An Evening Worth Slowing Down For
Seven courses, one room, and a kitchen that treats every plate like the last word.
A Tasting Menu, Nine Years in the Making
Aureum began in 2017 with a single idea: that a great meal should feel like a story told in courses. Chef Lena Voss trained in the kitchens of Copenhagen and New York before opening Aureum on Kinzie Street, where the menu changes with the seasons and nothing leaves the pass that hasn't earned its place.
We keep the room small on purpose. Forty seats, one tasting menu each evening, and a team that remembers your name. The result is dinner that unfolds slowly — the way the best evenings always do.
- ✓A new seven-course menu each season
- ✓Produce from Midwest farms we know by name
- ✓A cellar of 300+ Old and New World labels
- ✓Forty seats, one unforgettable evening
Why Chicago Saves the Occasion for Us
Nine years of doing the small things perfectly — because at this level, the small things are everything.
A Seasonal Tasting Menu
Seven courses that change with the harvest, each one composed to lead into the next.
An Award-Winning Cellar
Over 300 labels and a sommelier who pairs by the glass, not by the rulebook.
A Counter Into the Kitchen
Eight seats at the pass, where the courses are finished and explained in front of you.
Farm-to-Table, Truly
We source from growers we visit ourselves and build the menu around what's best that week.
Service Without Stuffiness
Polished, attentive, and genuinely warm — the kind that makes a special night feel easy.
Pairings That Surprise
Optional wine, sake, and zero-proof pairings matched to every course on the menu.
The seven-course menu is served Wednesday to Sunday. Reserve your evening at Aureum.
What an Evening at Aureum Feels Like
From the first glass to the last bite, the night is designed to unfold.
1You're Welcomed, Not Seated
A glass of something cold, your coats taken, and the unhurried sense that the evening is yours.
2The Menu Begins to Tell Its Story
Seven courses arrive in sequence, each one introduced, each one building on the last.
3The Pairings Find You
Our sommelier matches each course — wine, sake, or zero-proof — with a story behind every pour.
4You Leave Already Planning to Return
Coffee, a last small sweet, and the quiet certainty that you'll be booking again.
A Feast for Every Sense
Eight Seats. The Best One in the House.
For the full experience, reserve a seat at the chef's counter. Eight guests, an unobstructed view of the pass, and an extended menu with courses finished and explained in front of you by the team that made them. It's the closest you'll get to dinner inside the kitchen — and the first thing to sell out each week.
- ✓An extended chef's-counter tasting menu
- ✓Courses finished and explained tableside
- ✓Optional wine, sake & zero-proof pairings
- ✓Best reserved two to three weeks ahead
What Chicago is Saying
The tasting menu was the finest meal we've had in Chicago, full stop. Each course was a small piece of theatre, and the wine pairings were faultless. Aureum is special.
We booked the chef's counter for our anniversary and watched the entire kitchen at work. Intimate, precise, and genuinely warm. Worth every penny.
Impeccable service without a trace of stuffiness. The sommelier guided us through pairings we'd never have chosen ourselves, and every one was perfect.
Before You Join Us
Is the menu a set tasting menu?
Yes. Aureum serves a single seven-course tasting menu each evening, with an extended menu at the chef's counter. We're happy to adapt for dietary needs with advance notice.
Do you offer wine pairings?
We do — optional wine, sake, and zero-proof pairings are matched to every course by our sommelier. You can also order by the glass or bottle from a cellar of 300+ labels.
Can you accommodate dietary restrictions?
Absolutely. Vegetarian, gluten-free, and most allergies can be accommodated with at least 48 hours' notice — just tell us when you book.
How far ahead should I reserve?
Dining-room tables open four weeks out and weekends fill quickly. The chef's counter is best booked two to three weeks ahead.
Is there a dress code?
Smart elegant. There's no jacket requirement, but most guests dress for the occasion — it's that kind of evening.
Where are you located and is there parking?
We're at 118 W Kinzie St in River North. Valet is available at the door, with several public garages a short walk away.
Reserve an Evening at Aureum
Dinner Wednesday to Sunday, 5:30pm-10:30pm. Tables open four weeks ahead — weekends fill fast.
Reserve Your Table
Tell us when you'd like to join us and we'll confirm your booking shortly.