Meet Fraser and Shannon McCarthy, the husband and wife team behind Lillius. They’ve been working side by side in the industry since 2009, bringing their shared love of food and hospitality to life by opening their own restaurant in 2017.
Lillius, named after a meaningful family connection, reflects their creativity, passion, and dedication to showcasing New Zealand’s finest seasonal produce. They designed and sourced the interior at Lillius and have created a space uniquely their own.

Both trained as chefs, honing their skills in top New Zealand kitchens before working as private chefs in France. Fraser and Shannon now run the kitchen together, as a small team of 2 with inventive, produce-driven menus.

Both play vital roles behind the scenes, shaping the restaurant’s vision and keeping things running smoothly. The front of house is now run by Benjamin Walls since 2022, when Fraser and Shannon had their son Jack and daughter Ava.
The Lillius Team is small but warm and welcoming, creating an experience for any occasion.

Lillius has earned widespread recognition, including winning Metro’s Best Fine Dining Restaurant in 2022. Since opening in 2017 Lillius has maintained a constant level of high quality dining, which shows in their 2 Hats awarded by Cuisine Good Food Awards and numerous runner-up spots in The Metro Restaurant of the Year Awards. Featuring each year in Metro’s Top 50 Restaurants, and Cuisines Top 100 New Zealand Restaurants and known for its sustainable approach to seasonality, the restaurant has established itself as one of Auckland’s premier dining destinations.