The spirit of new-wave Athenian wine bars has burst into Glen Iris with Bar Sophia.
This new spot by restauranteurs Michael Badr (Marameo) and Marco Tenuta (Marameo, Il Bacaro) opened in November and is delivering old-school high-energy hospitality with a neighbourhood hole-in-the-wall feel.
It’s a bustling 45-seater dining room of walnut timber features and warm, gentle lighting, with 12 seats along the bar. Rows of bottles lining the wall comprise what is probably the best selection of Greek wines in Melbourne (with additions from southern and central European makers) as well as ouzo, tsipouro and grappa.
Woodfire cooking is the heart of Chef Nicholas Deligiannis’s menu (who was the former exec chef at the now shuttered Mid Air), centred around the custom woodfired oven, from the butterflied king prawn to ‘overnight lamb chops’ where residual heat slowly cooks lamb through the night to an incomparable melt-in-your-mouth tenderness.
Golden house-made haloumi arrives with lemon and paprika, its leftover whey fueling blistered, steaming flatbreads—perfect for ripping and mopping through whipped cod roe or the jus of a roasted spatchcock. These dishes showcase modern Greek specialties like Cretan-style lamb and their take on Athenian Giouvetsi, an orzo dish with Moreton Bay bugs and Greek saffron.
Rocket Society’s Steve Kimonides is flexing the Greek varietals and Mediterranean influences in the wine list with 10o-plus on offer. The fitout is underway, but the vision for nights at Bar Sophia is already vivid. “Ouzo and tsipouro served over ice to begin,” Badr says.
Rocket Society’s Steve Kimonides is flexing the Greek varietals and Mediterranean influences in the wine list with 100-plus on offer. The fitout is complete, but the vision for nights at Bar Sophia is now reality. “Ouzo and tsipouro served over ice to begin,” Badr says.
“Good music. Tables teeming with simple, delicious, in-season dishes from our woodfire oven. People passing plates to each other and making their way through a bottle or two. Locals stopping by for a glass at the bar… And martinis, of course.”
It paints a picture we’re loving.
Bar Sophia is located at 161 Burke Rd, Glen Iris. Open Tuesday–Saturday 12–10pm, Sunday 12–9pm.
Main Image Credit: Bar Sophia | Supplied
Dining and Cooking