saleeq (creamy rice with chicken) and qursan (bread soaked in meat broth). Breakfast is ful (fava beans) and tamees flatbread. The city is also known for Ajwa dates. Because millions of pilgrims arrive each year, Turkish, Indian, Indonesian, Yemeni and Lebanese restaurants are common. All restaurants are halal and none serves alcohol.
Must-try dishes
Iconic dishes that define Al Madinah.
Ful and tamees
Slow-cooked fava beans with olive oil and spices, eaten with tamees flatbread; the standard Hejazi breakfast.
Where to try: Breakfast stalls and small restaurants around Badaah and near the Prophet's Mosque
Price: SAR 8-15 (~$2-4) (estimate)
Jareesh
Cracked wheat cooked with meat and spices into a thick porridge.
Where to try: Traditional Saudi restaurants such as Abu Khalid Restaurant
Price: SAR 20-35 (~$5-9) (estimate)
Saleeq
Creamy white rice cooked in milk and broth, served with chicken.
Where to try: Traditional Saudi restaurants
Price: SAR 25-45 (~$7-12) (estimate)
Mandi
Meat slow-cooked over rice in the Yemeni style.
Where to try: Hadranoot Kitchen
Price: SAR 30-95 (~$8-25) (estimate)
Ajwa dates
Soft dark dates grown around Madinah, sold in boxes and by weight.
Where to try: Dates Market Madinah and the date shops in Badaah
Price: SAR 40-150 per kg (~$11-40) (estimate)
Broasted chicken
Crisp pressure-fried chicken with garlic sauce, the national fast-food favourite.
Where to try: Al Baik branches
Price: SAR 15-30 (~$4-8) (estimate)
Top restaurants
Handpicked picks for the best dining experiences.
Restaurants by cuisine
Browse picks grouped by cuisine type.
Burgers And Fried Chicken
Indonesian
Japanese
Middle Eastern
Saudi And Hejazi Home Cooking
Saudi Broasted Chicken
Saudi Burgers And Grilled Chicken
Street food
Local flavours at affordable prices.
Ful and tamees stalls
Fava beans and fresh flatbread served from small counters early in the morning.
Find it at: Badaah and streets around the Prophet's Mosque
Shawarma
Chicken or beef carved from a spit into flatbread with garlic sauce and pickles.
Find it at: Shawarma counters on Prince Abdul Majeed Road and Prince Abdul Mohsen Road
Fresh sugarcane and fruit juice
Pressed sugarcane juice and fresh fruit juices sold by small juice shops.
Find it at: Ali Ibn Talib Road and Prince Abdul Mohsen Road, Qurban
Fresh fish
Fish bought at the Qurban fish market and fried or grilled at nearby fish restaurants.
Find it at: Qurban Fish Market, Prince Abdul Mohsen Road
Food markets
Where locals shop and graze.
Dates Market Madinah
The main wholesale and retail dates market, with Ajwa, Safawi and Sukkari dates sold by stall.
Qurban Fish Market
A fish market on Prince Abdul Mohsen Road; neighbouring restaurants cook the day's fish.
Dining etiquette & tips
Navigate the local food scene confidently.
Every restaurant in Saudi Arabia is halal and none serves alcohol or pork.
Restaurants slow or pause service for about 20-30 minutes around each of the five daily prayers, so plan meals between prayers.
Many sit-down restaurants have a family section and a singles section; mixed groups and women should use the family section where it exists.
Friday afternoon and evening, and the weeks of Ramadan and Hajj season, are the busiest times; arrive early or use a delivery app such as HungerStation or Jahez.
Tipping is not mandatory; rounding up or leaving SAR 5-10 (~$1-3) is common, and check whether a service charge is added.
During Ramadan, eating in public in daylight is not allowed; restaurants reopen at sunset for iftar.
Non-Muslims can eat at any restaurant in the city; only the Prophet's Mosque and the Haram boundary zone are closed to them.
- Vegetarian
- Vegetarian dishes such as ful, hummus, falafel, vegetable biryani and salads are easy to find, especially in Indian, Pakistani and Lebanese restaurants; ask for no meat broth in rice dishes.
- Halal
- All food is halal by law.
- Gluten free
- Rice and grilled meat dishes are naturally gluten-free; bread is served with almost every meal, so ask for it to be left out.
Food budget guide
What to expect at different price points.
| Level | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | SAR 15-40 per meal (~$4-11) | Fast-food chains, ful and tamees stalls, shawarma counters. |
| Mid-range | SAR 40-100 per meal (~$11-27) | Sit-down Turkish, Lebanese, Yemeni and seafood restaurants. |
| Upscale | SAR 120-300 per meal (~$32-80) | Hotel restaurants and the steakhouses in the main malls. |