Best Greek Restaurants in Melbourne (2026 Guide)

Melbourne is home to one of the largest Greek communities in the world outside of Athens — and it shows at the table. From late-night souvlaki institutions that have fed generations of Melburnians to refined modern Greek kitchens reinterpreting Hellenic classics, and from the buzzing tavernas of Oakleigh's 'Little Athens' precinct to the fireplace-centred dining rooms of the inner west, the city's Greek food scene is extraordinary. I've eaten my way through a good portion of it, and here are the restaurants I keep returning to and recommending.

Restaurant	Suburb	Best For
Astoria Bar Ke Grill	South Yarra	Refined modern Greek, share plates, date night
Kafeneion	CBD	Homestyle Greek, late-night supper, unique dishes
Eleni's Kitchen and Bar	Yarraville	Lamb kleftiko, family legacy, Greek banquets
Tzaki	Yarraville	Woodfire cooking, intimate experience, modern Greek
Jim's Greek Tavern	Collingwood	Melbourne institution, no-menu BYO, authentic feast
Bahari	Richmond	Family dining, tender lamb, institution
Stalactites	CBD	24-hour souvlaki, late night, iconic cave ceiling
Taverna	Brunswick East	Trendy Athenian taverna, spit roast, nostalgia
Kalimera Souvlaki Art	Oakleigh	Best souvlaki, Little Athens precinct
Vanilla Lounge	Oakleigh	Saganaki, lamb skewers, large groups, Oakleigh
Olympia	Oakleigh	Rooftop bar, drinks, lively atmosphere

Jump to: Astoria | Kafeneion | Eleni's | Tzaki | Jim's | Bahari | Stalactites | Taverna | Kalimera | Vanilla Lounge | Olympia | FAQ

1. Astoria Bar Ke Grill — South Yarra

Best for: Refined modern Greek | Share plates | Date night | Special occasion

Nestled on Toorak Road in South Yarra, Astoria Bar Ke Grill occupies a charming Victorian terrace built in 1895, its inviting two-tiered front terrace setting the tone for an experience that beautifully balances tradition and modernity. This is one of Melbourne's most accomplished Greek restaurants, and a visit leaves you in no doubt why.

The driving force behind Astoria is Nik — a hospitality professional with over 35 years in the industry, including celebrated stints at Grossi Florentino, Attica, and Vue de Monde. His warmth, charm and encyclopedic knowledge of service are immediately apparent, and they set the tone for the whole room. In the kitchen, chef Jason Lear brings his own stellar pedigree (Matteo's, Pilu, Grossi Florentino) to a menu that is simultaneously rooted in Greek classics and subtly reimagined for a contemporary Melbourne audience.

The flexibility of Astoria's menu is its secret weapon. Dishes are made to share, and you could easily drop in for a glass of Adelaide Hills Prosecco and a few snacks — think tangy pickled octopus, a smoky eggplant dip with standout house-made flatbread, prawns with a deeply compelling sauce, a fresh and zesty kingfish dish, or golden spanakopita parcels that make you wonder why you'd ever eat spanakopita anywhere else.

Other highlights include chicken skewers that redefine simplicity, a rustic and rich osso buco with feta-accented kritharaki, and seared snapper with mussels and avgolemono — a testament to Lear's seasonal approach. The Greek wine list is worth exploring, and there are cocktails with a Hellenic twist that earn their place on the menu. Whether you're dropping in for a quick bite on the terrace or settling in for a long, leisurely dinner, Astoria delivers.

Address	Toorak Road, South Yarra
Visited by TWLM	Yes ✓
Must Order	House-made flatbread & eggplant dip, osso buco with kritharaki, spanakopita, kingfish
Vibe	Elegant terrace, warm service, refined but relaxed

2. Kafeneion — CBD (Melbourne Supper Club)

Best for: Homestyle Greek | Late night supper | Unique off-menu dishes | CBD dining

Tucked upstairs in the Melbourne Supper Club building on Spring Street, Kafeneion (a play on the Greek term for a traditional coffee house) is one of Melbourne's most distinctive dining experiences. The taverna-style setting — think basic white tablecloths and the Supper Club's warmly panelled wood interior — creates a space that's easy to imagine merrily occupying well past dinner, as the Athenians do. And you can: it serves supper and drinks most nights until late.

