The story
On Djurgården, steps from the water, AIRA occupies a building whose architecture echoes its surroundings. The restaurant’s proximity to nature is deliberate – it shapes both the space and the cooking. Here, chefs Tommy Myllymäki and Pi Le bring together a reverence for Swedish ingredients with a global pantry of techniques and spices, earning two Michelin stars for what the guide calls “excellent cooking.”
Myllymäki and Pi Le describe their approach as humble. The menu evolves constantly, driven by what the season offers. The kitchen treats each element with precision – a langoustine is not simply served but transformed into a dill croustade with browned butter; a scallop is paired with radish and the bright lift of makrut lime and green chili. This is modern Swedish cuisine that respects tradition while looking outward.
At dinner, a single tasting menu guides the evening. Recent dishes include a butter tuile with corn and cep mushrooms, Arctic char with sugar kelp and caviar, and reindeer with endive, bergamot, and pepper. The progression moves from delicate snacks to composed plates, finishing with petits fours like a miso-ginger madeleine. A shorter prix fixe is available Thursday and Friday lunch, offering a similar arc. Wine pairings range from a non-alcoholic option to a connoisseur experience, all curated to match the meal’s shifting tones.
Upstairs, a private dining room overlooks the main floor and the open kitchen, offering a secluded table for up to fourteen guests. In warmer months, an outdoor space extends the experience. The dining room itself feels calm and connected to the landscape, with natural light and clean lines.
AIRA’s two Michelin stars are a testament to the chefs’ unwavering focus on detail and seasonality. Every visit reflects the same philosophy: let the ingredient speak, but give it a voice worth listening to.
Recognition
Ambience
Details
History
Excellent cooking
It is an impressive undertaking. Tommy Myllymäki, backed by Svenska Brasserier, has brought to life a venue at Biskopsudden, set in beautiful surroundings with the gentle lapping of waves against the pier just outside the large entrance windows. Despite his extremely successful competitive career, he has never run a restaurant of this level of ambition. And a worse-timed opening would be hard to imagine: Aira opened its doors just as the rest of the world was closing theirs. But Tommy Myllymäki hardly won his victories without a fearless drive and a generous helping of sisu, and despite the pandemic climate, prices that induce a slight dizzy spell (at least on the à la carte menu), and a scarcity of big-spending out-of-towners, Aira is essentially fully booked every evening. It is truly a pity that international visitors haven’t had the chance to discover this place; a stronger sense of global sophistication and cool elegance is hard to find in the capital. From welcome to final bill, it is a highly pleasant and meticulously choreographed experience where neither the focused chefs in their tall toques nor the impeccably professional waitstaff in understated black miss a beat in their presentations or tweezering techniques.
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