Come find your island
Araia
Madrid has a way of surprising you. Just when you think you’ve seen every corner of its culinary map, a restaurant like Araia appears—a place that feels less like a neighborhood eatery and more like stepping onto an imaginary island somewhere in the Mediterranean. Opened in 2022 in the elegant streets of Chamberí, Araia isn’t just about food. It’s about design, imagination, and hospitality, all woven together into an experience that lingers long after the last bite.
For Pedro Aijón, the concept of Araia arrived almost fully formed, like a story begging to be told. The idea, he says, appeared suddenly, just before their first meeting with the architecture team. “We needed to define ourselves — to put our concept in a ‘box’ — and decide what kind of food we wanted to create. We knew it had to be Mediterranean, but broader than the typical approach. Maybe my background in theatre, and that instinct to tell stories, was what made the idea of ‘the island’ appear out of nowhere. It also worked perfectly as a memorable, simple concept.”
A Culinary Map Of Imaginary Cultures In Madrid
Araia’s menu has always been a map, though one of a very particular kind. At first, it was divided into zones—harvest, bay, pastures, mountain—but today it has evolved into three fully realized “cultures” within the island. Each has its own identity, its own style, and its own wine selection. The result is a menu that feels both familiar and entirely new, a Mediterranean world imagined, yet grounded in technique and flavor.
Mauricio Chavarro, the chef who now steers the kitchen, puts it simply: “I imagine an island with a very busy port, where ships from all the countries bathed by the Mediterranean arrive, bringing with them a lot of trade. Because of that, we have products that come from all those countries, but culturally we are a blend — we nourish ourselves with all their gastronomic traditions and mix them, creating a unique culture of our own.”
That philosophy shows in dishes like Matured Picaña Koftas with parsnip purée and Mediterranean mole, Prawns in tamarind suquet with green beans, and classics like the Roasted Pumpkin Tershi with honey, harissa, and za’atar, or the Lamb Sish Kebab with pistachios and kefir tzatziki. Chavarro adds, “For me, the common thread is the depth of flavor in the dishes. They’re tasty without being overwhelming, with no unnecessary elements, and they must be easy to share, because that is a core principle on our island.”
Madrid Design That Feels Like Another World
Capture your magic here
Araia
Step inside Araia and the story continues. Designed with 83 Estudios, the restaurant feels like a cave open to the sea. Earth-toned walls evoke cliffs carved by wind and water, washed woods and nautical details lend a sense of timelessness, and natural textures—stone, linen, ceramics—invite touch as much as sight. Light plays across the space in unexpected ways, making it intimate but expansive.
Pedro describes the design process as a rare and joyful challenge. “The process was truly beautiful. It’s not every day someone asks you to create a restaurant that feels like an imaginary Mediterranean island… Light was also essential — to create something intimate yet homely. We drew inspiration from a house in Menorca built into the quarries, and that’s where everything began. It could resemble a cave, a cliff, a quarry… There were plenty of smiles in that meeting room.”
Every detail is intentional. Even the soundscape, a subtle blend of waves and wind, works alongside the design to transport diners far from Madrid streets, immersing them fully in the island fantasy.
Madrid Wine That Travels The Mediterranean
Araia’s wine program reads like a passport. Rosés, oranges, reds, and sparkling wines span Spain, Italy, France, Greece, Slovenia, and Croatia. The aim is not merely to pair wines with food but to carry the guest across a Mediterranean of the imagination.
Chavarro says, “The wine list adapts to and accompanies the food, but without losing importance — it contributes equally to the experience. This season Pedro has done a great job with the wine selection, and I think we have a very curious and interesting cellar.”
Pedro adds, “Many restaurants focus on one cuisine — Greek, Italian, Lebanese, and so on — but we always wanted to include more cultures, more flavors, more countries, using the island as our blank canvas.”
Madrid Hospitality That Feels Like Home
More food for the gods
Araia
Despite the playful imagination, the true core of Araia is hospitality. For Pedro, innovation is not only about food or design but about how people feel. “Innovation today means going back to the basics. What matters most is hospitality. You can eat well in many places… but if it’s not supported by genuine service, it loses its soul. To innovate is to do things with care again — to look after people, to stay curious, to recommend, to share a moment.”
Mauricio complements this philosophy: “I want people to feel comfortable, but also to be surprised. From the kitchen side, we try to create dishes with recognizable elements, but transform them and present them in a different way — always trying not to fall into technical pretentiousness, but rather to bring ‘high gastronomy’ to the table without being boxed in by it.”
The restaurant has naturally attracted a diverse audience. Pedro notes, “We’re very happy with how diverse our audience has become. Locals from the neighborhood visit us often, as well as people from across the city. The international community in Madrid has also embraced us… sometimes a specific nationality visits more than others — at first we had lots of Australians, then Brazilians, and now it’s the Dutch season! We love it.”
Madrid’s Next Island: The Future Of Araia
Araia isn’t static. Pedro and Mauricio are already imagining the next phase. “We have many ideas for the future. We’d love to find ‘another island’ in Madrid… explore summer pop-ups, and maybe open another restaurant — one in the mountains and another by the sea,” Pedro says.
Mauricio is already experimenting in the kitchen. “Right now we are working on three new dishes and testing things with artichoke, wild boar, and roe deer. But there is one I’m especially excited about and hope turns out well: the scallop with cardoon, almond, and Moroccan lemon.”
With imaginative cuisine, thoughtful design, a world-spanning wine list, and a philosophy of care at its heart, Araia is one of Madrid’s most singular dining destinations. It’s an island that exists entirely in the mind—and on the plate—inviting diners to explore, play, and savor every moment.
Dining and Cooking