Maray Chester brings the restaurant group’s Middle Eastern and Mediterranean-inspired sharing plates to Northgate Street in the heart of Chester city centre. Open since December 2025, the restaurant sits within Coachworks Arcade beside the Chester Northgate development, placing it within easy walking distance of Chester Market, Storyhouse, Chester Cathedral and the Rows.
This guide covers the practical details you are likely to want before visiting, including the current Maray Chester opening times, booking arrangements, menu style, lunch offering, accessibility, nearby parking and public transport. It also explains what to expect from the sharing-plate format and how Maray can fit into a day or evening exploring Chester.
Opening hours, menus and promotions can change, so check Maray’s official website when making definite plans.
Quick overview of Maray Chester
Maray is an independent restaurant group that began in Liverpool in 2014, taking inspiration from the food and atmosphere of Paris’s Le Marais district. Its food draws particularly on Middle Eastern, North African and Mediterranean flavours, with dishes served largely as small plates intended for sharing.
The Chester restaurant opened in early December 2025 as Maray’s fourth site, following restaurants in Liverpool and Manchester. It occupies Unit 1 of Coachworks Arcade on Northgate Street, within Chester’s newer Northgate leisure quarter.
For visitors, its position is particularly convenient. Chester Market, Storyhouse, the Town Hall and Chester Cathedral are all close by, making Maray practical for lunch during a sightseeing day or dinner before an evening performance at Storyhouse.
Maray Chester key facts
Address: Unit 1 Coachworks Arcade, Northgate Street, Chester
Postcode: CH1 2EY
Opening hours:
Sunday to Thursday: 12pm–9pm
Friday and Saturday: 12pm–10pm
Current weekday lunch offer: £19.95 according to Maray’s Chester page.
Typical visit duration: Around 90 minutes for two diners or approximately two hours for groups of three to six, which also corresponds with Maray’s standard reservation table times.
Booking: Walk-ins are welcomed, but advance reservations are recommended at popular times.
Nearest major car park: New Market Parking, Hunter Street, CH1 2AR.
Nearest railway station: Chester railway station, City Road, CH1 3DR.
Accessibility: Maray states that its Chester restaurant is completely wheelchair accessible and has accessible toilet facilities.
Food style: Middle Eastern and Mediterranean-inspired small plates designed for sharing.
Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options: Available.
Contact email: chesterbookings@maray.co.uk
General telephone: 0151 347 0214. Maray says its telephone lines open from 11am daily.
Official website: Maray Restaurant.
What to expect at Maray Chester
Maray Chester occupies a modern restaurant unit at the Northgate Street entrance to Coachworks Arcade. Although the surrounding area incorporates the contemporary Chester Northgate redevelopment, the restaurant is immediately connected to the historic city centre rather than sitting in an out-of-town leisure complex.
The restaurant was designed to make use of its substantial window frontage, with the Maray team describing a combination of street-facing areas and cosier seating farther inside. That gives the venue a different character depending on where you sit: the frontage connects strongly with activity on Northgate Street, while tables farther back provide a more enclosed dining environment.
The format is informal rather than traditional three-course dining. Most people choose several small dishes for the table and share them as they arrive.
That makes ordering particularly flexible. Two diners might pick a handful of vegetable, meat or fish plates alongside bread and dips, while a larger group can order across a broader section of the menu.
Maray also offers a dedicated feasting option for groups of ten or more.
What food does Maray Chester serve?
Mediterranean and Middle Eastern sharing plates
Maray’s menu is influenced particularly by food from the Middle East, North Africa and Mediterranean, presented through contemporary small plates rather than conventional starters and mains.
Menus can vary because Maray says it buys fresh produce daily and changes dishes according to availability. It is therefore better to treat online menus as current examples rather than permanent lists.
Disco Cauliflower
One of the dishes most strongly associated with Maray is its Disco Cauliflower.
The restaurant describes the dish as cauliflower served with ingredients including harissa, tahini, zhug, pomegranate and sumac. It has remained one of Maray’s signature plates and was specifically confirmed for the Chester opening.
For first-time visitors wanting to understand Maray’s style of cooking, it is one of the most representative dishes on the menu when available.
