One of the South’s most anticipated restaurant openings is coming into focus.
Chef Sujan Sarkar, the culinary force behind Chicago’s Indienne—the first Michelin-starred Indian restaurant in the Chicago area—has revealed the initial design renderings for Ayra, his new contemporary Indian fine-dining restaurant opening later this summer in Chapel Hill.
Ayra will span 5,000 square feet and bring Sarkar’s modern, globally influenced approach to Indian cuisine to North Carolina. The restaurant will include three distinct experiences under one roof: an Indian-inspired cocktail bar, an à la carte dining room, and an intimate tasting menu dining room.
“Ayra represents everything I believe Indian cuisine can be—elevated, boundary-pushing, and deeply rooted in tradition,” Sarkar said. “We’re excited about our first expansion into the South, and this opportunity to explore the rich agriculture and seasonality in North Carolina.”
The newly released renderings, created by Finley Design, show a restaurant built around atmosphere as much as food. Rather than leaning on one large, dramatic design statement, Ayra is envisioned as a layered experience, beginning with a warm reception lounge and moving into dining spaces shaped by lighting, texture, dark finishes, greenery, and illuminated feature walls.
The design uses porcelain tile, wood veneers, stone surfaces, metallic accents, and curated artwork to create a space that feels polished but still welcoming. Each area of the restaurant is meant to have its own personality, from the cocktail bar’s warmer energy to the tasting menu room’s more immersive setting.
“Ayra was designed around the belief that memorable experiences are created through the careful layering of light, texture, material, and atmosphere,” said Kerry Finley of Finley Design. “We wanted every space to feel intimate and immersive, allowing guests to discover new details each time they visit.”
Sarkar arrives in Chapel Hill with a major culinary résumé. His Chicago restaurant Indienne earned a Michelin star within its first year of opening in 2022 and has been recognized by Esquire, Bon Appétit and Robb Report as one of the country’s best new restaurants. Indienne also received the Jean Banchet Award for Restaurant of the Year in 2026.
Sarkar is also a two-time James Beard Award nominee for Best Chef: Great Lakes and has restaurants in Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York. His growing portfolio includes Swadesi, Sifr, Nadu, Baar Baar, Tiya, and Indienne New York.
Ayra marks Sarkar’s first restaurant in the Southeast and adds another major name to the Triangle’s growing dining scene.
