ROKA continues Middle East expansion with Riyadh opening

Saudi-based venue will open its doors on 27 July

London-founded Japanese restaurant ROKA will mark its second opening in the Middle East this month with ROKA Riyadh. The Saudi-based venue is set to open its doors on 27 July, following the successful launch of ROKA Dubai in March. 

ROKA specialises in contemporary Japanese robatayaki cuisine and at the heart of the menu is the robata grill, a traditional Japanese method of cooking over charcoal. Highlights include kankoku fu kohitsuji  (lamb cutlets with Korean spices and sesame cucumber) and yakitori negima yaki (grilled chicken skewers with spring onion). ROKA Riyadh will also serve signature dishes such as sake no taru taru (salmon tartare with den miso and yuzu) and kampachi sashimi no salada (yellowtail sashimi with yuzu-truffle dressing), a dish made famous in London.

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Located in the capital’s Midtown area, the venue seats 161 diners inside and 82 on the terrace. The ‘chic industrial’ aesthetic will be heavily influenced by the London venues in Mayfair and Charlotte Street.

The launch is in partnership with Azumi Ltd and MJS (Mohammed Jawa) Holding, to expand the Azumi brands into the kingdom. Azumi Ltd is a global restaurant business with brands offering contemporary dining in key cosmopolitan locations. Created by Rainer Becker, and co-founded with Arjun Waney, Azumi’s journey began with the opening of Zuma London in 2002, followed by ROKA London in 2004. 

For more information, visit the ROKA Riyadh website.