How Is Saudi Restaurant Hijazi Corner Just Like Korea
This is Day 10 of highlighting small businesses that don’t have a big PR machine behind them.
And today we taste the world without leaving London, at the very first Saudi Arabian restaurant in Europe. This is my 36th country I have done since 2021. And I cannot believe I am still doing this.
For the back story, I went to Becky's supper club at Jang in London. At that day, I met Meraz who gave me several recommendations. But it was bit chaotic that day, and I forgot to write down the restaurant names. But I remembered being really interesting, so I reached out to him again few month later for the restaurant name.
And the restaruant was called Hijazi Corner. And the reason it caught my eyes was cause the restaurant had a communal area where you can sit on the floor and eat.
Why Do People Sit on the Floor to Eat?
In Korea, sitting on the floor to eat has always been part of daily life. Meals are traditionally served on a low table, and even if there’s a sofa nearby, it often becomes just a backrest. The practice is about closeness. When everyone sits on the same level, the meal feels equal and shared.
In Saudi Arabia and across the Hijaz region, floor dining comes from a similar place. Traditionally, homes didn’t have dining tables. Families would spread a large mat, called a sufra or dastarkhwan, and place food in the middle. Sitting on the floor made sense because it brought everyone into a circle. Eating with the right hand, or using bread instead of cutlery, is also about connection—it slows you down, makes you more mindful of who you’re sharing with, and keeps the act of eating communal.
As you wait, they will bring a sheet for the floor so we don't mess the floor
This overlap between Korean and Saudi culture, two very different parts of the world, shows how food traditions often arrive at the same idea: eating together, side by side, is what makes a meal meaningful.
Hijazi Corner also have talbes if you don't fancy sitting on the floor. But if you are going to Hijazi, you should really sit on the floor.
The Story Behind Hijazi Corner
During Covid, the owner of Hijazi Corner kept getting requests from friends and community members to cook them home-style meals. He realized how much he missed the food too. Instead of just rushing to open a restaurant, he went to culinary school, trained properly, and only then launched Hijazi Corner.
That’s why the food feels deliberate. Even the rice has a rule: if it sits for more than six hours, it’s thrown away and made fresh again.
Key Dishes to Try at Hijazi Corner Meny
Before we talk about the dishes, I want to say that they really care about the food. If the rice sits longer than 6 hours, they will remake a new batch to keep everything fresh. And you can really taste it in the food.
Below is the currenty menu (September 6th, 2025)
Subscribe to continue reading