The food is homestyle Greek in the truest sense — authentic village recipes that you're unlikely to find outside of the Hellenic motherland. We visited and came away with a very long list of favourites. The whipped cod roe is an absolute must-order — silky, balanced and beautifully presented. The fried meatballs are extraordinary comfort food: crisp outside, tender within, deeply flavoured. Don't miss the olive oil hand-cut chips, which are in a league of their own.

Kafeneion rewards those who commit to the full experience. The tender lamb cooked with potatoes and wild oregano is an exercise in patience and flavour, and the Greek chicken pasta is a genuine highlight — simple on the surface, deeply satisfying in practice. The orange filo cake is a must for dessert: flaky, fragrant and unlike anything on a standard menu. And if you're in late, seek out the Lamb Offal Soup, a unique dish served after 10pm that speaks to Kafeneion's commitment to genuine Greek tradition rather than crowd-pleasing approximations of it.

Address	Spring Street, Melbourne CBD (upstairs at Melbourne Supper Club)
Visited by TWLM	Yes ✓
Must Order	Whipped cod roe, fried meatballs, olive oil hand-cut chips, orange filo cake, lamb with wild oregano
Late Night	Lamb Offal Soup served after 10pm
Vibe	Taverna warmth, Supper Club setting, convivial and unhurried

3. Eleni's Kitchen and Bar — Yarraville

Best for: Lamb kleftiko | Greek banquet dining | Family culinary legacy | West Melbourne destination

Melbourne's culinary scene never ceases to amaze, and Eleni's Kitchen + Bar in Yarraville is one of those places that reminds you why. Situated on Anderson Street, this is the flagship of a remarkable 54-year family culinary legacy in Melbourne's west — a story now in the hands of Eleftheria Thierry Amanatidis, a 28-year-old Greek-Australian chef and restaurateur who is redefining what her family built while honouring every layer of it.

I was privileged to attend the launch of Ela na Fáme! (Come and Eat), a celebration of Thierry's debut cookbook — a heartfelt tribute to three generations of strong Greek women from the Amanatidis family. The evening began with the Asteri Cocktail, a refreshing blend of vodka, mint, lime and dry ginger (with a mocktail option equally delightful), and progressed through a four-course Greek banquet that showcased everything Thierry can do.

The undisputed highlight was the Lamb Kleftiko. Slow-cooked for four hours inside a paper dome, this "stolen lamb" emerged tender, juicy and perfumed with vegetable flavours. The dramatic unveiling of the dome drew gasps from the room — and the taste matched the spectacle entirely. Pure magic. Dessert brought Rizogalo, a creamy Greek rice pudding that ended the meal on a sweet, nostalgic note. Greek red wine, beer and soft drinks flowed freely throughout.

Thierry leads three Yarraville businesses: Eleni's Kitchen + Bar, Jimmy's Deli (home to the legendary half-kilo New Yorker Pastrami sandwich) and Cakes by Thierry. Her family's culinary presence in Melbourne dates to 1971, shaping the suburb's multicultural dining identity through cafés, restaurants and even a butcher shop run by her uncle. Eleni's is a place of genuine heart and exceptional cooking — a must-visit for anyone who cares about Melbourne food stories.

