Mar de Avellanas — Valencia, Spain
![Mar de Avellanas interior](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/CiLHExp9JAcuvhviDpPdG8-415-80.jpg)
With his investment and creative direction of the spruced up Mar de Avellanas, Jaime Hayon has come full circle. Having worked in his family’s Madrid restaurant as a waiter when he was younger and, by all accounts, completely ambivalent about the experience, he swore he would never again be involved in the business. But when Claudia Peris, his good friend and owner of the Valencia favourite approached him to be involved in its expansion, he says he didn’t hesitate.
The result is a curious mix of a homey Spanish eatery in the historic Plaza del Patriarca that’s anchored by simple Danish furniture and hand-made tiles with the sudden, unexpected appearance of angular lines, modular cut outs, brass trims and curved swathes of mirrors – in other words, evidence of Hayon’s distinctive design DNA.
‘It reminds me of 1920s Berlin and Vienna, but set in the Mediterranean,’ says the Spanish designer who has lived in Valencia since he upped stakes from his London base seven years ago. ‘This is a space I’ve always wanted: elegant, cosy and affordable. Hopefully, it’s also a space that will stand the test of time.’
Even executive chef Jose Vicente Exposito’s menu has been expanded – casual tapas, salads, paella and cocktails in a green-hued bistro called Inventario; and a more sophisticated spread of fish and seasonal vegetables in the red-tinged Mar d’Avellanes room.
ADDRESS
Plaza Colegio del Patriarca
6-bajo
Wallpaper* Newsletter + Free Download
For a free digital copy of August Wallpaper*, celebrating Creative America, sign up today to receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories
Daven Wu is the Singapore Editor at Wallpaper*. A former corporate lawyer, he has been covering Singapore and the neighbouring South-East Asian region since 1999, writing extensively about architecture, design, and travel for both the magazine and website. He is also the City Editor for the Phaidon Wallpaper* City Guide to Singapore.
-
Feel at home at Auberge, Château La Coste's new inn for culture lovers
Auberge La Coste sits at the heart of the art-filled estate, minutes away from the joyful town of Aix-en-Provence
By Harriet Thorpe Published
-
This Nova Lima apartment is a Brazilian family oasis with striking Minas Gerais views
A Nova Lima apartment designed by Jacobsen Arquitetura celebrates its long, natural Minas Gerais vistas
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Commune’s sustainable personal care products look ‘quite unlike anything else’
Commune’s Somerset-made products stand out in the sustainable skincare crowd. Madeleine Rothery speaks with the brand’s co-founders Kate Neal and Rémi Paringaux
By Madeleine Rothery Published
-
Retreat to Casa Montelongo, a modern Fuertaventuran guest house filled with Canarian warmth
Courtesy of Spanish architect Néstor Pérez Batista, Casa Montelongo is the perfect contemporary shelter to enjoy Fuerteventura
By Sofia de la Cruz Published
-
Soak up Barcelona vistas from the redesigned Grand Hotel Central's rooftop pool
Grand Hotel Central, designed by Sagrada, opens its doors in the heart of Barcelona’s old town
By Agnish Ray Published
-
Madrid bars: a local’s guide to sipping in style
Discover the best design-led Madrid bars, as sampled by local travel and culture writer Agnish Ray
By Agnish Ray Published
-
Tour the new Mondrian Ibiza, chic sophistication by the Balearic Sea
Mondrian opens in Ibiza with a bold and inventive design by Madrid-based Cuarto Interior
By Lauren Ho Published
-
It’s a Paul & Shark summer at Juvia restaurant in Formentera
Paul & Shark dresses Formentera restaurant Juvia for the summer season, with suitably nautical nods
By Sofia de la Cruz Published
-
The free-spirited Hyde brand opens its first European outpost in Ibiza
Hyde Ibiza is a laid-back, modern hideaway right by the locally-loved beaches of Cala Llonga Bay
By Lauren Ho Published
-
Brutalist restaurant opens at The Cantabrian Maritime Museum
The restaurant at The Cantabrian Maritime Museum is a concrete-garnished space designed by Zooco Estudio overlooking Santander Bay
By Sofia de la Cruz Published
-
Still got it: Marbella Club celebrates 70 years of uninhibited glamour
Marbella Club announces a summertime of parties, retreats and collaborations to celebrate its platinum anniversary
By Tianna Williams Published