Riyadh’s Tahlia Street just got a flavorful new addition – FoodSphere, a first-of-its-kind interactive food hub that takes visitors on a sensory journey through Saudi Arabia’s rich culinary heritage and its future innovations. Spanning 11,000 square meters, this free-to-access experience blends food, science, culture, and cutting-edge technology, making it a must-visit destination for families, foodies, and anyone curious about Saudi cuisine.
More Than a Food Museum
FoodSphere isn’t just about tasting traditional dishes – it’s an immersive, multi-sensory adventure that starts with the aroma of freshly brewed Arabic coffee in the Cloud of Welcome and takes visitors through live beehives, high-tech hydroponic farms, and even a butterfly dome. It’s all part of the larger Riyadh Oases Network, a city-wide initiative that will bring eight immersive hubs across Riyadh, each focusing on different themes like space, nature, and sports.
Coffee, Dates, and Hospitality – Saudi Style
The journey kicks off with a celebration of Saudi hospitality, where coffee and dates — the pillars of traditional welcome – take center stage. In the Coffee Capsule, visitors step into an immersive room showcasing how coffee is cultivated in the misty highlands of Jazan. You can even smell the differences between regional Arabic coffee blends, from saffron-laced Hijazi brews to cardamom-rich Najdi cups.
Right next door, the Date Library highlights Saudi Arabia’s world-famous dates, with rows of wooden drawers showcasing the Kingdom’s prized varieties – from the caramel-sweet sukkary of Qassim to the molasses-like khudri. Visitors are even invited to vote for their favorite dates, feeding into a live poll that tracks the nation’s seasonal preferences.
A Peek Inside the Apiary
FoodSphere’s Apiary brings visitors face-to-face with one of Saudi Arabia’s most treasured industries – beekeeping. A glass-walled beehive lets you watch worker bees as they buzz between honeycombs, and a kinetic honey sculpture slowly drips with different textures of honey, showing how climate and flowers shape the final product – from the golden sidr honey of Najran to the dark, almost molasses-like wildflower honey from Asir.
Step Into the Future in the Biosphere
The Biosphere is where FoodSphere shifts from heritage to cutting-edge food technology. Hydroponic towers stand tall under LED lights, while fog nets – modeled after those used in Asir – extract water from the air. Visitors can walk beneath these futuristic farms or climb onto suspended nets, floating weightlessly above a world where nano-clay transforms sand into fertile soil.
من قلب الرياض، وتحديدًا في التحلية، تستقبلكم #فودسفير بأجوائها الممتعة في أولى أيام الافتتاح! ✨
احجزوا تذاكركم الآن واكتشفوا المزيد عبر موقعنا الإلكتروني.#واحات_الرياض pic.twitter.com/D9zJbCfoZd— Riyadh Oases واحات الرياض (@riyadhoases) February 26, 2025
At the heart of the Biosphere is the Butterfly Dome, home to dozens of Saudi-native butterflies fluttering between nectar feeders and flowering plants. Guests can even witness the full life cycle, watching chrysalises transform into delicate butterflies in real time.
Innovation Hub: Saudi’s Culinary Future
Upstairs, the Innovation Hub – created in partnership with HungerStation – serves as a creative lab where chefs, food scientists, and researchers experiment with Saudi superfoods like hareeg mint, desert truffles, and mountain figs. There’s even a professional food photography studio, making it a prime spot for chefs, content creators, and culinary influencers to document their work.
Taste, Learn, and Play
For those craving a more intimate tasting experience, FoodSphere’s Heart of the Oasis offers private tasting sessions, pairing seasonal Saudi flavors – from date and coffee pairings to explorations of regional spice blends.
After exploring, visitors can relax at outdoor cafes and food stalls or take a stroll along the on-site running track, making FoodSphere the perfect blend of education, entertainment, and outdoor leisure.
Free Entry – and Open to All
FoodSphere is part of Riyadh’s commitment to making science, culture, and education accessible to everyone. The general experience is free to enter, with tickets available for the Biosphere’s interactive zones. Open daily from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM, with extended Ramadan hours from 8:30 PM to 2:30 AM, it’s the ideal spot for families, friends, and food lovers to explore together.
For tickets and more information, visit: riyadhoases.com/foodsphere
Comments (0)