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Greek food is having a moment, and Windsor is about to score a pretty impressive new spot that’s billing itself as "mostly Greek”. That might sound a little ambiguous, but based on the team behind this place, we've got pretty high hopes. This summer, Melbourne hospitality heavyweight Simon Blacher (along with a killer team) is set to open Halo, a restaurant and bar bringing old-school taverna energy to a three-storey heritage building on Chapel Street – here’s what we know so far.
Opening this summer at 144 Chapel Street, the new venue will mark a return to Blacher’s hospo roots. After 14 years at the helm of Commune Group, the hospitality collective behind Melbourne favourites including Hanoi Hannah, Tokyo Tina, New Quarter, Moonhouse and Studio Amaro, Blacher is putting his energy into a single venue for the first time in more than a decade. And he won't be doing it alone. Joining him are Nick Vas and Greg Stanogias of Elia Greek Tavern, alongside head chef Evan Georgopoulos, whose previous experience includes Sydney's hot new neighbourhood fave Olympic Meats.
The food offering will be 'mostly Greek', drawing on the team's Melbourne and Mediterranean upbringing, with a focus on generous dishes designed to be shared. According to the team, we can expect cooked-to-order house-made pitas, seasonal mezze and dips, plus plenty of open-flame cooking, including skewers straight from the grill and gyro recipes informed by generations of Greek cooking.
For Georgopoulos, the approach is about keeping things simple and putting the people around the table first.
"Greek food has never been about precise technique or perfection, but rather an intense generosity coupled with a feel for ingredients," he says.
The drinks list will follow a similar Mediterranean theme, with table wines served in carafes and Martinis spiked with Kalamata olives.
And then there's the space itself. Housed inside a heritage-listed 1925 building, the three-storey space will feature a restaurant and bar, semi-private dining areas and a rooftop level – meaning plenty of room to accommodate everything from long lunches to late-night drinks.
Halo is set to open this spring/summer, with dinner service running Wednesday to Sunday and weekend lunches also on the cards. Keen? Us too. Stay tuned over here.