DGDA announces premium dining destination to open in 2022
18 food and beverage brands are being curated to cater to both local and international markets
The Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) has announced that several F&B brands will feature at its 15,000sqm premium dining destination when it opens next year. Bujairi Terrace is being developed as part of the $50.6bn transformation of the historic city of Diriyah, which is located 15-minutes north-west of Riyadh city centre.
According to a statement, the transformation project aligns with DGDA’s goal to reveal Diriyah as Saudi Arabia’s foremost historical, cultural and lifestyle destination. The destination is being constructed based on traditional Najdi architecture and will enjoy uninterrupted views of Diriyah’s Jewel of the Kingdom, the Unesco World Heritage Site of At-Turaif, and birthplace of the First Saudi state.
The asset collection will feature 18 food and beverage brands that are being curated to cater for both local and international markets, and forms part of the overall first phase of DGDA’s development. The F&B brands and operators have been hand-picked, offering global flagship names that befits Diriyah’s status and prominence, as well as Middle Eastern and particularly Saudi cuisine to ensure authenticity and context, the statement noted.
“The forthcoming opening of Bujairi Terrace demonstrates tangible progress in the implementation of HRH Mohammed Bin Salman’s Vision 2030, an exciting illustration of the far-reaching and ambitious vision we are honored to be part of with Saudi Arabia’s monumental transformation. We’re delighted to partner with such esteemed dining brands and to have attracted several new to market restaurant operators, representing an enriched consumer experience which will be unmatched in the region,” said group CEO Jerry Inzerillo.
A list of the confirmed brands which are making their Saudi debut include: Angelina; Brunch & Cake; Michelin-starred Bruno; Café de L’Esplanade; Cova; Flamingo Room by tashas; Michelin-starred Hakkasan; Michelin-starred Long Chim; Mastro’s; Sarabeth’s; Michelin-starred Tatel and Villa Mamas. Of these, Mastro’s, Bruno and Café de L’Esplanade are all brand new names to the wider Middle East region. It’s the first time that Mastro’s will have opened a restaurant outside the US, and the first time that Bruno and Café de L’Esplanade have restaurants outside France, the statement pointed out.
On completion, the transformation project will add an array of world-class cultural, entertainment, retail, hospitality, educational, office and residential areas, including 38 hotels, a diverse collection of museums, and a bustling retail heart to complement Bujairi Terrace.
Jonathan Timms, president, Diriyah Development Company added, “Bujairi Terrace’s superb location within Riyadh province and overlooking the Jewel of the Kingdom, Unesco World Heritage Site At Turaif, has led to a world-class curation of global F&B brands. We look forward to providing an iconic dining setting for our partners’ brands, many of whom will be opening for the first time in Saudi Arabia and some even as a first in the Middle East, which we anticipate will attract first rate dining guests from both the local as well as international markets.”