Address	Anderson Street, Yarraville
Visited by TWLM	Yes ✓
Must Order	Lamb Kleftiko, Rizogalo, Asteri Cocktail
Vibe	Family legacy, vibrant, heartfelt Greek hospitality

4. Tzaki — Yarraville

Best for: Woodfire cooking | Intimate dining experience | Modern Greek | Inner west

Tzaki translates to "fireplace" in Greek, and the name is no metaphor — this Yarraville restaurant on Ballarat Street is centred on a blazing hearth that chef-owner Alex Xinis uses to prepare nearly every dish on the menu. Fifteen diners sit around him and watch as he roasts octopus and smokes saganaki over the wood fire, creating an experience that is part theatre, part masterclass and entirely memorable.

The menu is concise, with a balanced mix of vegetable and meat-forward dishes that change with the seasons. Xinis, formerly of Michelin-starred The Funky Gourmet in Athens, brings a serious culinary sensibility to ingredients that speak for themselves when treated with this kind of care and fire. The weekly-changing menu might feature blistered flatbread with whipped feta butter, wood-roasted octopus, or standout burnt feta cheesecake. The allure of that blistered flatbread alone is enough to draw visitors from across Melbourne.

Tzaki sits in the same Yarraville precinct as Eleni's and is part of what makes the inner west one of Melbourne's most exciting Greek dining destinations right now. Bookings are essential — with only 15 seats around the fire, this is an intimate experience that gets snapped up quickly.

Address	31 Ballarat Street, Yarraville
Must Order	Blistered flatbread, wood-roasted octopus, smoked saganaki
Seats	15 (bookings essential)
Vibe	Intimate, theatrical, fireplace-centred, modern Greek

5. Jim's Greek Tavern — Collingwood

Best for: Melbourne institution | No-menu BYO | Traditional feast | Groups

Generations of Melbourne diners have spent a night at Jim's Greek Tavern in Collingwood — it is, in the truest sense, a rite of passage. If you haven't been, add it to your list immediately. If you have, you already understand the pull.

Jim's operates on a model that would confuse anyone expecting the usual restaurant conventions: there is no menu, no prices listed, and portions are generous in the way only a place with complete confidence in its food can afford to be. You tell the team what you like, and they curate a spread for you. It's bustling, noisy and sometimes wonderfully confusing — and the food has kept people coming back for decades. It is BYO with no corkage, which makes a feast here remarkable value.

The authenticity here is not curated or performed — it's the real thing. Jim's is one of those Melbourne restaurants that exists on its own terms, unbothered by trends, and is all the better for it. Go with a group, bring good wine, and surrender to the experience.

Location	Collingwood
Format	No menu, no prices, chef's curated spread
BYO	Yes, no corkage
Vibe	Lively, authentic, Melbourne institution

6. Bahari — Richmond

Best for: Family dining | Tender lamb | Long-standing institution | Richmond locals

Bahari in Richmond is another Melbourne Greek institution, and one that our family has returned to several times over the years. There's a reason it endures: the cooking is consistent, generous and deeply satisfying in that specific way that only a well-run family-owned Greek restaurant can be.

The lamb — fall-off-the-bone tender, properly seasoned — is the dish that keeps us coming back. It's the kind of slow cooking that can't be rushed or faked, and Bahari gets it right every time. The menu covers the full range of Greek classics, the service is warm and unhurried, and the room has the comfortable familiarity of somewhere that knows its regulars well. If you're in Richmond and craving honest Greek food, Bahari is the answer.

Location	Richmond
Visited by TWLM	Yes ✓ (multiple visits)
Must Order	Tender lamb
Vibe	Family-friendly, warm, consistent and welcoming

7. Stalactites — CBD

Best for: 24-hour souvlaki | Melbourne institution | Late night | Tourists and locals alike

Stalactites has been feeding Melbourne since 1978, and its combination of genuine stalactites draped across the cave-like ceiling, legendary souvlaki, and 24-hour opening hours has made it one of the city's most recognisable dining experiences. We've been a number of times over the years, and it delivers consistently on exactly what it promises: good, honest Greek food at any hour of the day or night.

