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 curated with the same seriousness as the food menu — elevates 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.
Practical Information
Address: Mode Al Faisaliah, Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz Rd, Al Olaya, Riyadh.
Hours: Daily 12:00pm – 11:30pm. Tea service available throughout the day.
Reservations: Strongly recommended for dinner and weekend lunch. The terrace fills quickly in cooler months.
Dress Code: Smart casual. The setting suggests thoughtful attire.
Group Dining: Private dining arrangements available for groups above 12; enquire directly with the restaurant.
Guest Reviews
Brought a team of eight here after a week of back-to-back meetings. The wagyu beef puff rolls were the first thing everyone mentioned the next morning. The pacing of a Yauatcha meal — dim sum in waves, tea between courses — works perfectly for a group that needs to decompress. The terrace in February is outstanding.
I have been to Yauatcha London multiple times. The Riyadh location holds up. The har gau is genuinely excellent — that translucent skin is a technical achievement that most dim sum restaurants in the world cannot match. The pastry counter at the end of the meal is the right final impression. Highly recommended for a birthday group.
My clients from Beijing had not expected to find Cantonese food of this quality in Riyadh. The steamed sea bass in particular drew comparison to restaurants in Hong Kong. The tea programme is taken seriously and adds real dimension to the meal. Yauatcha operates at a global standard — it does not cut corners for a Gulf market.