One of Sydney’s hottest restaurant openings of 2024 is almost here. Olympus, a 220-seat Greek restaurant brought to life by the team behind The Apollo and Cho Cho San, is swinging open its doors this Thursday, December 5. Bringing the fresh, coastal flavours and lively spirit of Greece to Sydney, Olympus is located within Redfern’s new dining and lifestyle precinct, Wunderlich Lane.
Named after Mount Olympus – Greece’s highest mountain and known as the home of the gods in Greek mythology – the circular, sunlit restaurant is anchored by the pièce de résistance: a 50-year-old bougainvillaea with vibrant magenta flowers, channeling the laid-back charm of the Greek Islands (miss you, Milos). The design, centred around a retractable glass ceiling, nods to ancient Greek amphitheatres and architecture.
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The impressive space is backed up by an even more impressive team. Head chef Ozge Kalvo draws on her Greek and Turkish heritage, as well as her time on the pans at Sydney favourites Ester and Baba’s Place, to craft a menu of share-style Greek classics. Think: creamy taramasalata and fava bean dip, golden flaky spanakopita, octopus with vinegar and sea fennel, crunchy village salad with olives and feta, soft lamb meatballs and more. Coming with a group? The set menu is the way to go.
The wine list, curated by sommeliers Zoe Brunton (ex-Lil Sis) and Sam Christie (The Apollo, Cho Cho San), highlights Mediterranean wines, with a strong focus on Greek varietals and smaller producers.
The fun doesn’t stop there. The team has brought on cocktail wizard Matt Whiley (ex-Re) to create the cocktail list, which includes drinks like an Ouzo Colada, a rum and whipped coffee Frappe and the Karpouzi slushy made with vodka, Aperol and watermelon.
Owner and operator Jonathan Barthelmess said: “Olympus is the taverna you dream of finding at the heart of a bustling Greek village, here in Sydney. A place to settle in beneath a gliding glass canopy, shaded by a fifty-year-old bougainvillea with neon pink blossoms in the centre of a bustling courtyard.”
Time Out Sydney got an exclusive sneak peek before the doors open, and we’ll leave you with this: you’re going to bloody love it. Yamas!
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