The souvlaki is the thing — properly made, generous, satisfying in the way that only a late-night souvlaki eaten at 1am after a big evening out can be. The gyros and giro share platters (lamb, chicken, mixed meat or veggie fritters) are perennial favourites, and the spit-roasted meats are done with the confidence of a kitchen that has been doing this for over four decades. Start with pita and dips, order broadly, and embrace the lively room. There's usually a queue on weekend evenings, but turnover is quick.

Location	Melbourne CBD
Hours	Open 24 hours
Visited by TWLM	Yes ✓ (multiple visits)
Must Order	Souvlaki, giro share platter, pita and dips
Vibe	Iconic cave ceiling, fast-paced, lively, late-night Melbourne

8. Taverna — Brunswick East

Best for: Athenian taverna atmosphere | Spit roast | Wood-fired fish | Nostalgia with a modern edge

Taverna on Lygon Street in Brunswick East is a love letter to the Greek taverna experience — spirited, convivial, generous, and rooted in the kind of cooking that makes you feel connected to something larger than a single meal. Opened by restaurateur Angie Giannakodakis (of Epocha and Press Club fame), it occupies the site of George Calombaris's original Hellenic Republic and has become an instant hit with Greek food lovers since opening.

The menu is deeply personal to Giannakodakis, who draws on the flavours of her mother's kitchen and her time living in Athens to bring a genuinely Athenian sensibility to Brunswick East. There's a nuance of nostalgia to everything here, but it never feels dusty. The moussaka is a standout — properly layered and richly flavoured. Stuffed vine leaves, flaming saganaki, and spit roast are crowd favourites, while wood-fired fish and slow-cooked lamb shoulder speak to the kitchen's commitment to doing things properly. A trendy venue with real substance.

Address	434 Lygon Street, Brunswick East
Must Order	Moussaka, spit roast, wood-fired fish, slow-cooked lamb shoulder, stuffed vine leaves
Vibe	Lively, Athenian-inspired, nostalgic warmth with modern energy

9. Kalimera Souvlaki Art — Oakleigh

Best for: Exceptional souvlaki | Little Athens precinct | Authentic Oakleigh Greek experience

No guide to Greek restaurants in Melbourne is complete without Oakleigh, and no guide to Oakleigh is complete without Kalimera Souvlaki Art. The suburb's pedestrianised Eaton Mall and surrounding Chester Street form what's rightly called Melbourne's 'Little Athens' — a buzzing Greek precinct where families gather over shared platters, friends catch up over frappes, and the scent of chargrilled meat hangs pleasantly in the air.

Kalimera is a standout in this precinct. Their souvlaki — house-made pita, succulent gyros, fresh tomato, and a garlicky tzatziki with a paprika kick — has earned serious admirers. The quality here is the kind that attracts fellow chefs and food professionals who know what to look for in a souvlaki. Part of what makes Oakleigh so special is places like Kalimera: unpretentious, skilled, and completely committed to doing one thing exceptionally well.

Location	Oakleigh (Little Athens precinct)
Must Order	Souvlaki with house-made pita
Vibe	Casual, authentic, local institution

10. Vanilla Lounge — Oakleigh

Best for: Saganaki | Lamb skewers | Large groups | Oakleigh Greek dining

Also in Oakleigh's Greek restaurant belt, Vanilla Lounge is a large bi-level restaurant that has built a loyal following for its reliable, enjoyable Greek cooking and warm, attentive service. We visited and were impressed by the saganaki — perfectly executed, flaming tableside, with that satisfying crust — along with excellent lamb skewers, calamari done with care, and a Greek omelette that made a case for itself as a genuinely satisfying dish in its own right.

The service here is notably good — friendly, engaged and efficient even when the room is full, which it often is. Vanilla Lounge handles groups well and has the space and the energy for a big table celebration. It's one of those restaurants that strikes the right balance between approachable and genuinely accomplished — a popular destination for good reason.

