Name: Yauatcha Riyadh
Address: Mode Al Faisaliah, Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Rd, Al Olaya, Riyadh, SA
Price range: $$$

About Yauatcha Riyadh

Yauatcha was born in London's Soho in 2004 — the Hakkasan Group's teahouse concept that earned a Michelin star within a year of opening and permanently redefined what dim sum dining could be. The Riyadh installation, Saudi Arabia's first Yauatcha, arrived in Mode Al Faisaliah on Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Road and brought the full Hakkasan standard with it: unwavering precision in the kitchen, a beautifully executed space, and a pastry counter that operates at a level entirely separate from what the rest of the Riyadh restaurant scene can offer.

The indoor dining room has the Yauatcha signature — dark, atmospheric, lit with a quiet theatricality that makes even a Tuesday lunch feel like an occasion. The terrace, filled with cherry blossom trees in an inspired design gesture, offers one of the city's most atmospheric outdoor dining settings with views over Al Olaya. The tea programme — an extensive selection of Chinese teas selected with the same seriousness as the food menu — sharpens the meal into something that rewards slowing down.

The Dim Sum Programme

The dim sum at Yauatcha Riyadh is executed to the standard that the brand's London origins demand. The har gau — crystal prawn dumplings — arrive with skins of near-translucent delicacy, the prawn filling fresh and clean. The wagyu beef puff rolls have become a signature of the Riyadh location: flaky, golden, with a filling of extraordinary quality that rewards slow eating. The crispy duck salad provides the essential textural contrast — shards of lacquered skin against fresh leaves and hoisin-seasoned duck meat.

Beyond the dim sum programme, the broader menu delivers. The steamed sea bass in ginger and spring onion is classical Cantonese cooking executed without compromise. The stir-fried black pepper venison is the kitchen at its most ambitious — a dish that would not be out of place in the original London location. The pastry counter, offering macarons, glazed tarts, and elaborate cake constructions, demands a visit before departure even if the dining room has been generous.

Best For

Yauatcha is Riyadh's best team dinner venue for groups that want shared food, excellent quality, and a setting that encourages conversation rather than competing with it. The dim sum format — plates arriving in waves, dishes circling the table — creates a natural rhythm of engagement and generosity. A team of six to twelve eats here exceptionally well. The cherry blossom terrace provides an outdoor option that makes an otherwise formal business dinner feel unexpectedly relaxed.

For birthday celebrations where the group prefers food over theatre, Yauatcha delivers consistently. The kitchen's reliability across a full table order is impressive — rarely does a dim sum kitchen maintain this level of precision when serving multiple courses to a group of eight or more.