Two Michelin-starred Aira is a destination restaurant that’s an experience in every sense.
In the world of haute cuisine, some restaurants are built to impress — and others to enchant. Aira, the two Michelin-starred brainchild of celebrity chef Tommy Myllymäki, does both with an effortless grace. This destination restaurant in as an experience in every sense: a place where Nordic terroir harmonises with Nordic precision, where warm and clean wooden architecture talks with nature, and where each course is a moment designed to linger in memory. The location, right by a small and tranquil marina on the old royal hunting grounds of Djurgården outside Stockholm, is as much a part of the experience as the food.
The restaurant is located in a wooden building with floor-to-ceiling windows frame views of the Stockholm archipelago and its charming and frequent boat traffic, shifting with the seasons and casting soft light over the understated interiors of oak, stone and copper. It’s a calm, almost reverent space — more sanctuary than dining room — yet there’s warmth and life in every detail.
At the heart of Aira’s offering is a deep respect for ingredients. Myllymäki’s menus are rooted in the Nordic landscape but look outward, drawing influence from Japanese precision and French technique. Local produce is treated with absolute reverence — whether it’s langoustine from the North Atlantic, wild duck from nearby forests, or vegetables plucked from organic gardens just outside the city. Nothing is over-handled. Flavours are clean, layered, and elegant. It’s fine dining with a sense of restraint, where the elements on the plate have a purpose and a story.
Guests can choose between a full tasting menu or à la carte, with each dish reflecting both seasonality and the chef’s creative evolution. Highlights might include the initial crusted canapé of dill and langoustine, the lightly grilled turbot served with fermented white asparagus and beurre blanc, or a Japanese A5 Wagyu with black truffle, morels and spruce shoots. Desserts are equally thoughtful, often playing on Nordic ingredients like a selection of the finest Swedish cheeses of all sorts, and a taste of summer in the form of rhubarb and mascarpone — in a classic Nordic fashion of always surprising, never showy.
Service at Aira is polished but refreshingly unpretentious. The staff, many of whom have followed Myllymäki for years, strike this delicate balance between formality and genuine hospitality, making guest truly feel at home. Sommeliers guide diners through a wine list that is both deep and daring, including out of the ordinary finds from both the new and old worlds, offering guests something truly interesting.
What elevates Aira beyond the usual Michelin-starred script is its sense of authenticity and place. Dining here feels like a quiet celebration of Sweden itself — not the Sweden of city centres or tourist trails, but of nature, craft, and stillness. It’s an experience that unfolds at its own rhythm, where you’re encouraged to slow down, savour each bite, and watch the boats and ships pass by on the water outside.
Aira currently holds two Michelin stars and ranks among Sweden’s top dining destinations, but despite this it never feels inaccessible. Whether you’re arriving by boat to the private dock right by the doorstep in the summer, or walking through the frost-covered gardens in winter, there’s a sense of coming home to something deeply rooted and beautifully authentic.
For those who believe that true luxury is found not in excess but in intention, Aira is a restaurant worth crossing countries — or even continents — for. It’s a masterclass in Nordic refinement, a love letter to Swedish nature, and a moment of stillness in a world that rarely pauses.
This is the true taste of Stockholm.
