Bar Yarra

Overview

South Yarra scores a new neighbourhood hangout, with Bar Yarra setting up shop in the space formerly housing Ovolo Hotel's Lona Misa. The day-to-night diner offers everything from brekkie and lunch (from February), to coffee and snacks, to cheeky evening nightcaps. 

"Bar Yarra is designed to be a place people can drop into at any point in the day – whether that's for a quick coffee, a long lunch or a drink that turns into dinner," says Christos Pavlidis, General Manager of Ovolo Hotel South Yarra. "It's relaxed, approachable and very much about creating a genuine local for the community."

Head chef Santiago Ospina's menu is simple and refined, built to share, and showcases staple dishes shaped from local ingredients. For breakfast, try Scandinavian plates like smoked salmon and pickled veg, or cross continents and taste Middle Eastern shakshuka with whipped feta. If you're enjoying a visit or staycation at Ovolo Hotel, make it a real celebration with Bloody Marys or sparkling mimosas. 

Come evening, snack on snappy fresh crudites or crisp fried calamari, and make the tough choice between the likes of striploin steak frites, the Yarra Smash Burger with dirty mayo, or pumpkin ravioli with miso butter. 

Perfect for a post-work pop-in, Bar Yarra's happy hour from 5 to 7pm features $8 wines, $10 spirits and pints, $15 cocktails, and $10 snacks. Throwback Thursdays will see DJs spinning nostalgic vinyl, set to become a neighbourhood weekly ritual.  

Pavlidis says, "Bar Yarra is about opening the space up to everyone. It's approachable, energetic and built around great food, great drinks and good times. We're excited to welcome the neighbourhood in and see the venue take on a whole new life." 

Following a recent trend of chef-in-residency programs popping up around town, Bar Yarra will welcome its first residency, Auto Greek, from the end of February until the end of March. Led by none other than George Calombaris, the pop-up will showcase Calombaris' signature Greek fare, inspired by his recent trip to Athens.

"The term 'Auto' comes from the Greek word for 'always on', and represents one of my favourite things about Greek hospitality: it never falters. Bar Yarra is the perfect home for the pop-up — a genuine local that people can drop into at any point of the day and for whatever they need, whether a quick coffee, a long lunch, or an apero that turns into dinner."

The all-day menu is simple, approachable, and reasonably priced, with many dishes under $30, making it easy to drop in after work or for a quick lunch. For breakfast, enjoy a light start with Greek yoghurt, honey and walnuts alongside a frappe, or go big with the Big Greek Breakfast. A standout item is sure to be Calombaris' tuna gyros, sitting alongside vibrant dishes such as deviled egg avgolemono, chicken paidakia, crunchy slaw and pasticcio with braised kangaroo tail.

And the benefit of being conveniently located within Ovolo Hotel means you can turn dinner into an overnight stay with the Greek Getaway Package. With rates starting at $350 per night, enjoy a feed me menu, a cocktail on arrival, and breakfast for two the following morning.

"We are thrilled to have our long-time friend George Calombaris at Bar Yarra for its first residency. With the excitement for Greek food in Australia ever-growing, we couldn't think of a better fit than both the Auto Greek concept, and George himself, for this first residency, as one of the first chefs who spearheaded Greek cuisine in this country," says Christos Pavlidis, General Manager of Ovolo Melbourne.

Images: Ashley Ludkin.