The UAE’s home-grown burger venture Salt is swapping its casual, dining-on-the-sand vibe for white tablecloths and silverware.
The brand has been hinting at “a new wave” since January, and the concept has finally been unveiled: a fine-dining branch at the U Walk complex in Riyadh.
Salt has been pretty private about this new outlet so far, but from what can be seen on social media, it’s a suave new location, complete with a red carpet welcome, white tablecloths, dim lighting, red roses on every table, silverware, impeccably dressed waiters and live entertainment with violinists.
It’s certainly a far cry from the sand-in-your-toes, food truck experience that the brand is known for.
A representative for Salt confirmed to The National that the new fine-dining experience is indeed a permanent location in Riyadh.
However, on the menu will be the familiar Salt items such as burgers, sliders, fries, drinks and desserts, albeit with a more gourmet presentation.
“We launched this to expand and be closer to our loyal customers,” the Salt representative said.
There’s been no comment yet on whether we will see this concept come to the UAE in the near future.
Salt has been known to shake things up quite a bit. The brand launched in 2014 with the revolutionary #FindSalt concept that had people searching for the food truck’s changing location on Kite Beach.
Over the years, it has opened branches in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Al Ain, Ras Al Khaimah and Saudi Arabia, while staying true to its original concept.
In Dubai, it currently has a creative pop-up called Salt Camp, which is back for a second year. It’s located next to Dubai’s Museum of the Future, with Instagrammable backdrops, exclusive merchandise, signature burgers and a new line of Sugar desserts.
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The pop-up Salt Camp is now open in Dubai. All photos Pawan Singh / The National -
The brightly coloured installation will be in place until mid-March. -
Benches are set on a pop-up beach, where guests can enjoy live entertainment as well as Salt's signature burgers. -
Families can relax together in the pop-up's brightly coloured booths. -
Salt Camp will feature interactive installations. -
The camp has a new location for 2022, close to Dubai's Museum of the Future. -
The Sugar Bar will be serving up all things sweet. -
It's signature pink and orange colours flow throughout. -
The entrance to Salt Camp, which opens to the public on Friday. -
The camp is set against the backdrop of the Dubai International Financial Centre.
