Archive · 22 Aug 2025
Prima Classe: Dining in a Historic Saudi Arabian Train Station
Imagine eating a fancy meal in an old train station in Saudi Arabia!
The Chedi Hegra resort has a restaurant called Prima Classe in a historic train station from 1907.
The chef, Driss Daabaz, makes delicious food inspired by the area's history and his own Moroccan background.
The food has flavors from the old train route like Paris, Monaco, and Istanbul.
They serve dishes like salads, tasty starters, and even Wagyu short rib cooked for hours!
It’s a blend of old and new, with a lot of different tastes.
The Chedi Hegra resort in AlUla, Saudi Arabia, features Prima Classe, a Mediterranean-inspired restaurant inside the disused Hegra Station.
Hegra Station was built in 1907 as a railway link and fell silent after WWI.
The restaurant's menu reflects the train's historic route, blending East and West culinary influences.
Chef Driss Daabaz draws inspiration from Nabataean cuisine and his Moroccan roots, using local ingredients.
The meal features dishes like quinoa salad, Mezze, salmon, and an 18-hour-braised Wagyu short rib.
- Who
- The Chedi Hegra resort and Chef Driss Daabaz.
- What
- A Mediterranean-inspired restaurant, Prima Classe, is located inside the disused Hegra Station.
- When
- The restaurant opened in September 2024.
- Where
- Hegra, AlUla, Saudi Arabia.
- Why
- To offer a unique dining experience that reflects the area's history and blends Eastern and Western cuisine.
- Restaurant Name
- Prima Classe
- Location
- Hegra Station, AlUla, Saudi Arabia
- Cuisine
- Mediterranean-inspired
- Chef
- Driss Daabaz
- Opened
- September 2024
- Original building use
- Railway station built in 1907