Yiamas

When Michael Roach, Laurence Greenfield and Philip Arnold (also behind Vinotto, Community Coffee Co) took over the iconic George’s Meze site in late 2022, they had big shoes to fill. The former Greek restaurant serviced Subiaco for decades, with its satisfying seafood claypots, spanakopita, saganaki, Greek wines and pre-dinner ouzo shots. But if the crowds in Yiamas' olive tree-lined courtyard are anything to go by, the team have well and truly lived up to expectations.

Like George’s, Yiamas pays homage to Greek classics, but also weaves in influences from Cypriot, Turkish and Levantine cuisines. Fire plays a big role across much of the menu. Animals including goat, lamb and suckling pig are butchered on-site, slow-roasted on the rotisserie over coals, and served hot for your share-friendly feast. Be sure to start your meal with house-made dolmades, and end it with the Greek-style baklava.

To drink, there are cocktails spiked with Greek gins and vermouths, as well as mastika – the sweet liqueur from the Greek island of Chios that’s said to aid digestion. Of course, there’s ouzo too, which you can start your meal with, either neat or diluted Greek-style with ice and water. Or, if you’re after a slower burn, there are Greek, Lebanese and Georgian wines to spend a few hours sinking into.