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Souq Al Zal

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Souq Al Zal

One of Riyadh's oldest markets, beside Masmak Fortress, selling carpets, bishts, incense, perfumes, daggers, antiques and traditional crafts.

Favourite places

Local food

  • Kabsa

    Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    Saudi Arabia's best-known dish: long-grain rice cooked with a warm spice mix, tomato and stock, piled on a large platter and topped with chicken or lamb, fried onions, nuts and raisins. Often shared from one tray.

  • Marqooq

    Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    A Najdi stew of thin, hand-rolled dough sheets cooked in a tomato and vegetable broth with meat — hearty home cooking from central Arabia.

  • Saudi coffee (gahwa) and dates

    Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    Light, golden Arabic coffee brewed with cardamom (and sometimes saffron or clove), poured in small handleless cups and always served with dates. Offering gahwa is the first gesture of Saudi hospitality — hold the cup in your right hand, and gently shake it when you have had enough.Read more

Where to eat

  • Traditional restaurants of Al-Dirah (old Riyadh)

    Around Souq Al Zal, Masmak Fortress and Qasr Al Hokm

    The old centre has simple local restaurants serving kabsa, mandi and grills, plus coffee stalls where men sit for gahwa and dates. Good value and very local.

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  • Olaya and Tahlia Street

    Olaya district, around Kingdom Centre

    Riyadh's busiest dining strip: Saudi, Levantine, Turkish, Indian and international restaurants, cafés and dessert shops, open late into the night.

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Where to stay

  • Al-Dirah, Al Murabba and the old centre

    Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    Closest to Masmak Fortress, Souq Al Zal and the National Museum. More local in character, with mid-range hotels and a busy evening street life.

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  • Olaya and King Fahd Road

    Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    The modern business heart of Riyadh, around Kingdom Centre and Al Faisaliah Tower: large international hotels, malls and restaurants, and the Riyadh Metro Blue Line along Olaya Street.

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Culture

The souq keeps alive old Najdi trades: men try on bishts, haggle over dallahs and swap stories over coffee. It is one of the best places in Riyadh to see everyday life in the old city.

History

Souq Al Zal grew in the old walled town of Riyadh, near the fort and the Grand Mosque, as a market for carpets ("zal" is a local word for rugs) and household goods. It is one of the oldest surviving markets in the city.

Today its covered alleys and courtyards still sell traditional goods: carpets and rugs, bishts (men's cloaks), swords and khanjars, brass coffee pots (dallah), incense, oud and perfumes, and secondhand antiques. In the late afternoon, sellers hold informal auctions of carpets and antiques in the open square.

Tour plans

Souq evening in old Riyadh

Evening

  1. Step 1: Masmak Fortress

    See the fort before the souq gets busy.

  2. Step 2: Souq Al Zal

    Browse incense, bishts and antiques; watch an auction.

  3. Step 3: Gahwa and dinner

    Coffee, dates and kabsa nearby.

Travel information

Best time to visit

October to March, from late afternoon (after Asr prayer) into the evening, when the auctions and most shops are open.

How to get there

In the old centre (Al-Dirah): next to Masmak Fortress and Qasr Al Hokm. Take a taxi or ride-hailing app, or the Riyadh Metro to the old centre.

Getting around

  • Explore on foot; the souq is a cluster of alleys, small shops and a central open area.
  • Masmak Fortress and Deera Square are a short walk away.

Travel tips

  • Shops close briefly at prayer times and many open only in the afternoon on Fridays.
  • Bargaining is normal for antiques and carpets — be polite and friendly.
  • Ask before photographing sellers.

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