The ghabga is a Ramadan evening between iftar and suhoor. This is what it takes to host one, at the restaurant, at home or at the office.
The ghabga is a meal and an evening held on Ramadan nights, after the taraweeh prayer and before suhoor. The word comes from ghabuq, the Arabs' evening drink. It began in the Gulf as a gathering of family and neighbours, and has become an occasion companies host for their teams and guests.
When it is held
A ghabga usually starts after taraweeh and runs until before suhoor. Guests arrive after iftar, and the menu is built around that: dishes served at an easy pace, over an evening longer than a usual dinner.
Headcount first
Start with the number of guests; it decides the venue and the shape of the evening. For a family or a small team, a dinner at the restaurant is enough. For a company or a large family, the ghabga belongs at home, at an istiraha or at the office.
A ghabga at Marble
Marble hosts 8 to 24 guests at a private dinner, at a private table or a closed corner of our room at Turki Square, or up to 80 with a full buyout. Ramadan hours differ from the rest of the year, so send the date and headcount to the events team and they will confirm what is available before you book.
A ghabga at your venue
For 50 guests and more, we bring our kitchen and smoker to your venue in Riyadh or anywhere in the Kingdom. The chef and team arrive before the guests with the fire lit, and the meat is carved in front of them.
The menu
Every menu is built for its occasion. At its heart are Marble's own dishes: brisket smoked for 10 hours over samar wood, a whole rib smoked for 8 hours, and steak over the fire. Around them we add options for vegetarians and for allergies. Tell us about any allergy in advance; our kitchen handles gluten, dairy, nuts and sesame.
When to book
Ramadan has a fixed number of nights, and ghabga dates cluster within them. Send your request before Ramadan if you can. We send a proposal with the menu, the programme and the cost within 48 hours of the first contact, then adjust it with you. Large events get a tasting at Marble beforehand.
Booking terms
Group booking terms, including the deposit, are on the policies page.
How to begin
Send the date, the headcount and the venue through the events page, or call us on 011 430 0040.
