If we were to rank Melbourne’s most talked-about restaurants by frequency of mention last year, Kafeneion would surely land in the top five. The tragic thing was, this interesting new Greek eatery from acclaimed restaurateur Con Christopoulos (City Wine Shop, The European, Siglo) initially advertised itself as a winter pop-up. So we didn’t know if it would stay or leave or where it would move to next – if anywhere. Given its widespread praise, I was a little embarrassed that I personally hadn’t checked out its temporary Bourke Street location. So news that the homestyle diner was living on upstairs at Spring Street’s Melbourne Supper Club was a relief.
Kafeneion (a play on the Greek term ‘kafeneio’, which refers to a traditional coffee house) aims to serve Melburnians a taste of true, traditional Greek comfort food. Think homestyle soups and hearty meat and vegetable dishes made from authentic village recipes you’re unlikely to find outside of the Hellenic motherland. The place itself has a touch of taverna about it, too, with basic white tablecloths and Supper Club’s home-y wood panelling. It’s easy to imagine merrily hanging out here until long after dinner as the Athenians do – and you absolutely can, for it serves supper and drinks most nights until 3am.
But it’s just after work that a friend and I have blown in from the cold. The pallid, overcast sky in the CBD is only beginning to darken, and after a long, busy day, we’re in need of something comforting to eat.
The wine list is the first to land on our table, an interesting read for anyone less familiar with Greek drops than the nation’s Western European neighbours. From the Peloponnese region to Santorini and beyond, there’s a breadth of dry, floral and citrus-leaning varietals, ideal chasers for the traditional olive oil-rich braises – a cooking style known in Greek as ‘ladera’ – that Kafeneion is lauded for.
Our sprightly hostess, a consummate professional, is well-versed in both the drinks and food and kindly assists with our choices. True to the restaurant’s communal ethos (the menu encourages sharing), you can get wine by the carafe but we’ve started with a glass each instead: a 2022 rosé from the Nemea winemaker Gai’a. It’s made from agiorgitiko, a type of Greek red grape, and Gai’a is known for producing some of its finest expressions.
It's strange that mere moments earlier, I was wedged in a busy, brightly lit tram, squinting at work emails on my phone. Such is the transportative magic of Kafeneion and its lively Greek music and hospitality, we are now on holiday (if only for a few hours).
We gleefully plough into our plate of salty whipped cod roe (tarama) with thick hunks of village bread and swirl ouzo-cured slivers of kingfish on our tongues. I’m glad to be diving headlong into a mastika sour cocktail, for its rejuvenating, zesty tang is a wild but epic pairing with the feta-topped loukaniko sausage special that's come our way.
Loukaniko is a traditional Greek pork and beef sausage, made with herbs, lots of garlic and smoke. If this dish is still available when you visit, do yourself a favour and order it – it’s one of the best things I’ve tasted all year.
My friend isn’t sure exactly what she wants for a cocktail, so the waitress couriers this message to the bar along with her taste preferences. We’re promptly given something called a peach and pomegranate Daisy, a beautifully balanced drop, as is the fruity Olly’s Pommy I order next. Both drinks easily reach cocktail bar levels of wow, thanks to a bartender who’s adaptive and game enough to be spontaneous.
The superstars of our feast are the meat-heavy mains, of course. Cassis-like and onion aromas float heavenward from a Greek chicken pasta dish that’s been delivered straight from the heat, its tomatoey sauce blending seductively with the juice of chicken thighs. Another dish of tender lamb has been cooked with potatoes and wild oregano. It’s rustic, straightforward and on a chilly night, exactly what we crave.
Lidded by a massive square of feta, the Greek village salad is an excellent accompaniment for both meat dishes, bursting with plump olives, red onion slivers, cucumber and tomatoes. I do sometimes yearn for European tomatoes which have a much richer, sweeter taste, but until I can get flights to a Greek island, these are just fine by me.
An orange filo cake – otherwise known in Greek as portokalopita – seems fitting for dessert to round out what has been such an authentic, heartwarming meal. Its nectarous, orange syrup-infused sponge is based on a recipe from the co-owner’s friend’s mother, we’re told.
Ah, so this is real yiayia food we’re tasting. We could have guessed as much. But this sense of provenance is only just one part of the trifecta that makes up Kafeneion's winning recipe. There's also genuine service and a friendly atmosphere, ingredients which make you want to stay and kick on with the rest of the village.
There’s an old Greek proverb: “Where you hear many cherries, keep a small basket.” It’s a warning that when you hear lots of good things, expecting too much could lead to disappointment. While this is wise, the great thing about Melbourne is that great promise can and usually does bear great fruit. Kafeneion is a glowing example.
Time Out Melbourne never writes starred reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills for reviews so that readers can trust our critique.
