Akti, a gorgeous new Greek restaurant by the family-owned-and-operated Sydney Restaurant Group – who are behind waterfront spots Aqua Dining, Ormeggio at The Spit, Sails, Ripples Chowder Bay and more – is now open on Woolloomooloo Finger Wharf. The harbourside diner, which has taken over the space previously occupied by seafood restaurant Manta, celebrates the Drakopoulos family’s heritage, serving up the flavours of Greece with a modern spin.
Akti joins a slew of new Greek restaurants to open in Sydney of late (hello, Olympus, Olympic Meats and Ammos) – proving our love of creamy taramasalata, fresh, crunchy horiatiki and caramelised, slow-roasted lamb shoulder is showing no signs of slowing down.
Founder of Sydney Restaurant Group, Bill Drakopoulos, says: “Akti brings new energy to a space as quintessentially Sydney as the harbourside Finger Wharf, which is heritage-listed and significantly where many Greek migrants first arrived by steamship in the 1950s.
“We are paying homage to this shared heritage, with the new venue embodying the Greek tradition of filoxenia – wholehearted hospitality,” he adds.
Leading the kitchen at Akti is Ntinos Fotinakis, who comes from Bungalow7 in Athens, as well as head chef Robert Judd, who’s worked at Hellenika at The Calile, as well as SK Steak & Oyster.
Begin with soft, handmade pita alongside Kalamata olives, fava, tarama, tzatziki and melitzanosalata (a smoky eggplant and garlic dip), as well as moussaka croquettes, and saganaki with smoked lemon and oregano. More substantial dishes include grilled king prawns with gremolata and lemon; lamb shoulder with chimichurri; and pork belly souvlaki with yoghurt and pita. For dessert, a riff on galaktoboureko sees thin, crisp pastry layered with creamy milk custard into a showstopping delight.
The drinks menu features hard-to-find Greek wines, as well as innovative and well-balanced cocktails crafted by Nicola Drakopoulos – like the Meet Me at Akti, made with Aperol, Limoncello, clarified guava and pistachio, and Kalimera, Baby, a tzatziki-inspired drink with dill vodka, pepper vodka, cucumber, mint and Greek yoghurt. Martini lovers should try Before 9, a savoury tipple with EVOO fat-washed vodka, clarified celery, cherry tomato, Kalamata olives and spices.
Forget the whitewashed walls of Greek homes – Akti evokes the warm glow of an Aegean sunset, decked out in soft peaches, pinks and yellows, with the design overseen by Perry Drakopoulos. Plush seats, coastal-kitsch trinkets and beautiful lamps inject colour and life into the space. Chic white umbrellas provide shade for sun-soaked lunches, and we’re a big fan of the small bar area that’s perfect for casual drop-ins.
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