Falafel
Falafel is another longstanding Maray favourite.
The restaurant’s Middle Eastern influence is particularly evident here, and the dish works naturally as part of a larger selection of vegetable dishes, breads, dips and salads rather than necessarily being treated as a standalone main course.
Meat and fish dishes
Maray is sometimes associated particularly with plant-based food, but it is not a vegetarian restaurant.
The menu also includes meat and fish dishes, with selections changing seasonally. Visit Chester & Cheshire describes the menu as largely plant-based while also noting the restaurant’s meat and fish offering.
Desserts
Desserts also follow the restaurant’s Middle Eastern and Mediterranean influences.
The Medjool date bread-and-butter pudding was one of the dishes Maray specifically highlighted when announcing its Chester restaurant, although individual desserts are subject to seasonal menu changes.
Vegetarian and vegan food at Maray Chester
Maray is particularly well suited to mixed groups containing vegetarians, vegans and meat eaters because vegetable dishes form a substantial part of the menu rather than being treated as substitutes for conventional mains.
The restaurant provides a separate vegan menu and states that its Chester site has plenty of vegan and vegetarian choices.
This is useful for groups where diners have different dietary preferences because everybody can still participate in the same sharing-style meal.
Gluten-free dining and allergies
Maray also states that plenty of its food is gluten free or can be adapted.
However, anyone with a serious food allergy should contact the restaurant directly rather than relying solely on menu symbols.
Maray publishes information covering the 14 major allergens and specifically warns that, because sesame is widely used across its menu, it cannot guarantee complete avoidance of sesame cross-contamination.
If an allergy is medically significant, contact Maray before booking and mention it again when ordering.
Maray Chester lunch menu
Maray currently advertises a £19.95 weekday lunch menu at Chester.
There is, however, a small inconsistency between Maray’s current website pages concerning the precise days on which the lunch menu operates. The general menus page describes lunch as available from 12pm–4pm Monday to Friday, while Maray’s FAQ describes its lunch set menu as operating Monday to Thursday from 12pm–4pm.
Because of this discrepancy, anyone visiting specifically for the lunch deal should check the current Chester booking page or contact the restaurant before travelling, particularly on a Friday.
Drinks at Maray Chester
Drinks are an important part of the Maray format rather than an afterthought.
The Chester restaurant offers cocktails alongside a curated wine list, with the broader Maray wine selection drawing heavily on Mediterranean and surrounding regions.
Visitors looking for a relaxed evening meal rather than a rapid pre-theatre dinner may therefore want to allow enough time for drinks before or after the main selection of plates.
Who is Maray Chester best suited to?
Couples
Maray should work particularly well for couples who enjoy ordering several dishes between them rather than choosing separate starters and mains.
Its Northgate Street location also makes it convenient for combining dinner with theatre, cinema, drinks or an evening walk through the historic centre.
Groups of friends
Sharing plates naturally suit groups, and Maray provides flexible seating plus a separate feasting menu for parties of ten or more.
For larger groups, advance booking is strongly advisable.
Vegetarians and vegans
This is one of the restaurant’s strongest practical advantages. Vegetable-led dishes are central to Maray’s cooking and a separate vegan menu is available.
Families
Children are permitted, and Maray specifically instructs customers to include children and babies within the number of guests on their reservation.
Maray’s published information does not currently make a dedicated Chester children’s menu, play facilities or baby-changing arrangements clear, so families who require those facilities should ask the restaurant before visiting.
Teenagers
Teenagers interested in trying different flavours may particularly enjoy the sharing format because it allows several dishes to be sampled during the same meal.
Older visitors and visitors with limited mobility
The Chester restaurant is completely wheelchair accessible according to Maray and has an accessible toilet.
The wider Chester Northgate development is also described as step-free and fully accessible.
Solo diners
The small-plate format can work for solo diners, although it naturally provides less opportunity to sample the breadth of the menu than when dishes are shared between two or more people.
A lunchtime visit may be particularly convenient for solo visitors spending the day sightseeing in the city centre.
How long should you spend at Maray Chester?
For most visitors, allow around 90 minutes to two hours.
Maray’s booking terms allocate:
- 1 hour 30 minutes for tables of two
- 2 hours for tables of three to six.
