Kafeneion - Review - City - Melbourne - The Infatuation

"Those with a late-night hankering for homestyle cooking will be thrilled to stumble up the well-worn stairs away from Spring Street’s chaotic theater crowd and into this storied dining room. If Frank Sinatra was Greek, alive, and opened a restaurant in Melbourne, this would be it. The tables are candle-lit, the staff charming, and slow-braised meats served on vintage plates bring new meaning to the word comfort. But first, snacks. An order of ouzo for the table is fundamental, as is the silky taramasalata and crunchy bread. Meatballs are chunky, charred and amply dressed in lemon, salt, and oil. Take mates, dates, or come to impress corporate types—this is the kind of place that seems to shape-shift for any occasion, and it’s open almost all the time (the kitchen keeps on kicking until 3am, though the menu is restricted in the early hours)." - Ellen Fraser