The Best Places to Go for Iftar This Ramadan in Doha

Looking for a bespoke culinary experience for Iftar and Suhoor? The Westin Doha Hotel & Spa pulls out all the stops with its Ramadan Tent located in the Grand Ballroom. It’s inspired by the traditional Arabesque street market with a Turkish twist, transporting diners to a grand bazaar where east meets west, and focusses on the cuisine of the Ottoman Empire and the Middle East such as traditional ouzi, shawarma, saj and manti. Feast with your eyes first as your meal is prepared at one of 20 different live-cooking stations preparing cuisine from around the world.

Imagine being transported to an Arabian wonderland offering a wide selection of global cuisine. It’s inspired by the 1,001 Arabian Nights folk tales, a theme which can be found throughout the Mondrian Doha; be prepared to be journey into a purple haze complete with live entertainment from whirling dervishes. The tent is situated in the Moonstone Ballroom, and with Mondrian Doha hosting their Ramadan tent for the first time in Doha, they have pulled out all the stops.The hotel was designed by Dutch designer Marcel Wanders and is the epitome of falling through the proverbial rabbit hole from Alice in Wonderland. Hand-curated furniture, 3D wallpaper and a Frozen Forest in the desert are just some of the unique design elements which can be found at Mondrian Doha. As for the food, imagine anything you could possibly eat in the world – now multiply by this by 100 and you are beginning to paint a picture of what to expect at Mondrian Doha’s Iftar/Suhoor tent.

Situated between the high-rise buildings of Westbay and the sprawling Arabian Peninsula, Doha’s Corniche is a perfectly Instagrammable landmark with green lawns and pathways for jogging on. Situated in the heart of this serene location is the St Regis Doha; its highly conceptualised Ramadan tents are inspired by the corniche and the surrounding city of Doha, with tributes to skyscrapers, boats and more. The hotel serves both Iftar and Suhoor daily, presenting local dishes created from traditional recipes, as well as global contemporary cuisine. The corniche tent is simply a must.

Paper Moon Doha has become an institution in the city. Unlike many other well-known restaurants, this one is not situated at one of the main hotels. Offering authentic Italian cuisine and under the helm of newly appointed chef de cuisine Alessandro Esposito, this restaurant has earned a reputation for good service and food. Participating in the spirit of the holy month of Ramadan, the restaurant has put together a fabulous set sharing menu for Iftar. Staying true to its roots, the Iftar menu consists of soups, appetisers, mains and desserts. The Mediterranean-inspired menu consists of classics like lentil and chicken soup, pizza, eggplant, calamari, pasta, dish of the day and lasagne. And what would any Italian joint be without a decadent tiramisu to round off your meal? What makes Paper Moon so unique is that it’s away from the hustle and bustle of Westbay but has maintained its service and food rating consistently for many years.

The Mariott Marquis celebrates togetherness and family with its white and gold opulent tent. Draped in leathers and marble with private majlises, freshly prepared delicacies, live entertainment and a wide variety of shisha, the Wanassa tent is a good option when selecting your Ramadan tent this year. While decor and food are a big deciding factor when choosing your Suhoor venue in Doha, authenticity is also important, and Mariott Marquis delivers spectacularly in this regard. Focusing on Qatari cuisine, the hotel has specially brought in Qatari chef Aisha Al Tamimi to train in-house staff of the Marriot Marquis in creating the country’s most beloved dishes. This includes classics such as machboos, which is rice and meat, balaleet, a noodle dish using spices, and harees, a wheat and meat dish. And if you need one more reason to visit, make sure you check out the extensive shisha menu, as this hotel is renowned for its Shisha Terrace.

Located at Souq Waqif, Damasca One is one of those places where you take your out-of-town visitors to marvel at the food, decor and design. A spot for foodies and fashionistas, Damasca One is a Syrian restaurant dotted with gorgeous and colourful glass lanterns, simply furnished but with food that really packs a punch. This popular restaurant is known in Doha for its freshly made manoushi bread which is hot and steamy when brought to your table as an appetiser. Bread aside, this eatery is also offering a special Ramadan set menu which offers a range of food items including soups, salads, appetisers and mains consisting of fillet marinated in garlic and lemon, or chicken freekeh, a dish made of chicken and wheat that is nutty, nutritious and delicately spicy.If you need one reason to visit, go for the setting. This restaurant is legendary for its laid-back atmosphere and its rich and intricate dishes of food layered with unique flavours thanks to its Syrian roots.

Located in the Pearl, White Oryx Thai has certainly got Doha talking of late. Recently nominated for a dining award, White Oryx is a contemporary Thai restaurant offering the best of authentic tastes in modern Thai cuisine. It’s designed around the traditional Thai open kitchen, where diners can watch expert chefs preparing each dish and feast with their eyes first. While many restaurants in Doha focus on Middle Eastern cuisine in particular during the fast, White Oyrx stays true to its Thai roots, offering home-style meals in a restaurant setting where some of the ingredients are sourced from Thailand. During Ramadan it’s offering a special Thai Buffet with all the favourites of pad Thai, Thai green curry and of course, chicken satay, among others.