Maray, the independent, Liverpool-born restaurant group known for its vibrant Middle Eastern-via-Paris inspired sharing plates, carefully chosen wines and exceptional cocktails, will open at Chester’s Northgate this winter.
Taking inspiration from the Parisian arrondissement of Le Marais, a neighbourhood renowned for its bustling charm and queue-worthy falafel, Maray is already recognised as a go-to destination for exciting dishes and great atmosphere in both Liverpool and Manchester.
The team are focussed on creating an intimate, thoughtfully designed space which makes best use of the beautiful windowed frontage and cosy corners to the back.
The new restaurant will feature a menu of long-standing favourites such as the Disco Cauliflower; a much-loved explosion of crisp cauliflower, harissa, tahini, zhug, pomegranate and sumac, their famous falafel, and Instagram’s darling – a Medjool date bread and butter pudding.
Co-founder and Managing Director James Bates said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to be bringing our fourth Maray site to Chester. It’s a city I have previously worked in and long admired, and we feel it shares a lot of the same spirit and character that made us fall in love with our first site on Bold Street. We can’t wait to open the doors and become part of the community. “
Tom White, co-founder and Brand Director said: “We’ve worked closely with Cheshire West and Chester Council to find this lovely building and we’re grateful for their support as we prepare to arrive. It’s a really spacious site and we’ve got a surprise or two up our sleeves to bring something fresh and new to the people of Chester.”
Councillor Nathan Pardoe, Cabinet Member for Inclusive Economy, Regeneration and Digital Transformation, said: “The arrival of Maray in Northgate is great news for Chester, bringing an innovative and fresh culinary concept to the city and creating new jobs. Thank you to Maray for choosing Chester to expand their business.”
Tom Prescott at Barker Proudlove, who acted on behalf of the Landlord, Cheshire West and Chester Council added, “We are delighted to be able to secure Maray for Chester Northgate. They have been a long-term target for the development and provide a strong fit by elevating the tenant mix while offering something new to the scheme.” Sixteen Real Estate acted on behalf of Maray.
Chester will be Maray’s fourth site, with its original site opening on Liverpool’s Bold Street in 2014, its second site on the Royal Albert Dock in 2019 and third in Manchester City Centre in 2022.
In 2024, Maray was awarded a maximum three stars in the Food Made Good Standard with the Sustainable Restaurant Association, becoming the only independent restaurant group in the North West to do so. The accreditation takes into account Maray’s commitment to its communities, the environment, ethical and sustainable sourcing and charitable endeavours, as well as food waste management and other site-level sustainability initiatives.
It has also been listed year after year in the Harden’s Guide, awarded Leading Restaurant of the Year in the This is Manchester Awards 2024, and Best Plant-Based Offering at the Manchester Food and Drink Festival Awards 2025.
The new opening will create 35+ new jobs, from senior management down to entry-level positions and those interested in working on the exciting new launch are encouraged to get in touch via the careers page on the Maray
About Chester Northgate
The new Maray site is located in Exchange Square in the heart of Chester’s historic city centre, close to established attractions such as the award-winning Storyhouse cultural centre, city walls, cathedral and historic 2-tiered rows shopping.
The new Maray will form part of the Northgate development, the most eagerly anticipated new leisure development in the north, and the largest construction project in Chester for over 40 years; featuring a mix of open streets, parades and central square that will integrate seamlessly with the surrounding parts of Chester City Centre.
