TAVERNA
Head to Lygon Street to experience the liveliness of an Athenian Taverna without the plane ticket.
Overview
Brunswick East's Taverna is a love letter to family, traditions, heritage, and the spirit of Greek cuisine. It's a place for locals and visitors to eat big, laugh loudly, drink, and be merry. The opening of Taverna on Lygon Street is a full-circle moment for Angie Giannakodakis, who helped set up Hellenic Republic in the same site years ago. Together with Guy Holder, Angie opened Taverna to embody the essence of an Athenian Taverna, where the matriarch is central to influencing local cuisines.
"When my mum, the matriarch of our family, entered care after a fall, I realised how much her food represented love and survival," Angie says. "Taverna is more than a restaurant; it's my way of honouring my parents. This is a seat at my family table. Every dish is a story — a download of the love I grew up with."
The seasonal menu is deeply personal to Giannakodakis, who draws on the flavours of her mother's kitchen to bring a true taste of Athenian cuisine all the way to Brunswick East. Familiar mezze such as taramosalata, fried whitebait, dolmathes and chickpea fritters are followed by small plates like tinned sardines and grilled prawns with saffron butter and ouzo.
There's plenty of meat, too, of course. Find goat in a ragu with Greek-style pasta, pork and orange sausage cooked over the grill, a lamb shoulder slow-cooked until falling apart, beef and herb patties with yoghurt, and a thick 500-gram t-bone with lemon and olive oil. And if you're lucky, you might find Katina's signature moussaka on the menu when you visit, made from the cherished recipe passed on by Giannakodakis' mother.
"Taverna is my way of bringing the traditions of an Athenian taverna to life, a place of connection, joy, and escape here in Brunswick," says Giannakodakis. "It's where people can come together to share stories, celebrate milestones, and find comfort in good company. A place where love can be confessed, memories can be made, and life is celebrated."
Holder says they are committed to delivering the warmth and service that Melbourne deserves, emphasising that "Taverna is an honouring of heritage, a family's legacy on the plate."
Images: Supplied.
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