Jeddah eats well and late. The city has the broadest restaurant scene in Saudi Arabia — driven by the pilgrim trade, the merchant families' traditional taste for variety, and a sizeable expatriate community. Yemeni mandi, Lebanese mezze, South Asian curries, Egyptian koshary, Filipino, Indonesian, Indian — every cuisine of every place that ever traded through this port is represented.
Lunch is mostly at home in conservative households; dinner is the social meal and runs late, often after 9 PM. Tipping is uncommon. Restaurants close briefly for the five daily prayers — adjust your timing accordingly.