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Ayara Thai & Sushi Cuisines
Authentic Thai & Japanese Specialties

Chef-Owners Ton and Noodle with Baby Grace

The interest in and demand for Southeast Asian cuisines has exploded nationwide, and St. Augustine is no different. One of the newest Southeast Asian eateries in the Oldest City is Ayara, located in the Uptown San Marco district. Suthinan “Ton” Chanbana and wife “Noodle”— the delightful couple who own and operate Ayara——are both professional chefs. “I learned authentic Thai cooking from my mother when I was young,” Ton explains. “And then I had the good fortune to marry an amazing chef!” Mentored by a fellow Thai native, Ton learned the restaurant business and honed his sushi-making skills working in his friend’s Thai and Japanese restaurants in Greater Miami for more than 12 years. During a trip home to Thailand, he met Noodle who was was working in a 5-star hotel in Thailand. Once they became a couple, it was only natural that they began planning their own restaurant.    They chose the name Ayara (elephant), as it is the national symbol of Thailand and elephants are regarded as a harbinger of good luck. 2019 brought many blessings to the couple: they welcomed a baby daughter in September and opened Ayara on December 30. “We love that even though St. Augustine is a small town, people from all over the world come here.” says Ton. “I believe the most important thing is life is sharing. The best part of having our own restaurant is being able to share one of the best parts of our culture with our guests and serve them like they are family.”

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140 San Marco Avenue • (904) 217-7781

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