18 September 2026
Aldar has launched Saadiyat Grove, a one square mile luxury retail, dining and mixed use destination in the Saadiyat Cultural District of Abu Dhabi, and on 18 September 2026 revealed further details of its masterplan. The destination opens in the fourth quarter of 2026. It will bring more than 100 global brands and 20 concepts new to the region, with flagship stores of Cartier, Dior, Louis Vuitton, BVLGARI and Van Cleef & Arpels, the first Time Out Market in Abu Dhabi with 16 kitchens, the 7,000 sq m Saadiyat Forum and 25,000 sq m of premium office space in four Grade A buildings. Hotels, a wellness centre with a longevity clinic and more than 1,000 homes complete the mix. Rents, leasing terms and the investment figure have not been published.
What Aldar announced
The details were published on Friday 18 September 2026 by the Abu Dhabi Media Office and confirmed the same day by The National. Saadiyat Grove is framed by three cultural institutions: Louvre Abu Dhabi, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi and the Zayed National Museum, with the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi and teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi close by. Aldar describes it as the first destination of its kind in the region, where retail, dining, hotels, offices and homes sit inside one cultural district.
The release is framed as further masterplan details rather than a first announcement, and the residential part is already well advanced: more than 1,000 homes inside the destination are due for handover in the coming months. What is new is the tenant line-up, the size of the office and event components and a firm opening window: the fourth quarter of 2026.
Aldar chairman Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak called Saadiyat Grove a centrepiece of the strategy to position Saadiyat Island and Abu Dhabi as a destination for culture-led living, tourism and investment. Group chief executive Talal Al Dhiyebi said the company expects the destination to help establish luxury retail as a significant new pillar of the Abu Dhabi economy.
Saadiyat Grove in figures
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Developer | Aldar, master developer of Saadiyat Island |
| Location | Saadiyat Cultural District, between Louvre Abu Dhabi, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi and the Zayed National Museum |
| Size | one square mile, about 2.6 sq km |
| Opening | fourth quarter of 2026 |
| Brands | more than 100 global brands and 20 new-to-region concepts |
| Food market | first Time Out Market in Abu Dhabi, 16 kitchens, first Time Out Cafe in the region |
| Saadiyat Forum | 7,000 sq m event and culture venue with a cinema |
| Offices | 25,000 sq m in four Grade A buildings, connected to a luxury hotel |
| Executive club | 2,200 sq m with private offices, boardrooms and member lounges |
| Gym | 2,000 sq m, operated by BXR, its first flagship in the Middle East |
| Wellness | wellness centre and longevity clinic from a brand new to Abu Dhabi |
| Homes | more than 1,000, in communities such as Louvre Abu Dhabi Residences, Baccarat Residences Saadiyat and The Arthouse, handover in the coming months |
The retail and dining line-up
The retail core is built around flagship stores. The names confirmed so far are Audemars Piguet, Brunello Cucinelli, BVLGARI, Cartier, Chaumet, Dior, FENDI, James Perse, Loewe, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co, Valentino and Van Cleef & Arpels. That is 13 houses out of the more than 100 brands Aldar has referred to, so most of the tenant list is still to be announced.
Several concepts are new to the market. BEAMS, the Japanese culture shop founded in Harajuku, Tokyo in 1976, opens in the UAE for the first time. The food and beverage line-up includes an Alain Ducasse Cafe with chocolate, coffee, ice cream and pastry, Monsieur Paul, the Bocuse French brasserie with a restaurant, cafe and boutique, Kokoro Handroll Bar and Momofuku, the restaurant group founded by chef David Chang in New York.
The Time Out Market is the largest single dining component. It will bring leading chefs, restaurateurs and homegrown concepts from Abu Dhabi under one roof across 16 kitchens, with the first Time Out Cafe in the region, beverage concepts and entertainment. Restaurants at the neighbouring Louvre Abu Dhabi Residences, including Barrafina and Gymkhana, complement the offer.
Offices, events and wellness
For companies, the office component is the most concrete part of the release. Saadiyat Grove will provide 25,000 sq m of premium office space across four Grade A buildings aimed at local and international institutions, with direct connectivity to a luxury hotel. A 2,200 sq m executive club linked to the retail area will combine private offices, boardrooms and member lounges with concierge service.
The Saadiyat Forum, a 7,000 sq m transformable venue, will host a changing programme of cultural and brand events and will include a reimagined cinema. BXR, the London luxury gym backed by boxer Anthony Joshua, will run a 2,000 sq m gym, its first flagship in the Middle East. A wellness centre and longevity clinic will introduce a new wellness brand to Abu Dhabi, with personalised programmes on site.
What has not been announced
The release is detailed on tenants and floor areas, and silent on the numbers a tenant or investor needs to make a decision:
- The total investment in Saadiyat Grove.
- Office rents, service charges and lease terms for the four Grade A buildings.
- Membership terms and pricing for the executive club.
