The development will sit between Louvre Abu Dhabi, Zayed National Museum and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, with Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi and teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi close by. Aldar said the one-square-mile destination is designed to combine shopping, dining, culture, hospitality, offices, homes and wellness facilities within a single district. Aldar also says the destination will be organised around pedestrian movement and guest service inspired by traditional Emirati hospitality, with visitors guided through retail, dining and cultural spaces intended to function as one connected experience.
Its retail line-up includes Audemars Piguet, Brunello Cucinelli, Bvlgari, Cartier, Chaumet, Dior, Fendi, James Perse, Loewe, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co, Valentino and Van Cleef & Arpels. Japanese fashion and lifestyle retailer BEAMS will also make its UAE debut at Saadiyat Grove.
Aldar said the project would focus on experiential retail rather than conventional store formats, with luxury houses using spaces to present their heritage, craftsmanship and brand stories. The company is positioning the scheme as a major extension of Abu Dhabi’s premium retail offer alongside the cultural institutions that have reshaped Saadiyat Island.
The dining component will introduce several new-to-market concepts. These include Alain Ducasse Café, created by chef Alain Ducasse, serving chocolate, coffee, ice cream, pastries and desserts, as well as Monsieur Paul, a French brasserie concept linked to the Bocuse name. Kokoro Handroll Bar and Momofuku, founded by chef David Chang, are also due to open.
Saadiyat Grove will additionally host Abu Dhabi’s first Time Out Market, with 16 kitchens, beverage concepts and entertainment experiences. The market will include the region’s first Time Out Café and is intended to showcase chefs, restaurateurs and locally established food businesses under one roof.
Dining at the adjoining Louvre Residences Abu Dhabi will add Alica Deli, Barrafina, Gymkhana, Le Palais, Magma and Zephyr to the wider food and beverage mix, broadening the destination beyond its central retail area.
Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of Aldar, described Saadiyat Grove as a centrepiece of the company’s strategy for Saadiyat Island and Abu Dhabi, linking culture-led living, tourism and investment. He said the project was intended to create a differentiated proposition for residents, visitors and businesses.
Aldar group chief executive Talal Al Dhiyebi said the project marked a new phase for luxury retail in Abu Dhabi and was designed to stand alongside established global shopping addresses. He said attracting international visitors could help make luxury retail a more significant part of the emirate’s economy.
The mixed-use scheme will include 25,000 square metres of Grade-A office space across four buildings connected to a luxury hotel. A 2,200-square-metre executive club will provide private offices, boardrooms, member lounges, concierge services and hospitality for business users.
Saadiyat Forum, a 7,000-square-metre venue, will provide space for cultural, hospitality and luxury programming, while the project will also include a cinema. Wellness facilities are planned around a 2,000-square-metre gym operated by London-based BXR, together with a wellness centre and longevity clinic.
The residential component comprises more than 1,000 homes across Louvre Abu Dhabi Residences, Baccarat Residences Saadiyat and The Arthouse. Aldar expects handovers across those developments over the coming months as the wider district moves towards completion.
The company has presented Saadiyat Grove as part of a broader effort to increase visitor spending, attract private-sector investment and create employment through retail and hospitality. Its location places the project within the core of Abu Dhabi’s expanding cultural cluster, where major museums, educational institutions and arts programming are being concentrated.
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