Burgers Meet Broadway

By Naperville Magazine
Appears in the April 2025 issue.

By Peter Gianopulos

Arthouse plays to the theater crowds in downtown Aurora

When Stolp Island Social served up its last dish in the spring of 2023, restaurateurs descended on the shuttered property at 5 E. Galena Blvd. in downtown Aurora, like bargain hunters storming the aisles on Black Friday. Why all the buzz? Location, location, location. The space borders the historic Paramount Theatre, guaranteeing a built-in audience of hungry theatergoers eager for pre- and postshow meals.

Concepts were pitched. Finances scrutinized. Business plans vetted. The victor? Chad Gravenites, who proposed the perfect concept to pair with a Broadway-worthy playhouse: a high-end burger spot, called Arthouse, which celebrates modern American comfort food and the power of art in all forms.

While the menu is the brainchild of chef Garret Schroeder, the soul of the place—the concept, decor, and overarching theme—are all Gravenites. Drawing from his background in film production, he has lined the walls with curios that reflect his artistic loves.

In fact, he has hidden so many Easter eggs in the space you’d think he was playing art director for the next Marvel movie. All of the record covers scattered across the space, from Etta James to the Beastie Boys, were curated from his personal collection. His movie posters, which pays homage to Gladiator, Heat, and Forrest Gump, represent some of his favorite films. He covered the back bar with plywood, an homage to the tan-colored plywood boxes that are a staple at every record store. And over the hostess stand, he added a framed picture of Chino Moreno, the lead singer of the Deftones, one of his favorite bands.

In short, he’s created a space that’s part art gallery, part pop-culture heaven.

Schroeder designed his menu to have universal appeal, intent on luring in families, theater lovers, and actors from next door. His appetizers (oysters, wings, bang bang shrimp) are gastropub classics, while his internationally inspired burger list is eclectic enough for a cameo at Cannes. There’s a Korean-style burgers slathered with Sriracha aïoli, kimchi, and Korean barbecue. A lamb number dressed with a sun-dried tomato chimichurri. And a full slate of upscale Americana burgers, from a Wild West option made with bison meat and Havarti to a peppercorn-crusted steakhouse offering made with dry-aged ground beef.

“I guess what we really wanted to prove was that a restaurant that serves burgers doesn’t have to be a burger joint; it can give off an artistic vibe,” Gravenites says. “My favorite compliment is when someone says to me, ‘It just feels good in here,’ because that’s the kind of welcoming vibe we were shooting for.”

Photos: Sloane Johnson @sloaneshotit