ROKA heads to the Palm with a rooftop restaurant at Six Senses

Quick summary

ROKA’s next Dubai chapter takes the brand from its established Business Bay address to a beachfront resort setting. The new restaurant will sit on the rooftop of Six Senses The Palm, placing the surroundings alongside the food as a central part of the experience.

According to Time Out Dubai, the opening date is Friday 20 November. Service is planned for 5pm to 11pm, making this an evening dining destination rather than a lunch stop. For anyone tracking new restaurants on Palm Jumeirah, the main details are now clear: a familiar Japanese name, a terrace and a charcoal-led menu.

A rooftop setting with an evening focus

The Palm restaurant is expected to combine a relaxed atmosphere with the polished feel associated with ROKA. Its interiors are anticipated to follow the brand’s contemporary Japanese style, although the source does not detail specific materials, seating arrangements or decorative features.

The rooftop terrace and Palm Jumeirah views are among the defining elements announced for the venue. Together with the evening opening hours, they give this location a different setting from the existing Dubai restaurant. The emphasis is on dining above the resort, with the outdoor space forming part of the experience rather than simply serving as a backdrop.

What to expect from the robata grill

The food will stay rooted in ROKA’s established approach, with signature dishes built around the robata grill. Robatayaki is a traditional Japanese cooking method that uses charcoal, putting the heat and smoke of the grill at the centre of preparation.

That cooking style is the clearest indication of what diners can expect from the Palm menu. Individual dishes, menu prices and dining packages have not been specified in the source, so there is no confirmed dish-by-dish preview yet. The announcement instead points to continuity with the brand’s signature food, now presented in a new rooftop location.

From London beginnings to a second Dubai address

ROKA began in London in 2004, founded by chef Rainer Becker and entrepreneur Arjun Waney, who are also the team behind Zuma. The brand belongs to Azumi Group, whose portfolio also includes Oblix, INKOGNITO and ETARU.

In Dubai, ROKA already operates at The Opus by Omniyat in Business Bay. The Palm opening will therefore expand its presence in the city rather than mark its local debut. For diners who know the existing restaurant, the news is about another location for the brand’s Japanese cooking, with a resort rooftop replacing the Business Bay setting.

Inside the wider Six Senses development

The restaurant will be part of Six Senses The Palm, an upcoming all-suite beachfront resort on Palm Jumeirah’s west crescent. The development is planned to include 61 suites and 172 branded residences, and will become the first Six Senses resort in Dubai when it opens.

That context makes ROKA’s arrival part of a wider hospitality opening, not just a standalone restaurant launch. Its rooftop position connects the dining venue to the resort’s beachfront setting. The source gives ROKA’s opening date but does not separately specify a launch date for the wider resort.

Why it matters for Dubai

For Dubai’s dining scene, the announcement brings another established Japanese restaurant name to Palm Jumeirah. It also extends ROKA’s local footprint across two distinct settings: Business Bay and the Palm’s west crescent.

The combination of a second ROKA and Dubai’s first Six Senses resort is the key local development. Diners will have another address for the brand’s robata-focused food, while the upcoming resort gains a recognised restaurant. Rather than introducing a new culinary concept, this opening pairs an existing dining identity with a new waterfront hospitality setting.

What it means for creators and venues

For food and venue creators, the announced details suggest several potential editorial angles: charcoal cooking, a rooftop terrace and the arrival of ROKA at a new Dubai resort. Coverage could distinguish the Palm location from Business Bay through its setting, while explaining the robatayaki technique behind the menu.

These are content possibilities, not confirmed partnerships. The source does not announce creator invitations, hosted visits or Collabs, and it should not be read as confirming any. For venues considering their own creator briefs, the story illustrates how location, cooking style and opening information can provide a clear focus without relying on unannounced experiences.

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