Etheus

Overview

House Made Hospitality has made a habit of breathing new life into historic Sydney addresses — Hinchcliff House, Wunderlich Lane and Sofitel Sydney Wentworth among them. Now, the group has turned its attention to Bondi Pavilion with Etheus, a breezy Greek diner backed by postcard-ready views of Bondi Beach. Taking over the former Promenade dining room, Etheus swaps coastal crowd-pleasers for bold meze spreads and fire-backed Greek classics just steps from the surf.

The menu, by Executive Chef Chris Benedet and Head Chef Stav Stavrou, leans into tradition — per Benedet: "we're not modernising anything for the sake of it". It's built for sharing across five sections, including a generous lineup of veggies. Start with meze like a roast fennel-backed tirokafteri, ouzo-doused saganaki or kataifi-wrapped king prawns, before moving to larger dishes from the charcoal oven — think kleftiko lamb shoulder, pork neck souvla or roast chicken with tomato butter and lemon-herb yoghurt.

Steven Woodburn

There's a nice nod to home-style comfort, too — carbs include a bright spanakorizo with seasonal greens and mizithra, yemista in a creamy avgolemono and slow-cooked beef stifado lifted with clove and cinnamon pepper served over kritharaki. Stavrou's Cypriot heritage gets a shout out with the likes of a creamy tahini, a lentil, almond and pomegranate grain salad and charcoal-cooked sheftalies from The Souvlaki Shop in Brighton-Le-Sands.

To drink, the wine list balances coastal Mediterranean producers — including a solid Greek showing — with Australian labels, including House Made's own NSW drops. Cocktails are sunny and beach-ready: the Sunshine of Socrates is a bright mix of Archie Rose White Cane rum, watermelon, guava, sesame and fresh lemon, while the Aristole Apero teams Widges gin with quince paste, thyme-infused honey, fresh lemon and thyme. Pair your pour with a spread of meze — or Stavrou's house-made yoghurt with honey and walnuts — for an ideal post-swim refuel.

Steven Woodburn

Images: Steven Woodburn.