Walk through KAFD on a Thursday evening and the city feels like it is auditioning for a culinary future. The financial district hums with ambient sound and restaurant light, the kind of energy that Knightsbridge or Soho might recognize. This is not coincidence.
Riyadh spent the last four years aggressively recruiting the world’s most celebrated restaurant brands, and London’s dining scene responded with particular enthusiasm. The UK born restaurants in Riyadh now span multiple neighborhoods and every occasion, from a casual smash burger to a multi-floor Japanese izakaya that earned Restaurant of the Year within months of opening.
Here is every London export worth booking.
Zuma Riyadh
Born in London’s Knightsbridge in 2002, Zuma arrived at KAFD in December 2024 and immediately owned the room. Within months, FACT Magazine named it Restaurant of the Year 2025 in Saudi Arabia and the Michelin Guide Saudi Arabia 2026 followed.
The two-floor space connects via a dramatic spiral staircase, with interiors that blend mashrabiya-inspired lighting alongside stone, timber, and metal. The robata grill and sushi counter generate the same theatre that made the London original famous.
Order the Miso Marinated Black Cod, the Spicy Beef Tenderloin, and the weekend Baikingu brunch if timing allows. Zuma Riyadh also holds the claim of being the largest Zuma in the world.
This is the flagship among UK born restaurants in Riyadh and, for many regulars, the reason the rest of the list exists.
ROKA Riyadh
ROKA arrived in Riyadh in 2021, four years before Zuma, making it the first of the Rainer Becker London stable to plant a flag in the Kingdom. Located in As Sulimaniyah, the contemporary Japanese robatayaki concept delivers antique timber counters, Japanese shoji rice paper walls, and a live charcoal robata grill at the center of the room.
Signature dishes include lamb cutlets with Korean spices and the yellowtail sashimi with yuzu truffle dressing. ROKA has since expanded to Jeddah, but the Riyadh original in As Sulimaniyah remains one of the most consistently awarded restaurants in the city. For those who want London’s Rainer Becker formula in a slightly more intimate register than Zuma, ROKA is the answer.
Chotto Matte Riyadh
Founded in London’s Soho in 2013 by Kurt Zdesar, Chotto Matte built its reputation on Nikkei cuisine, a Japanese and Peruvian fusion, across locations in London, Doha, Toronto, and San Francisco before opening at KAFD in January 2025.
The Riyadh venue, designed by London-based Superfutures, features an open sushi counter, robata grill, lava stone details, and graffiti by street artist Big Moe beneath a mirrored ceiling. Time Out Riyadh’s review was definitive: it proved it had more bite than flash. Order the sea bass ceviche, the yellowtail sashimi with yuzu truffle soy, and the black cod aji miso.
Among UK born restaurants in Riyadh, Chotto Matte delivers some of the most visually arresting food in the city. Open daily noon to 1am, Innovation Boulevard, KAFD.
Apple Butter Café
Apple Butter brought a London all-day café model to KAFD in early 2026, positioning itself in Area 4 of the district as a living room for the financial district’s residents, bankers, and visitors. The menu reads as deliberately crowd-pleasing: Truffle Scrambled Eggs served all day, Butter Chicken, Prawn Marinara Pasta, Wagyu Beef Burger, and a dessert roster anchored by Pistachio Umm Ali and Saffron Milk Cake.
The interior centers on an Instagrammable apple tree that anchors the room. It is calibrated to daytime rhythms, which makes it the most accessible of the UK born restaurants in Riyadh for a working lunch or late-afternoon sweet fix. The concept works especially well for London expats in Riyadh who want the all-day café formula they left behind.
Manna Riyadh
Manna made its name at ARCADE Food Hall in London before crossing to Riyadh, opening on Prince Abdulaziz bin Musaad Street in Al Sulimaniyah just off Tahlia Street. The concept is stripped back on purpose: fresh beef, hot grills, crisp-edged smash patties, house-made sauces, and seasoned fries. No distractions.
The address puts it next to ROKA Riyadh and the FACT award-winning Jon and Vinny’s in a neighborhood that already draws serious food lovers. For a casual evening or a quick lunch that delivers proper burger quality, Manna represents the most accessible price point among UK born restaurants in Riyadh.
ARCADE Food Hall
The original ARCADE operates across Tottenham Court Road and Battersea in London, combining open kitchens, multiple restaurant concepts under one roof, and a market hall atmosphere that rewards browsing. The Riyadh edition is arriving at Solitaire Mall via MJS Holding, the same group behind ROKA and Il Baretto.
Expect the same London formula: American burgers, Japanese sushi, Middle Eastern shawarma, Indonesian street food, and Spanish tapas available from a single rooftop destination. Manna, which started inside ARCADE London, is already open in Riyadh’s Al Sulimaniyah ahead of the food hall’s full arrival.
Sexy Fish Is On Its Way
One more London name is incoming. Sexy Fish, the Mayfair Asian seafood restaurant from Caprice Holdings that opened in Berkeley Square in 2015 and has become one of London’s most recognizable dining destinations, is confirmed for Riyadh. Frank Gehry Fish Lamps, a Damien Hirst bronze panel, and Asian seafood at full theatrical capacity. No confirmed opening date as of June 2026, but reservations-watchers are paying close attention.
The City Has Already Made Its Choice
Somewhere in KAFD right now, a table at Zuma is mid-service: the robata smoke drifting toward a mirrored ceiling, the sushi counter running in full view, the city’s business and social crowd sharing plates that started their life in a Knightsbridge kitchen over two decades ago. Across town in As Sulimaniyah, ROKA’s charcoal grill has been burning since 2021, building a loyal following that preceded most of Riyadh’s current dining boom.
The UK born restaurants in Riyadh did not arrive to fill a gap. They arrived because Riyadh built the audience for them, city block by city block, restaurant district by restaurant district. London sent its best. The capital received them without ceremony and got straight to the eating. More are on the way.
FAQs
Which UK born restaurants are open in Riyadh?
Current UK born restaurants in Riyadh include Zuma, ROKA, Chotto Matte, Apple Butter Café, and Manna. ARCADE Food Hall from London is also confirmed for Solitaire Mall, and Sexy Fish from Mayfair is due to open.
Where is Zuma located in Riyadh?
Zuma Riyadh operates at the King Abdullah Financial District, directly adjacent to the KAFD Metro station. Open daily 12:30pm to 1:00am, with dinner reservations essential Thursday through Saturday.
What is ROKA Riyadh and where did it originate?
ROKA is a contemporary Japanese robatayaki restaurant founded in London by Rainer Becker in 2004. ROKA Riyadh opened in 2021 in As Sulimaniyah and was the first of the Becker London group to open in Saudi Arabia.
What is Chotto Matte Riyadh?
Chotto Matte is a London-born Nikkei restaurant combining Japanese and Peruvian cuisine, founded in 2013. The Riyadh branch opened at KAFD in January 2025 and serves sushi, ceviche, and robata-grilled dishes.
Is Sexy Fish opening in Riyadh?
Sexy Fish, the Mayfair Asian seafood restaurant, is confirmed for Riyadh but has no publicly announced opening date as of June 2026. Monitor the brand’s official channels for reservation announcements.
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