Those timings give a useful indication of the expected dining pace.
A weekday lunch can be quicker, while groups ordering cocktails, desserts and numerous sharing dishes may naturally use the full reservation period.
If eating before a Storyhouse performance, avoid making the reservation so tight that a slightly slower meal could make you late.
Prices, reservations and booking
There is no admission charge because Maray is a restaurant.
Customers pay for whichever food and drink they order, while the currently advertised Chester weekday lunch menu costs £19.95.
Maray welcomes walk-ins but explicitly recommends booking during busier periods.
Advance reservations are particularly sensible for:
- Friday and Saturday evenings
- pre-theatre dining
- larger groups
- celebrations
- visitors travelling into Chester specifically to eat there.
Maray may request card details for some reservations. Cancellations made at least 24 hours ahead are not charged, while no-shows and same-day cancellations may incur a charge of £10 per person. Some larger bookings may also require a deposit that is redeemable against the final bill.
Prices and booking conditions were checked on 13 August 2026 and may change.
Maray Chester opening times
The current published opening hours are:
Monday: 12pm–9pm
Tuesday: 12pm–9pm
Wednesday: 12pm–9pm
Thursday: 12pm–9pm
Friday: 12pm–10pm
Saturday: 12pm–10pm
Sunday: 12pm–9pm.
These should be regarded as restaurant opening hours rather than guaranteed final kitchen-order times.
Christmas, New Year, Bank Holiday and other special-event hours may differ, so check the official restaurant booking calendar before making a journey specifically to visit.
How to get to Maray Chester
Maray is at:
Unit 1 Coachworks Arcade
Northgate Street
Chester
CH1 2EY
It sits alongside Chester Northgate, close to Exchange Square and Chester Market.
Driving to Maray Chester
Drivers approaching Chester city centre should follow signs for the Northgate/New Market area rather than attempting to drive directly to the restaurant entrance.
Northgate Street forms part of Chester’s controlled pedestrianised centre, with vehicle access restrictions applying at various times. Cheshire West and Chester Council states that normal access to the pedestrianised area via Northgate Street is permitted before 10.30am and after 4.30pm, although additional restrictions apply.
For ordinary restaurant visitors, parking first and completing the final section on foot is much easier.
Travelling by train
The nearest main railway station is Chester Station, on City Road, CH1 3DR.
From the station, visitors can continue into the centre on foot, by taxi or local bus.
Chester Station has step-free access to all platforms, lifts, accessible toilets, a Changing Places facility and Passenger Assistance.
Travelling by bus
Chester Bus Interchange is at Gorse Stacks, on the northern side of the city centre, and provides access to local and regional services.
The Northgate development is within the central pedestrian area, making bus travel a practical option for visitors who do not want to use city-centre parking.
Visitors should check the relevant operator’s current timetable before travelling because routes and schedules change.
Walking
Maray is particularly convenient for visitors already exploring central Chester.
It is close to Chester Market, Storyhouse, Chester Cathedral, Northgate Street and the main shopping streets, meaning there is normally little reason to move the car between sightseeing and eating.
Cycling
New Market Parking has a secure Cycle Hub at Hunter Street.
Current facilities include 56 cycle racks, 20 scooter spaces, three accessible cycle hoops, a repair station and seven electric-cycle charging points. An access card currently costs £10 as a one-off fee.
Taxi
Taxis can drop passengers close to the Northgate area, although pedestrianisation means the precise drop-off point may vary according to access restrictions.
Chester Station also has taxi provision.
Parking near Maray Chester
New Market Parking
For most visitors, New Market Parking is the most convenient choice because it is part of the same Chester Northgate development.
Address: Hunter Street, Chester, CH1 2AR
Capacity: 800 vehicles
Opening: 6.30am–1.30am daily
Height restriction: 2 metres.
Current charges are:
- Up to 1 hour: £4
- 1–2 hours: £5.50
- 2–4 hours: £7
- 4–6 hours: £9
- Over 6 hours: £10.50
- Arrivals after 6pm: £4.50.
Payment can be made using coins, notes or cards, including contactless. Contactless payment is also available at the exit barrier.
