Maray x Hawarden Estate
WORDS BY LOWRI JONES
PHOTOS BY TOM GRIFFITHS
When Maray approached us to host their Chester launch event, here in The Walled Garden, we were thrilled. The team are enthusiastic and spirited, entrepreneurial and creative. and deeply passionate about the provenance of the food and drink they serve to their guests. We quickly got the gist from our early conversations that the team favours the style of hospitality we do.
If you haven’t yet experienced Maray then you’re truly in for a treat. The restaurant's name is a nod to Paris’ chic and historic Marais district, where narrow roads lead to boutiques and bars neatly dotted between shops with Hebrew signage, symbolic of its image as the cities’ most prominent Jewish area. Founders of Maray, Tom and James, were inspired by the falafel joints they encountered when working in Paris and wanted to bring those middle-eastern flavours back to Liverpool. They set about opening their first venue on Liverpool’s Bold Street and since then, their success has only risen.
Sit down at Maray and expect to dig in and share. It’s the kind of food you ‘oooh’ and ‘aaah’ at. Whole cauliflower will arrive on the table dripping in tahini and pomegranate molasses. Their famous falafel is made fresh daily and remains to be one of their most popular dishes. Whilst the middle-eastern flavours gently dominate, the menu takes inspiration from other places too and there’s something for everyone, no matter how hearty your appetite.
The launch evening dinner took place by candle light in our year old, newly re-established events space, The Conservatory, in November. The space looked amazing. Heads of cauliflower were arranged down the centre of the long table with a true sense of ceremony. Everyone was made to feel special before dinner was even served, which, if you ask us, is always the mark of a good culinary experience!
Their brand new venue (their 4th so far) occupies a big corner space in the heart of Chester, perfectly placed opposite the new market. If you’re on the lookout for somewhere new to try locally, this is your sign to book. And, you can also expect to see the Maray chefs cooking in our kitchens once again in 2026, watch this space…
