Celebrated table
The story
Goji Kitchen at the Marriott Riyadh Diplomatic Quarter serves a Saudi kitchen at 6781 Abdullah Alsahmi St in Al Safarat, Riyadh. Gault&Millau awarded it 15 points in 2026, praising a menu that revisits national traditions with precision and warmth.
Chef Ahad Alghamdi travels across the country through its recipes, reworking regional dishes with a light modern touch. The guide notes a fine sense of detail on the plate. Starters draw on peasant-style cooking, from simply sautéed local vegetables to mutabbaq from Hejaz and vine leaves stuffed with rice and lamb from Haïl.
Charcoal-grilled chicken breast, smoked and seasoned with masmanah spices, comes with jareesh, the slow-cooked crushed wheat that is one of the kingdom's signature dishes. For sharing, the Najd lamb shoulder with rice and the compressed lamb shank with marrow bone, kabsa spices and Al-Ahsa hassawi rice stand out. Dessert keeps the same standard, with al-Qassim's kleija served with date paste, cinnamon cream and rose petals.
The dining room seats thirty-five, and its subdued atmosphere keeps attention on the food. Staff are described as smiling and hard-working, and the service is called impeccable.
Recognition
Details
History
Opened at the beginning of September, the Saudi table at the Marriott Diplomatic Quarter is a resounding success, offering an intimate gastronomic experience based on national traditions. With its thirty-five place settings and subdued atmosphere, the place immediately puts us in an indulgent relationship with the plate. Chef Ahad Alghamdi takes us on a journey around the country, revisiting regional recipes with a touch of modernity and elegance, and demonstrating a fine sense of detail. These include starters inspired by peasant culture, beautiful local vegetables simply sautéed, mutabbaq from Hedjaz, filled patties and cheese, crispy rolls for texture, vine leaves stuffed with rice and lamb from Haïl, or the signature soup of suckling lamb with slow-cooked spices and mint. We continue with the beautiful charcoal-grilled chicken breast, intense and beautifully smoked, with masmanah spices, with a lovely jareesh, one of the kingdom's signature dish, slow-cooked wheat crushed with spices, polenta-style. Lamb dishes to share are a must: Najd lamb shoulder and rice, green and red daqoos, honey, cucumber and yogurt, compressed lamb shank, marrow bone, kabsa spices, Al-Ahsa hassawi rice and daqoos gel with green tomatoes. Desserts are of the same standard, with refined, fragrant creations such as al-Qassim's kleija with date paste, cinnamon cream and rose petals. Impeccable service from smiling, hard-working staff.
Location
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