The car park incorporates lifts and improved accessibility features and connects directly with the Northgate development.
Little Roodee
Visitors combining Maray with a longer day exploring Chester may also consider Little Roodee.
The council-run car park is open 24 hours. Current car charges are £6.50 for up to 12 hours when arriving before 6pm, £9.50 for stays over 12 hours, and £2 for arrivals after 6pm.
It is farther from Maray than New Market Parking but can make sense for a full sightseeing day.
Parking prices were checked on 13 August 2026 and should be confirmed on the council website before travelling.
Accessibility at Maray Chester
Maray’s own FAQ states clearly that the Chester restaurant is completely wheelchair accessible and has accessible toilet facilities.
- wheelchair accessible
- having a fully accessible disabled toilet
- permitting guide dogs
- autism friendly.
Assistance and guide dogs are permitted inside, although ordinary pet dogs are not allowed inside Maray restaurants.
Detailed information about hearing loops, quiet rooms or specific table clearances is not currently published on Maray’s website.
Anyone needing a particular table position, additional space for a powered wheelchair or another accessibility adjustment should contact the Chester team when booking rather than assuming it will be available automatically.
Toilets and visitor facilities
Accessible toilet facilities are confirmed at Maray Chester.
The restaurant accepts both cash and cards, although American Express is not accepted.
Maray does not currently offer takeaway from its restaurants.
There is no published indication of customer lockers or cloakroom facilities, so visitors carrying large luggage should not assume storage will be available.
Chester railway station does not provide luggage storage either.
Visiting Maray Chester with children
Families can dine at Maray, but its concept is primarily a sharing-plate restaurant rather than a children’s entertainment venue.
One useful booking detail is easy to miss: Maray says every child must be included in the reservation total. Two adults visiting with a baby should therefore book for three people, not two.
The sharing format may suit older children particularly well because the table can order several dishes and try different flavours.
Families with babies or toddlers should contact the Chester restaurant if they specifically require a high chair or baby-changing facility because these are not clearly confirmed in Maray’s current published visitor information.
Pushchair users benefit from the restaurant’s wheelchair-accessible layout.
Dogs at Maray Chester
Ordinary pet dogs are not permitted inside Maray restaurants.
Maray says dogs are welcome within its outdoor seating areas where applicable, while service and guide dogs are allowed inside.
Because individual outside-seating arrangements can change, dog owners should confirm the Chester setup before relying on an outdoor table.
Best time to visit Maray Chester
For the quietest experience, weekday lunchtime is likely to be the most practical choice, particularly outside school holidays and major Chester event days.
The £19.95 weekday lunch offer also makes lunch attractive for visitors already spending the day in the city centre.
Friday and Saturday evenings are more likely to require advance reservations, particularly around theatre performance times and during the Christmas shopping period.
Another useful option is an earlier evening reservation before a Storyhouse performance. Because Storyhouse is nearby, there is no significant transfer across the city once dinner is finished.
Recent developments at Maray Chester
Maray Chester is a relatively recent addition to the city.
The company first announced the restaurant in August 2025 and subsequently opened in early December 2025 within the former North Light premises at Chester Northgate.
The opening added another restaurant to a Northgate development that already includes Chester Market, Picturehouse, restaurants and leisure businesses.
In 2026, Maray has also been promoting its group Feasting Menu in Chester for larger gatherings.
A related development is Café Barbette, a separate concept from the team behind Maray planned for Exchange Square. It was announced in June 2026 as a Paris-inspired wine-bar and café concept.
Things to do near Maray Chester
Maray’s central position means it is easy to combine a meal with several major Chester attractions.
Chester Market
Chester Market sits within Exchange Square in the Northgate development.
The current market hall combines traditional traders with a substantial food-and-drink section and is particularly convenient for visitors meeting friends before a Maray booking.
Storyhouse
Storyhouse is immediately nearby and incorporates theatre, cinema, library and cultural spaces.
This makes Maray particularly convenient for pre-theatre dining.
Chester Cathedral
Chester Cathedral is only a short walk from Northgate Street and is one of the most obvious attractions to combine with a lunchtime booking. Maray itself highlights the cathedral as one of its nearby landmarks.
