Zeus Street Greek Opens with Free Souvla

Greek street food fans have reason to throw down a solid jig in the inner west today, with the opening of Drummoyne's Zeus Street Greek.

Founded by a patriotic team of first generation Hellenic Australians (a formidable collaboration between the team behind Crust Gourmet Pizza and Pony Dining Group), Zeus is modernising souvlaki for the contemporary Greek food lover. Armed with traditional recipes and cooking methods passed down through five generations, Zeus are set to serve up Mirool Creek lamb cooked ‘kontosouvli' — a traditional skewer-grilled Cypriot method resulting geared for a little tenderness.

"The inspiration for Zeus was to give Sydneysiders an innovative food experience that incorporates the founders’ passion for Hellenic food, culture and tradition," say the Zeus team, who plan to open more instalments in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. "Zeus pays homage to the 'God of hospitality' and the Greek custom of filoxenia or 'showing hospitality to all'. Renowned in Greek culture filoxenia translates to everyone being welcome in a Hellenic house where there is always food and wine to be shared whether it’s with old friends or new."

Savoury street-style splendour at Zeus comes dine-in, takeaway or delivered to your Drummoyne doorstep. The eponymous house specialty, The Zeus, is set to be a Greek street food staple worth crossing the city for — slow-cooked lamb with Aegean slaw, smoked eggplant, onion and parsley in fresh pita. Theres the Uncle 'Tzimmy' Classic, with chargrilled lamb, pork or chicken with tomato, tzatziki, onion, paprika in pita (with the all-important chips) and ancient grain salads and mezze dishes for vegetarians (think marinated olives, spanakopita and the salty, salty monarch of Greek food — halloumi). Then for dessert, smoosh your face into Zeus' fig and cinnamon rizogalo. Going hungry isn't an option at Zeus.

"When a Greek family hosts you, you’re treated like a guest of honour whether they’ve known you your whole life or you’ve just met that day," says the Zeus team. "Greeks welcome everyone with open arms and make sure that you don’t go hungry while you’re a guest of theirs. It’s this feeling of being welcomed in to the extended family that is brought to life when people drop in to Zeus."

So what's this about free food? To celebrate the cutting of the red ribbon, Zeus will be giving away free souvla this Saturday 14 June between 12 and 3pm to everyone who drops in. Free. Souvla. Plus, they'll donate $2 from every souvla given away to Father Chris O’Riley’s Youth Off The Streets charity. That's some feelgood free food we can get behind. Opa!

Zeus Street Greek can be found at 189 Lyons Road, Drummoyne. 'I Love Souvla Saturdays' start Saturday 14 June from 12-3pm (every customer nabs themself a free souvla).