"Thierry Motsch's tableside French room inside Raffles Doha, plated on the guéridon trolley. Book it for a business lunch in Lusail."
7Food
8Ambience
6Value
About L'Artisan
Thierry Motsch trained in Paris, London and Monaco before he took the kitchen at L'Artisan, the all-day French room on the lobby level of Raffles Doha. The signature here is theatre as much as cooking: a guéridon trolley wheels to the table for the carving and the flambé, and dessert runs to a stack of made-to-order signature waffles. A three-course business lunch is QAR 140 including soft drinks; dinner à la carte climbs to QAR 300 to 450 a head. The address is the Katara Towers, the curved twin towers on the Lusail marina. See where it sits among the best French rooms worldwide.
The Kitchen
Motsch cooks modern French with a classical backbone, the kind of menu that still believes in tableside service. Sauces are finished on the guéridon trolley, beef is carved in front of you, and the kitchen leans on French technique rather than fusion. The most photographed plate is dessert: L'Artisan's signature waffles, built to order and finished with the trolley's spread of toppings. Save room, because the savoury courses are generous.
The room opened with Raffles Doha in 2022, the first Raffles in the Middle East, inside Lusail's Katara Towers at the Marina District. Pricing splits cleanly between a QAR 140 three-course business lunch, served daily except Friday, and an à la carte dinner that runs QAR 300 to 450 a head before wine. Reserve through the hotel or the Doha dining guide. Motsch's CV, with stops in Paris, London and Monaco, shows in the precision of the saucing and the discipline of the pass.
The Room
L'Artisan reads like a grand Parisian brasserie reimagined for the Gulf: high ceilings, marble, brass, and banquettes set wide apart. Lighting is bright by Doha hotel standards, more daytime-elegant than candlelit, which suits the business-lunch trade. Sound sits at an easy hum; you can hold a negotiation across the table without leaning in. Dress is smart, with no jacket requirement, though the Lusail crowd dresses up. Seating runs to roughly 90 covers across the main room and a terrace over the marina. Service is formal and trolley-led, so courses arrive with a small performance.
Best for a Business Lunch
Book L'Artisan for a business lunch because the QAR 140 three-course formula is fast and fixed, the room signals seriousness without a wine-list ambush, and the marina-level location suits meetings in the Lusail towers. The tableside carving gives a natural pause in the conversation, and the bright room keeps the mood transactional rather than romantic. For a client you want to impress over dinner, let the guéridon do the talking over the signature waffles. Groups of six to ten fit comfortably along the banquettes.
Not for
Skip L'Artisan for a quiet date night. The room is bright and formal, the trolley service is theatrical, and the marina-hotel setting trades intimacy for grandeur.
Frequently Asked
Is L'Artisan worth it?
Yes, if you value tableside French service and a polished hotel room over a chef-driven destination menu. Thierry Motsch cooks classical French with a modern hand, and the guéridon-carved courses and signature waffles are the draw. It sits at the luxury end of Doha hotel dining, so the QAR 140 lunch is the smartest entry point; dinner at QAR 300 to 450 a head is a splurge on service and setting.
How hard is it to book L'Artisan?
Not hard. L'Artisan takes reservations through Raffles Doha and booking platforms, and weekday lunch usually has same-week availability. Weekend dinner and tables on the marina terrace fill faster, so reserve a few days ahead for Friday and Saturday. For a business lunch, midday Sunday to Thursday is the easy window. Call +974 4030 7100 or book through the Doha dining guide.
What is the dress code at L'Artisan?
Smart, with no jacket requirement. The Lusail crowd dresses up, so tailoring or a polished dress is the norm at dinner, while business attire is standard at lunch. Beachwear and gym clothes are out. The room is formal enough that you will feel underdressed in shorts, but a blazer is optional rather than enforced.
What should I order at L'Artisan?
Order something carved or finished at the table to get the guéridon service that defines the room, then save space for the signature waffles, built to order with the dessert trolley. At lunch, the QAR 140 three-course menu is the value play. Ask the sommelier to match within your budget, since the dinner wine list runs steep.
Reserve through Raffles Doha; weekday lunch usually has same-week availability.
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Practical Information
AddressKatara Towers, Marina District, Lusail City, Doha
NeighbourhoodLusail Marina
CuisineModern French
PriceQAR 140 three-course lunch; QAR 300–450 per head dinner ex-drinks
Dress CodeSmart, no jacket required
Seating~90 covers, main room and marina terrace
Phone+974 4030 7100
ReservationRaffles Doha or booking platforms; weekends a few days ahead