Chester Rows and historic centre
From Maray, continue south along Northgate Street towards Chester Cross to explore the city’s distinctive two-tier Rows and central shopping streets.
The Rows are among Chester’s defining historic features and form part of a natural walking route between Northgate and Eastgate Street.
Chester City Walls
Visitors spending a full day in Chester can also incorporate part or all of the city-wall circuit.
The walls provide a useful way of connecting the Northgate area with other parts of Chester’s historic centre.
Local tips for visiting Maray Chester
Book ahead for Friday and Saturday. Walk-ins are accepted, but advance booking reduces the risk of arriving during a fully booked period.
Use New Market Parking when convenience matters. It is much closer to the restaurant than parking on the edges of the historic centre.
Tell staff about allergies rather than relying solely on menu markings. Sesame is particularly prevalent in Maray’s kitchen.
Include babies in your reservation number. This is specifically required by Maray’s booking policy.
Allow enough time before Storyhouse. Sharing plates can encourage a leisurely meal, so an extremely tight pre-theatre booking is unnecessary when the theatre is already nearby.
Check the lunch offer before making a special trip on Friday. Maray currently publishes conflicting information about whether the set lunch operates Monday–Thursday or Monday–Friday.
Do not drive directly to the door. Northgate Street is within Chester’s pedestrianised centre and vehicle access is restricted.
Frequently asked questions about Maray Chester
Where is Maray Chester?
Maray Chester is at Unit 1 Coachworks Arcade, Northgate Street, Chester, CH1 2EY, within the Chester Northgate development.
What are the Maray Chester opening times?
Maray Chester currently opens from 12pm until 9pm Sunday to Thursday and from 12pm until 10pm on Friday and Saturday.
Do you need to book Maray Chester?
Booking is not compulsory because walk-ins are welcome, but Maray recommends advance reservations during busy periods.
What type of food does Maray Chester serve?
Maray specialises in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern-inspired small plates designed to be shared.
Does Maray Chester have vegan food?
Yes. Maray has plenty of vegan and vegetarian options and publishes a dedicated vegan menu.
Is Maray Chester wheelchair accessible?
Yes. Maray states that its Chester restaurant is completely wheelchair accessible and has accessible toilet facilities.
Where is the nearest parking to Maray Chester?
New Market Parking on Hunter Street, CH1 2AR, is the most convenient major car park and forms part of the Chester Northgate development.
Does Maray Chester have a lunch menu?
Yes. The Chester restaurant advertises a £19.95 weekday lunch menu. Official pages currently differ over whether it operates Monday–Thursday or Monday–Friday, so check availability before travelling specifically for the offer.
Can you take children to Maray Chester?
Yes. Children are allowed, but Maray requires babies and children to be included in the total number of guests when making a reservation.
Are dogs allowed at Maray Chester?
Pet dogs are not permitted inside Maray restaurants. Service and guide dogs are allowed. Dogs may be permitted in outdoor seating areas where available.
Does Maray Chester cater for allergies?
Maray publishes allergen information covering the 14 main allergens and encourages customers with allergies to contact the restaurant. It warns that sesame cross-contamination cannot be completely excluded.
How long should I allow for dinner at Maray Chester?
Around 90 minutes to two hours is sensible. Maray’s standard reservation periods are 90 minutes for two diners and two hours for tables of three to six.
Final verdict
Maray Chester is particularly well suited to visitors who enjoy sharing plates, bold Middle Eastern and Mediterranean flavours and a dining format that allows several dishes to be tried during one meal.
Its biggest practical advantage is its location. Chester Cathedral, the Rows, Chester Market and Storyhouse are all close enough to combine naturally with lunch or dinner, while New Market Parking is part of the surrounding Northgate development.
Vegetarians and vegans are especially well catered for, but meat and fish remain part of the menu, making Maray useful for mixed groups. Wheelchair accessibility and an accessible toilet are also explicitly confirmed by the restaurant.
The main points requiring advance planning are reservations at busy times, significant allergies and checking the precise availability of the weekday lunch offer.
For visitors staying in central Chester or attending Storyhouse, Maray is one of the most conveniently positioned restaurant options in the Northgate area.
