Araya

Araya is a Chilean fine dining restaurant inside Mondrian Singapore Duxton, with its entrance on Duxton Hill. It is run by chef couple Francisco Araya and Fernanda Guerrero. Their cooking pairs Chilean produce and ideas with Japanese techniques and ingredients.

The Michelin Guide gave Araya one star in its 2024 Singapore guide, and the guide lists it with one star today. The Michelin Guide calls it the first Chilean restaurant in the world to earn a star.

The chefs

Francisco Araya leads the kitchen. He cooked at elBulli and Mugaritz in Spain, and was head chef at Boragó in Santiago. In 2012 he opened 81 in Tokyo, which won a Michelin star in 2013.

Fernanda Guerrero is the pastry chef, and she makes the breads and desserts. She started out in her family's restaurant in Chile. She later worked at Alegre in Chile and at NAPA Wine Bar & Kitchen in Shanghai.

What to order

Araya serves set tasting menus, not single dishes. Each one takes you through a different side of Chile and South America:

• Costa: 12 courses of seafood, coastal plants and flavours from Chile's Pacific coast.
• Andes: 8 courses that travel across South American landscapes and regional produce.
• Taste of Chile: a 5-course introduction to the kitchen's style.
• Vegetariano: a vegetarian menu built on South American plants.
• Business lunch: a lighter, shorter menu served at lunch only.

Dishes change with the seasons. The Michelin Guide gives one example: Japanese cod milt with Chilean aji amarillo and French caviar. Wine and drinks pairings are offered with the menus, and the guide notes an interesting wine list.

The setting

The dining room is small. The Peak counted around 30 seats in 2023. It described Chilean timber, a malachite table from the Andes and warm walls inspired by South American sunrises. The Michelin Guide lists counter seats and a chef's table, and solo diners are welcome.

Groups of more than six can book the Patagonia private dining room. It has a mural of the Andes and a solid quartzite stone table.

Good to know before you go

• Book ahead: you can reserve online through the Araya website or by email.
• Changes and cancellations: the restaurant asks for two days' notice.
• Finding it: the address is inside Mondrian Singapore Duxton, and the restaurant says to come in from Duxton Hill.
• Access: the Michelin Guide lists the restaurant as wheelchair accessible.

Nearby

If you want to stay close by, Mondrian Singapore Duxton is the hotel Araya sits in. Duxton Reserve Singapore is another choice in the area. For other set menus in the neighbourhood, look at Zén, Born or Hamamoto.

For more ideas, browse fine dining in Singapore, our Michelin dining guides and the Tanjong Pagar and Keong Saik guide. You can also see all restaurants in Chinatown and Tanjong Pagar.