Location	Oakleigh
Visited by TWLM	Yes ✓
Must Order	Saganaki, lamb skewers, calamari, Greek omelette
Vibe	Bi-level, popular, great for groups, warm service

11. Olympia — Oakleigh

Best for: Rooftop bar | Drinks in the Greek precinct | Lively atmosphere | Oakleigh nights out

Rounding out the Oakleigh trio, Olympia is a popular rooftop bar that brings a buzzing energy to Melbourne's Little Athens precinct. It's a natural fit for the suburb — a place to extend the evening after dinner at Kalimera or Vanilla Lounge, or simply to arrive for drinks and settle into the Oakleigh atmosphere that makes this neighbourhood so special. The rooftop format suits the area perfectly, giving drinkers a perch above the Greek restaurant belt while the precinct hums below.

Frequently Asked Questions: Greek Restaurants in Melbourne

What is the best Greek restaurant in Melbourne?

Melbourne has outstanding options at every level. Eleni's Kitchen and Bar has so much soul and delivers a generous, quality and fun dining experience. Astoria Bar Ke Grill in South Yarra offers refined, seasonal Greek cooking in a beautiful Victorian terrace setting. For homestyle comfort food, Kafeneion in the CBD is a personal favourite. Stalactites and Jim's Greek Tavern are enduring Melbourne institutions that have fed generations of diners.

Where is the Greek precinct in Melbourne?

Oakleigh in Melbourne's southeast is often called 'Little Athens'. The pedestrianised Eaton Mall and surrounding Chester Street are packed with Greek tavernas, souvlaki bars, bakeries and cafes. It's a must-visit destination for anyone who wants to experience Melbourne's Greek food culture at its most concentrated and authentic.

What are the best Greek restaurants in Oakleigh Melbourne?

Kalimera Souvlaki Art is a standout in Oakleigh's Greek restaurant belt, known for exceptional souvlaki. Vanilla Lounge is popular for its saganaki, lamb skewers and calamari. Olympia is a lively rooftop bar that draws crowds to the precinct, making it ideal for extending the evening.

What should I order at a Greek restaurant in Melbourne?

Must-try dishes include saganaki, spanakopita, taramasalata, slow-cooked lamb and grilled octopus. At Kafeneion, the whipped cod roe and fried meatballs are essential. At Astoria, the house-made flatbread with smoky eggplant dip and osso buco with kritharaki are highlights. For a definitive souvlaki, head to Stalactites or Kalimera Souvlaki Art in Oakleigh.

Is Stalactites open 24 hours?

Yes, Stalactites in Melbourne's CBD is open 24 hours and has been a late-night institution since 1978. It's famous for its souvlaki, spit-roasted meats and its iconic stalactite-covered cave ceiling. It's a Melbourne experience in itself.

What is Jim's Greek Tavern known for?

Jim's Greek Tavern in Collingwood is a Melbourne institution known for its no-menu, no-prices format — you tell the team what you like and they curate a feast. It's BYO with no corkage, bustling and wonderfully authentic. Go with a group and bring good wine.

Which Greek restaurants in Melbourne are good for families?

Bahari in Richmond is a long-standing family favourite. Vanilla Lounge in Oakleigh handles large groups and families well. Stalactites is welcoming to families and its 24-hour format and extensive kids' menu make it a reliable choice at any hour. Eleni's Kitchen and Bar in Yarraville also has a warm, inclusive atmosphere ideal for family dining.

What makes Melbourne's Greek restaurant scene special?

Melbourne is home to one of the largest Greek communities in the world outside of Greece itself. Greek immigration to Melbourne dates back to the gold rush era of the 1850s, with major waves arriving in the 1960s and 1970s. That deep cultural presence has created a Greek dining scene of extraordinary range and authenticity — from 50-year family legacies in Yarraville to woodfire-centred modern Greek restaurants and 24-hour CBD souvlaki institutions. The food reflects genuine heritage, not approximation.

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