The Note for Aurora

Expect food that’ll make you ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ at fine-dining institution Aurora. Part of not-for-profit immersive art haven ILA (also home to The Lab and The Light Room), this restaurant has received countless rave reviews from critics since opening in 2021 (and garnered 13 Chef Hats from the Australian Good Food Guide) for good reason.

A purpose-built braai stands at the heart of Aurora’s open-plan kitchen – a fire-driven instrument from South Africa that delivers a toasted char to the ingredients that pass over its grill. The contemporary menu remains internationally skewed: think plates of Spencer Gulf prawns with muhammara and nduja, lamb served three ways with sage pesto and marsala gravy, and venison tartare with black garlic and crispy artichoke chips.

However, worldwide flavours are balanced by produce sourced from local suppliers and driven by South Australia’s seasons – an opportunity for Aurora to always evolve its offering, keep food miles low and retain its sustainable streak. This philosophy is further reflected in the restaurant’s wine list, where drops sourced from hard-to-find, small-batch vineyards in South Australia are the star of the show.

But this Light Square venue is more than its revered hospitality reputation. You can also dine here with the comfort that your five-star feed creates real-world change. The profits from Aurora are invested back into The ILA Foundation, a social enterprise dedicated to developing innovative and immersive spaces for independent creatives to experiment with light, art and technology.