The team behind The Apollo and Cho Cho San (Sydney) and Greca and Yoko (Brisbane) will open Olympus, a bustling village style taverna, on Thursday 5 December. The restaurant is located within the new Wunderlich Lane precinct, at the crossroads of Redfern and Surry Hills.
Olympus is inspired by food from the village, focusing on simplicity, abundance, and ancient cooking methods. It is an honest and homely dining experience, designed to bring friends and family together in a communal and plentiful setting.
The restaurant takes its name from Mount Olympus, the home of the gods and a place for gathering and celebratory feasting. Inspired by Greek architecture, the space is designed around a central oculus ceiling, an ode to the ancient amphitheatre.
Owner and operator Jonathan Barthelmess says: ‘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.’
Head Chef Ozge Kalvo (Baba’s Place, Ester) delivers a menu that emphasises authenticity paired with modern craft. A wood-fired section and large charcoal oven are the centrepiece of the kitchen. Kalvo has applied her well-considered touch and attitude to the menu offering, adding a fresh perspective to dishes, shaped by her Turkish and Greek heritage.
The menu showcases a broad range of meat and fish dishes including grilled sardines, king prawn saganaki, milk-fed lamb, and wood roasted quail. Dishes are accompanied by a vibrant precession of mezedes featuring dolmades, dips, pickled vegetables, and seafood treated with a light touch. A pita pie section rounds out the abundant offering.
Olympus’ wine list focuses on the Mediterranean peninsula, with Greek classics taking centre stage. The menu, curated by Zoe Brunton and Sam Christie, showcases winemakers that have changed the landscape of Greek wine on a global scale, alongside smaller producers who are carving out their niche. Up and coming grape varieties and regions on the rise will also feature on the list, alongside Australian drops, achieving a balanced, diverse, and approachable offering.
Respected bartender, Matt Whiley has designed an innovative cocktail menu that celebrates the classics whilst leaning into the theatre of the Greek experience. Cocktails include an Ouzo Colada, a rum and whipped coffee Frappe and the Karpouzi slushy made with vodka, Aperol and watermelon.
Barthelmess has enlisted long-time collaborator and childhood friend, George Livissianis, to bring the space to life. In their fifth collaboration together, the pair has reinterpreted the old, the weathered and the distressed, and given them an urban context. Soft limestone and travertine textures have been used to resemble old ruins. This design approach mirrors Barthelmess and Livissianis’ interpretation of the cuisine, which is anchored by tradition yet executed in a contemporary way.
The outcome is a space with an understated sense of theatre, that maintains the grounded authenticity and simplicity of a village taverna. Design elements include handcrafted mirrors by Annie Paxton, objects by Ben Mazey and bespoke jugs by Dinosaur Designs.
Olympus is located at 2 Baptist Street, Redfern
Open for dinner seven nights and lunch from Wednesday to Sunday
Reservations are now open, via www.olympusdining.com.au.
IG: @olympusdining
Image credit: Nikki To
