As the Diplomatic Quarter expands with the addition of more restaurants and cafes, one Italian pizzeria decided to build theirs around one of the oldest trees in Al Fazari Square and opened Terraza La Rustica.
Capitalizing on the great outdoors, La Rustica designed their restaurant concept in the DQ around the big old tree west of the entrance of Al Fazari Square. Prior to this, their first branch opened in 2016 at the Wadi Al Artawi Street in Olaya with a full in-house restaurant setting. It was where they introduced themselves to the Riyadh food scene and made their mark as a top-rated pizzeria across all review platforms.
La Rustica is owned by a Saudi couple who fell in love with Napoli, Italy and decided to share their passion for the place and its gustatory delights in their own native land. True to its namesake, the ambiance is meant to depict the outdoor Italian bistros.
As we enter their DQ branch, a full floral foyer leads us to the restaurant’s centerpiece: an age-old tree with hanging warm bulbs and the surrounding bushes adorned with strands of twinkling lights. Combined with the relaxing house music and the smell of freshly-baked bread, the setting has the makings of a romantic night out.
Known as the first restaurant to offer authentic Napoletana pizza in Riyadh, their menu has remained concise throughout the years. With a focus on their woodfire pizza, the rest of the selection are minimized to feature staple Italian appetizers such as the burrata, rucola salad and the forno provolone cheese; and desserts such tiramisu, cannoli, and aragosta (sfogliatelle).
For our visit, we tried the Burrata, Forno Provolone, Half and Half (Bianca and Pepperoni) Pizza, Pesto Pasta, and Aragosta. The burrata tasted fresh and creamy as expected and with the extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar on the side – each bite proved to be more rich and savory. As for the pizza selection, the sun dried tomato on the Bianca pizza made it stand out with flavor and the slight char on the dough gave it more crisp. The pesto was simple yet infused with a strong basil fragrance balanced with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. The aragosta was a combination of flaky pastry and creamy filling that went well with a cup of cappuccino to end the evening.
Terraza La Rustica in the DQ is open for pick-up orders at 3:00 PM and dine-in at 5:00 PM until 11:30 PM.
You can also visit their main branch in Olaya to experience the original La Rustica concept with the same high quality of food. It is a cozy retreat with earthen brick walls and wooden accents that even DQ patrons would frequent.
As Ramadan begins, they are also offering catering options for those who wish to host a small dinner gathering for their loved ones at home. For reservations, contact 055 325 2521.
Terraza La Rustica
Al Fazari Square
Abullah Al Salami St.
Diplomatic Quarter
Olaya Branch:
Wadi Al Artawi St.
Opening Hours: 1:00 PM – 11:30 PM
Website: Larustica.sa
Instagram: @la_rustica_sa
Twitter: @larustica_sa
