Say yasou to Homer Rogue Taverna – Cronulla’s newest 100-seat Athenian restaurant and wine bar from local legends Harry and Mario Kapoulas (yep, the brothers behind HAM café). Fresh from a culinary journey through Athens (we’re sensing parallels to Homer’s The Odyssey), they’ve brought back the Greek capital’s culture and flavour to The Shire – minus the Mykonos clichés.
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Homer is gritty, grungy and gloriously unpolished – hence the ‘rogue’ in its name. The fitout is deliberately unpretentious; we’re talking industrial concrete, mid-century chairs, a graffitied wall and a glorious three-metre wine fridge you’re encouraged to explore yourself. The music is a vibe – you might even find a bouzouki player meandering between tables.
The food? Made to share. Head chef Kirri Mouat (ex-Icebergs) and chef James Watson have eschewed fine-dining fare in favour of a menu full of Athenian attitude. There’s charcoal-roasted chicken souvla, spanakopita, hand-rolled dolmades, saganaki flatbreads and family recipes like Mum’s moussaka.
Feeling adventurous? Try the koulouri sesame (Greek bagel) with tirokafteri dip, the beef stifado (stew) wrapped in crisp chicken skin to resemble a cigar, or baked manouri cheese in kataifi pastry drizzled with hot honey. Yep, that custom-built wood-fire oven is working overtime.
To drink, there’s Greek coffee, ouzo and mini Martinis. The wine list has a good balance of Greek and Australian drops, with Greek varietals like savatiano served by the glass or carafe. They’ve also teamed up with Young Henrys to brew their exclusive Homer’s Epic Lager.
At Homer, bookings are recommended – but walk-ins are welcome. So, breeze in from the beach, share a few plates, sip on something spirited – and relax. As owner Harry puts it, “At its heart, it’s about people coming together for a good time, good food and good drinks, with an atmosphere that reflects that.”
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