- An exact opening date within the fourth quarter of 2026, and which brands open on day one.
- The full list of more than 100 brands and of the 20 new-to-region concepts.
- The operators of the luxury hotels and the name of the wellness brand.
Anyone quoting office rents or retail terms for Saadiyat Grove today is quoting an estimate, not a developer figure.
Where Saadiyat Grove fits in the Saadiyat pipeline
Saadiyat Grove sits in a district where Aldar has been adding supply all month. On 7 September 2026 Aldar launched Sei Saadiyat, 778 wellness residences in six buildings in the same Cultural District. On 17 September it announced Talay, 351 standalone villas at Marsa Al Saadiyat, the first homes in the AED 100 billion waterfront.
The cultural anchors are arriving on a similar timeline. Guggenheim Abu Dhabi opens on 11 December 2026, inside the same quarter in which Saadiyat Grove is due to open. According to The National, the group development backlog of Aldar stood at AED 71.6 billion at the end of June 2026, AED 59.9 billion of it in the UAE.
What it means for companies and residents
Three groups have a practical reason to follow Saadiyat Grove.
Retail and food operators. A destination anchored by luxury maisons and a 16 kitchen food market needs a wider circle of tenants: cafes, concept stores, service businesses. Any operator that wants space there needs an Abu Dhabi licence that covers the activity at that address, a corporate bank account and visas for staff. Our company setup service handles that sequence, and the UAE company formation guide explains the licensing options step by step.
Companies looking for an Abu Dhabi office. 25,000 sq m of Grade A space and a 2,200 sq m executive club add a new option outside the established business districts, in a location built around culture and hospitality. Until Aldar publishes rents and lease terms, the decision is about location and timing rather than price.
Home owners and buyers. More than 1,000 homes in communities such as Louvre Abu Dhabi Residences, Baccarat Residences Saadiyat and The Arthouse are due for handover in the coming months. Owners who plan to finance a completed unit can compare the options in our guide to UAE mortgages for residents and non residents. A property investment of AED 2 million or more can also support an application for the ten year UAE Golden Visa.
Checklist before committing space or a purchase
- Get the lease or sale terms in writing from Aldar or its appointed agent, not from a secondary listing.
- Confirm which building, floor and handover date the offer refers to.
- Check that the licence activity matches what you plan to do at the address.
- Line up the corporate bank account before the fit-out budget is committed.
- Plan staff visas against the real opening date, not the quarter.
- For homes, compare a mortgage offer with the developer payment plan before signing.
How Atlant Capital can help
Atlant Capital sets up companies in the UAE, including Abu Dhabi, opens corporate and personal bank accounts through our bank account opening service and arranges work visas and residency for owners and staff. For a brand or operator that wants to be ready for a Saadiyat Grove opening in the fourth quarter of 2026, we map the licence, the bank account and the visas as one timeline, so that the company is operational when the unit is handed over.
Bottom line
Saadiyat Grove turns the Saadiyat Cultural District from a museum quarter into a place where people shop, eat, work and live. The confirmed numbers are clear: one square mile, more than 100 brands, 16 kitchens, 7,000 sq m for events, 25,000 sq m of Grade A offices and an opening in the fourth quarter of 2026. The commercial terms are not, so the sensible move today is to prepare the company structure and wait for Aldar to publish rents and lease conditions.
Source: Abu Dhabi Media Office, The National.
FAQ
What is Saadiyat Grove in Abu Dhabi?
Saadiyat Grove is a one square mile luxury retail, dining and mixed use destination by Aldar in the Saadiyat Cultural District of Abu Dhabi, next to Louvre Abu Dhabi, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi and the Zayed National Museum. It combines more than 100 global brands, the first Time Out Market in Abu Dhabi, the 7,000 sq m Saadiyat Forum, luxury hotels, 25,000 sq m of Grade A offices and more than 1,000 homes.
When does Saadiyat Grove open?
Aldar says Saadiyat Grove will open in the fourth quarter of 2026. The masterplan details were published on 18 September 2026. An exact opening date and the list of brands that open on day one have not been announced yet.
Which brands will be at Saadiyat Grove?
Aldar has named Audemars Piguet, Brunello Cucinelli, BVLGARI, Cartier, Chaumet, Dior, FENDI, James Perse, Loewe, Louis Vuitton, Valentino and other flagship houses among more than 100 brands, alongside 20 concepts new to the region. Dining includes an Alain Ducasse Cafe, Monsieur Paul, Kokoro Handroll Bar, Momofuku and a Time Out Market with 16 kitchens, and BEAMS opens its first UAE store there.
Does Saadiyat Grove include office space?
Yes. Saadiyat Grove will provide 25,000 sq m of premium office space in four Grade A buildings connected to a luxury hotel, plus a 2,200 sq m executive club with private offices, boardrooms and member lounges. Aldar has not published rents, service charges or lease terms.
