Coming Soon: Yarraville's TZAKI Will Be a Takeaway Cafe by Day and Contemporary Athenian Meze Bar by Night

When thinking about Greek restaurants in Melbourne, many of us tend to focus on the old-school tavernas that err on the family-friendly side of Greek dining. We're all for these diners, but we want to see more contemporary spots in the city, too.

We've watched Melbourne's Italian and Japanese restaurant scenes grow en masse in recent years, covering a variety of price ranges and regions. But Melbourne's Greek scene is still a little behind.

That's why we're so pumped to see what comes of Alex Xinis' (ex-The Press Club and Hellenic Republic) new Athenian all-day diner TZAKI, which is set to open sometime in May.

He's bringing modern Athens to Yarraville, focusing on woodfired grub. For breakfast and lunch, pastries like the classic bougatsa and lagana bread with seasonal toppings will stream out of the oven and fill the cabinet. Upon opening, these options will only be available from the grab-and-go window.

Come dinner, the space will fully open up — with a mere 16 seats inside and 15 outside. This will be a mostly meze affair, with lots of small sharing dishes rolling out of the kitchen. Hung, dried and wood-roasted Aussie octopus and red mullet served with braised chickpeas and crusty bread are just a couple of the dishes we can expect to find in the evenings.

When the meze bar opens for dinner, Greek and international wines will accompany the food. Mediterranean beers, ouzo and tsipouro will also make an appearance — as they should at any Greek diner.

Even though visitors can only enter TZAKI in the evenings, a whole lot of love has gone into the design. Xinis has brought In Addition Studio on board to create a contemporary space that combines Athens' unique urban feel with the warm and inviting atmosphere of Greek hospitality.

This is achieved by using a whole host of finishes. Think galvanised steel, reclaimed timber and mosaic tiles in various sizes and hues — focusing on red and orange to reflect TZAKI's flame-kissed offerings.

If this new spot is a success, it will be yet another reason to visit the burgeoning Yarraville, which has become a proper dining destination out in Melbourne's west.

TZAKI is set to open in late April at 31 Ballarat Street, Yarraville. It will be open at 7am–3pm on Monday and Tuesday, 7am–late from Wednesday to Saturday and 7am–6pm on Sunday. For more information, check out the venue's website.