From the ancient mountains of Sana'a to the streets of Den Haag — a journey of flavour, culture, and love.
Yemen Palace was founded in 2010 by Ahmed Al-Hadhrami, who grew up in the old city of Sana'a surrounded by the aromas of his grandmother's kitchen. Every morning, she would wake before sunrise to begin the slow work of preparing the family's meals — and Ahmed watched, learned, and carried those lessons with him when he came to the Netherlands.
When he opened Yemen Palace on Wagenstraat, his mission was simple: to share the food that raised him. Not a simplified version, not a fusion. The real thing.
Today, Yemen Palace is a family affair. Ahmed's wife Fatima manages the kitchen alongside a team of chefs, many of whom have brought their own family traditions to the menu. Every recipe is debated, refined, and served with pride.
Ahmed's Promise
"When you sit at our table, I want you to close your eyes and imagine you are in Sana'a. That is the standard I cook to."
In Yemen, how you feed a guest says everything about who you are as a person. Diyafa — hospitality — is not optional. It is a cultural cornerstone.
In Yemen, refusing to offer food to a guest is unthinkable. A host will serve the best of what they have, regardless of their own circumstances. This deep culture of generosity is what drives how we cook and serve at Yemen Palace.
Yemeni meals are traditionally eaten from a single shared cloth laid on the floor called the sufra. Everyone gathers around the same dishes, eating with their right hand. Food, in this culture, is an act of unity and togetherness.
The mafraj is the uppermost room in a traditional Yemeni tower house, reserved for guests. It is decorated with cushioned benches and colourful stained glass windows that cast coloured light over the room — the most honoured space in any home.
There are no shortcuts in a Yemeni kitchen. Our mandi lamb is roasted for a minimum of four hours in a traditional underground clay oven. Our saltah is simmered slowly until the broth has deepened to an almost treacle-like richness. Our breads are made fresh every day from fermented sourdough starters.
The key to Yemeni cooking is hawaij — a spice blend that varies from family to family but typically includes black pepper, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cardamom, and turmeric. Our own hawaij recipe comes from Ahmed's grandmother and has never been written down. It lives in his hands and memory.
Everything we serve is halal, made from scratch, and prepared with the same intention that has guided Yemeni cooks for centuries: to nourish the body and warm the soul.
Long before the world discovered coffee, Yemeni traders were cultivating it in the terraced highlands around Mokha — the port city that gave espresso its name.
Every ingredient we use is fully halal-certified. We work with trusted suppliers and maintain strict kitchen standards so that every Muslim guest can dine with complete confidence and peace of mind.
We buy fresh produce daily from Den Haag's markets and source our spices directly from Yemen and the Gulf. Nothing is frozen. Nothing is artificial. The flavour you taste comes from real ingredients prepared with care.
Yemen Palace is family-owned and family-run. The people who cook your food are the same people who greet you at the door. We take personal pride in every plate that leaves our kitchen.