With its unassuming exterior at the bustling intersection of Khyber Pass Rd and Symonds St, this hidden gem maintains an inexplicably low profile. But behind those gauzy curtains, you’ll find an ultra-chic dining room housing plush velvet banquettes against distressed industrial walls, a light-filled open kitchen and, most importantly, some truly breathtaking food. 

Lillius defies categorisation — a neighbourhood restaurant with a cult following (locals still pine for chef Fraser McCarthy’s legendary sourdough loaves available during the restaurant’s lockdown-era pivot to takeaway bread, and book in regularly for the Sunday steak menu with BYO option) that also delivers some of the best sophisticated, technique-driven fine dining in this city, in both à la carte and dégustation formats. If you’re in the mood for intricate fine-dining food without the stifling formality that ordinarily comes with it, Lillius beckons.

Throughout much of the past year, McCarthy has cooked alone in that open kitchen. The result is a welcome clarity of both concept and purpose: moodily presented dishes that are so, so satisfying. In late summer, we loved their meditation on chicken and sweetcorn presented in various forms: a deliciously battered fried wing, a shard of crisp skin, a perfectly clear, delicate broth. As winter set in, a dish of Fiordland wapiti, savoury oats and bitter leaves became the standout dish (among a collection of other stars, we might add). While you might be tempted to start filling up on the house-baked sourdough, it’s definitely worth pairing with the surprisingly addictive seaweed custard with shellfish and quinoa — a slice or two will nicely mop things up.