Yauatcha Soho is scheduled to reopen in late 2027 following a major refurbishment.
Filmmaker Wong Kar Wai will act as creative consultant on the transformation.
The restaurant is scheduled to reopen in late 2027 following a major refurbishment.
The acclaimed director behind In the Mood for Love will help shape the next chapter of the celebrated Cantonese restaurant.
Yauatcha Soho is preparing to celebrate more than two decades in London. The Hakkasan Group restaurant has announced plans for an extensive reinvention spanning its food, interiors and guest experience, with acclaimed filmmaker Wong Kar Wai joining the project as creative consultant.
The Soho institution will close after lunch service on 26 September 2026 before undergoing a major refurbishment, with the new-look restaurant scheduled to reopen in late 2027.
Yauatcha first arrived in Soho in 2004 and quickly became one of London’s most recognisable contemporary Cantonese restaurants. Its original interiors were created by French designer Christian Liaigre, while its approach combined dim sum, tea, wok dishes and European-style patisserie with a modern interpretation of the traditional Yum Cha experience.
The restaurant earned a Michelin star within its first year, and more than 20 years later, its new transformation aims to retain that history while introducing a new visual identity and a fresh direction for the brand.
Central to the project will be Wong Kar Wai, the Hong Kong filmmaker behind movies including In the Mood for Love, Chungking Express and 2046. His involvement will see cinematic storytelling influence the restaurant’s next chapter.
Wong Kar Wai said: “A great film starts with a great story, and so does a great restaurant. It is my great pleasure to take part in this new chapter for Yauatcha Soho’s distinguished story.”
Changes are also coming to the kitchen. Chef Fai Choi, who joined Hakkasan Group as Research and Development Chef for the UK in August 2026, will oversee the culinary direction. He will introduce a more seasonal and ingredient-led approach to contemporary Cantonese cooking.
Yavuz Pehlivanlar, Chief Executive Officer of Hakkasan Group, said: “Yauatcha Soho has been a cornerstone of our group for over two decades. We are delighted to be working with Wong Kar Wai as creative consultant on this reinvention and look forward to unveiling a reimagined Yauatcha that continues to set the standard for London dining.”
While the Soho restaurant undergoes its transformation, diners can still visit Yauatcha City at Broadgate Circle and Hakkasan Mayfair, both of which will continue operating as normal.
With one of cinema’s most distinctive visual storytellers helping shape its creative direction and a renewed focus on Cantonese cuisine in the kitchen, Yauatcha Soho’s 2027 comeback looks set to be one of London’s most closely watched restaurant reopenings.
Where: Yauatcha, 15-17 Broadwick Street, Soho, London, W1F 0DL
Contact: https://hakkasangroup.com