By Marie-Antoinette Issa.
Ignore your Instagram feed! There’s so much more to Greece than the postcard-perfect stereotypes of Santorini sunsets and you don’t need to book an Aegean escape to discover it.
Opening this week, Homer Rogue Taverna is the gritty, flavour-charged newcomer from hospitality industry veterans Harry and Mario Kapoulas - the Australian-born duo raised in the rich traditions of their Greek heritage and known for local favourite Ham Cafe.
Forget white-and-blue island chic. This is a raw, streetwise homage to modern, edgy Athens, pulsing with rebellious charm, late-night energy and real-deal Hellenic flavours. The kind of vibe you’d expect of a Greek God gone wild.
"We love the vibrancy, rawness and accessibility of food there. Athens has an energy about it,” says co-founder Harry. "We’ve spent numerous vacations in the city. On a recent trip, we went to dinner at Akra in Pangrati, my favourite local suburb of Athens.
"We sat at the Chef’s table and spoke to the Chef, ordering as we ate. We then ended the night by attending an Olympiacos match in the Europa League. It was one of those great nights.”
Set just around the corner from Ham, in a brand-new development, Homer Rogue channels the soul of the Athenian taverna - loud, unfiltered and full of heart. With graffiti-covered walls, terrazzo floors, vintage furniture and a completely open layout, it is less polished performance, more kitchen-party chaos - and that’s exactly the point.
"We like doing things a little bit differently,” says Mario. "There’s more to Greek food than what the island vibes give you; we wanted to explore that and push the boundaries a little bit.”
At the centre of it all is the food - a menu of fire-cooked meats, seafood, vegetables and traditional flatbreads hot from the custom-built pizza oven. Chef James Watson (formerly of The Italian Stallion and Peacock Trattoria) joins the Kapoulas brothers in leading a kitchen that champions the bold, comforting flavours of Greece with zero fuss.
These are dishes rooted in memory and heritage, reworked with just the right amount of edge. "Spanakorizo is a traditional dish that’s generally always served as a side,” says Harry. "However, we have turned it into its own meal by adding a piece of locally-caught white fish, grilled on top. We’re all about doing traditional things, but with a little twist to it.”
Think lamb shoulder giouvetsi, smoky skewers, tirokafteri dip, hand-rolled dolmades and that rebellious spanakorizo main.
Then there’s the wine. A custom-designed fridge sits at the heart of the room, stocked with an ever-rotating 50/50 blend of Greek and Australian bottles, all available by the glass. Guests are invited to browse and choose their own, adding to the taverna’s unpretentious, communal vibe.
Homer Rogue is designed to suit any mood - whether it’s a post-swim snack, a spontaneous wine-fuelled dinner, or a full-blown feast with the whole table getting involved.
No uniforms, no rules, no pressure - just great food, great wine and that unmistakable Athenian edge.
