Food

It's a tricky bit, there are lots of options but you need to be careful not to get a tummy upset.

I heard too many stories, so decided to stick to basics.

Al-Baik is possibly the best option I could find, kids loved it, it was not greasy/oily/spicy and suited the palette. They have stores in Mecca, Madina and at the Jeddah airport, so you could literally find them anywhere, a bit of walk-in Madina though. Queues were usually 10-15 minutes. I was told its hours wait during Ramadan and Hajj.

Al-Bake in Mecca

You will find Bin-Dawood superstores in almost every other mall, they are reasonably priced and have got loads of useful stuff.

Most of the stores close few minutes before Salah, so get into payment queue in time.

Hardee's is another burger takeaway we found in Madina, they have the finest Angus Burgers.

When we got tired of eating Al-Baik, we decided to venture out to the city. One of the taxi drivers recommended "Nirala Tayabba" in Madina, unfortunately, when we reached there the next day after Asar they were closed. I tried to check there opening time before going there but couldn't find it anywhere on the internet and no one picked the phone. So remember they are closed between Asar and Isha (in February).

Nirala Tayabba in Madina

If possible try to go for breakfast included option when booking Hotel if the price difference is not a lot.

Masala tea in the shopping malls around Mecca Haram is fantastic. Make sure you try Arabic Kahwa/Coffee. More than likely someone will offer you one in the evening in Haram, around the Tawaf area.