The venue said a “huge thank you” for all the support
Maray restaurant on Bold Street, Liverpool.(Image: Liverpool Echo)
The team behind a Liverpool venue said they are running out of space for awards after securing a place in the newly released Harden’s Best UK Restaurants 2026. Maray, known for its vibrant Middle Eastern-via-Paris inspired sharing plates, has venues across the North West, some of which have even attracted celebrities.
The restaurant initially opened on Bold Street in 2014 before expanding out into the Royal Albert Dock, Manchester city centre and, just this week, Chester.
The guide published on Thursday, December 4, sees the North West confirmed as one of the country’s “most exciting dining regions” with 18 Merseyside restaurants making the list. The Harden’s guide polls diners for their views on the nation’s best places to eat, and the latest edition of the guide was based on feedback from normal diners rather than a group of professional inspectors.
A total of 30,000 reports were submitted from a survey of 2,500 diners. Restaurants at all price levels were included: from street food vendors to the country’s most ambitious dining rooms, with 2,800 restaurants listed in total. Maray made the list twice, included for their Liverpool and Manchester site.
Maray’s Harry Jones told the ECHO: “We’re really happy to make the Harden’s Best UK Restaurants list. It’s something we’ve been listed in for a number of years but it still blows our mind at how much people love what we do.
Maray on Bold Street(Image: Liverpool Echo)
“We’re going to be running out of space on the door, where we place our awards, in our Bold Street restaurant soon. It’s so nice to be recognised for all our passion and hard work and to know that our guests can feel that reflected in their experience.”
Maray has previously attracted the attention of Academy Award-nominated actors. Paul Mescal, Barry Keoghan and Harris Dickinson were spotted leaving the Bold Street venue back in September. The three are set to play Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and John Lennon respectively, in the upcoming Beatles biopics directed by Sir Sam Mendes.
Harry said: “In terms of looking to the future of Maray, our new Chester site opened on Monday so we’re really focusing on that to make sure we deliver the same award winning experience that our Manchester and Liverpool guests receive.
“We also made the list for our Manchester restaurant so hopefully for next year we can get all three on the list.”
The company’s fourth site opened on Chester’s historic Northgate Street on December 1 and features a menu of long standing favourites such as the disco cauliflower, falafel, Medjool date bread and butter pudding, and more.
Harry added: “We just want to say a huge thank you to all of our guests. We’ve already had loads of our loyal Liverpool and Manchester guests come over to our new Chester restaurant and that kind of support still blows our mind.
“We’re so happy people love what we do and recognise our passion for delivering unforgettable hospitality so here’s to many more.
“I also just want to say a massive thank you to the team. A huge part of why we get on this list is because of our team. The owners, and the partners and everyone who works for our restaurants loves what they do.
“We’re genuinely passionate about food, drinks and hospitality and we’ve had guests comment before about how that really shines through.”