News

Saudi School Year 2026 Opens Today, Resetting Riyadh's Morning Rhythm

Saudi Arabia's 2026 to 2027 school year begins today for Riyadh, resetting the city's morning drop-off and afternoon pickup rhythm for the semester ahead.

How Fresh Fruit Tea Is Built as Gulf Summer Heat Holds Into Late August

How fresh fruit tea is built: matching fruit to tea base and balancing sweetness against acid, as Gulf temperatures stay near seasonal highs in late August.

Gong Cha Sale to Bain Capital Marks a Reset for Bubble Tea Deals

Bain Capital is buying bubble tea chain Gong Cha for about 4.2 billion yuan, well below its April asking price, a sign of maturing bubble tea consolidation.

Saudi Schools Reopen August 23 as Riyadh's Back-to-School Season Peaks

Saudi Arabia's 2026-2027 school year opens August 23, and Riyadh is resetting for back to school season, from stationery shelves to weekday cafe routines.

Thai Tapioca Export Prices Jump 47% as Bubble Tea Supply Chain Tightens

Thai FOB Bangkok tapioca starch prices rose 47 percent since January 2026, tightening bubble tea's supply chain from Southeast Asian cassava fields to the Gulf.

Ar Rabi's Cafes Become the Default Meeting Point for Riyadh's Young Professionals

As Riyadh's dining and retail economy expands, cafes in north Riyadh districts like Ar Rabi are turning into informal meeting spots for coworkers and friends after work.

Riyadh Metro Line 7 First Phase Targets 2026 Construction Start

Saudi Arabia aims to begin building Riyadh Metro Line 7 in 2026, a 65-kilometer line linking Diriyah Gate to Qiddiya, as its tender process nears a contract award.

Cold Brew Tea Gains Ground in Cairo as Egypt's Heat Wave Persists

Cold brew tea's slow, all-cold steeping method is gaining notice in Cairo as Egypt's heat wave holds daytime highs near 40 degrees Celsius this month.

Saudi Arabia's New Public Art Rules Arrive as Riyadh's Art Cafes Grow

Saudi Arabia's Visual Arts Commission has released new national guidelines for public art, arriving as Riyadh's JAX District cements its art cafe scene.

Al Hamra's Family Weekend Rhythm Holds Before Riyadh Schools Reopen

Saudi public schools return August 23, and Riyadh's Al Hamra district is spending its last summer weekends between neighborhood parks, its mall and family cafes.

Bujairi Terrace in Diriyah Draws Crowds With Free Entry Through September

Diriyah's Bujairi Terrace, Riyadh's heritage dining district by At-Turaif, draws crowds under free entry through September 30 and a new Lebanese restaurant.

Middle East RTD Tea Market to Grow 8.9 Percent a Year to 2031

The Middle East's ready-to-drink tea market is worth 227 million dollars in 2026, led by Saudi Arabia and growing fastest in Qatar, new market data shows.

Why Riyadh's Matcha Cafes Are Feeling Japan's Global Shortage

Japan's matcha shortage and price surge are reaching Riyadh, where matcha lattes now rival Arabic coffee across the city's fastest-growing cafe scene.

Al Hamadani Street Riyadh: A Commercial Corridor Between Two Districts

Al Hamadani Street runs along Riyadh's Al Sulaimaniyah-Al Olaya boundary, a commercial strip reshaped by the districts' fast-growing retail and dining scene.

Saudi Stopover Visa Opens Riyadh's Dining Scene to 96-Hour Travelers

Saudi Arabia's free 96-hour stopover visa lets travelers connecting through Riyadh leave the airport and explore the city's fast-growing dining and cafe scene.

King Salman International Airport's Third Runway Takes Shape in 2026

Saudi Arabia's King Salman International Airport advances its third runway and Terminal 6 build in 2026, growing capacity as Riyadh's aviation hub expands.

Low Sugar Bubble Tea Gains Ground in Riyadh Under Saudi Arabia's New Tax

Saudi Arabia's new sugar-based drink tax and a wave of reformulated menus, including from a chain with a Riyadh store, are pushing bubble tea toward less sugar.

ROSHN Front's Summer Splash Gives Riyadh Families a New Weekend Stop

Race Arabia's Summer Splash brought a 5 a.m. water run to ROSHN Front on July 25, part of the formula behind Riyadh's family weekend destinations.

Gulf Neighbors Tighten Single-Use Plastic Rules, Saudi Cafes Still Wait

UAE now bans plastic cups and cutlery, and Bahrain and Oman phase out plastic bags this year. Saudi Arabia regulates cup materials but has not banned them outright, with an outright ban only forecast for 2028 to 2030.

Riyadh's Night Cafes Stay Full as Summer's Hottest Weeks Peak

As Riyadh's hottest weeks of 2026 push highs past 49 degrees Celsius, night cafes fill later into the evening and a new rule eases 24-hour operating costs.

Tea's Antioxidants and L-Theanine: What the Research Actually Shows

New research on tea's catechin antioxidants and calming L-theanine compound gives Riyadh cafe-goers an evidence-based way to think about what is in their cup.

Ar Rabi Square Emerges as a North Riyadh Hub for Cafes and Growth

Riyadh real estate prices rose 4.2 percent as a SAR 1 billion business park opened in north Riyadh, adding to signs of steady growth around Ar Rabi Square.

Saudi Tourism 2026 Visitors Near 150 Million as Domestic Travel Leads

Saudi tourism visitors in 2026 track toward Vision 2030's 150 million target as domestic travel offsets fewer arrivals from abroad, reshaping Riyadh footfall.

Brown Sugar Boba Milk Tea in Riyadh: Behind the Tiger-Stripe Classic

Brown sugar boba milk tea stays Riyadh's most consistent bubble tea order, as trend data and local reviews show the tiger-stripe classic still leads menus.

Saudi Arabia's 2034 World Cup Plans Advance as 2026 Tournament Ends

As the 2026 World Cup concludes, Saudi Arabia's 2034 preparations move forward, from Riyadh stadium construction to the city's growing hospitality scene.

Oat Milk Tea Gains Ground as Riyadh Cafes Add Dairy Alternatives

Oat and almond milk are moving from special request to standard menu option in Riyadh, as health-conscious demand reshapes the city's tea and coffee counters.

Riyadh's Coworking Cafes Rise as Remote Work Reshapes the Workday

As flexible hours and hybrid schedules spread across Riyadh, laptop-friendly cafes are becoming everyday coworking spots for freelancers and hybrid employees.

Riyadh Metro's Red Line Extension to Diriyah Clears Key Milestone

Riyadh's Red Line extension to Diriyah advances as the project's tunnel boring machine completes factory testing, part of an 8.4km, five-station expansion.

Chinese Milk Tea's History: From Ancient Ritual to Riyadh Cafes

UNESCO lists China's tea craft as living heritage, while milk tea began in 1980s Taiwan. Both threads reached Riyadh this year, festival stage to cafe cup.

Iced Milk Tea Becomes the Default Summer Order in Riyadh Cafes

Riyadh cafes are pushing iced milk tea and other cold-format drinks further onto menus this summer, echoing a wider Gulf shift toward convenient iced tea.

Global bubble tea market grows steadily in 2026 as Gulf demand accelerates

The global bubble tea market keeps growing in 2026 as chains open their first Gulf and Levant stores, a trend with clear implications for Riyadh drinkers.

Al Hamra Cafes in Riyadh: A Guide to the City's Family District

A guide to Al Hamra cafes in Riyadh, a family district in the northeast where neighborhood spots hold steady as the city's wider dining scene chases fast trends.

Riyadh's Summer Heat Puts Hydration Back on the Daily Checklist

Riyadh highs are running near 43C with humidity as low as 11 percent this week, and Saudi health guidance on steady hydration is worth a second look.

SFDA caffeine labeling rules, one year on: what Riyadh cafes must show

One year after SFDA's caffeine disclosure rule took effect, Riyadh cafes and tea shops must list caffeine content on every menu, physical, digital, or via delivery apps.

Saudi Vision 2030 hospitality sector shows growth as phase three begins

New GASTAT data and a Ministry of Tourism training program mark the opening months of Vision 2030's final phase for Saudi Arabia's hospitality sector.

Riyadh boulevard dining scene grows as new destinations open

Boulevard Riyadh City's dining streets keep growing, with Boulevard Flowers adding 40 restaurants this spring as Riyadh's wider food scene expands.