The Pontian Club — Restaurant in Melbourne

The Pontian club

I’m Lola’s mum, live nearby and have eaten here a dozen times .

Origin story The Pontian Club evolved out of a friendship. Bertie Pavlidis, 21 & Alessandro Brunetti, 25, mates who started serving skewers, Ouzo and Greek Beer at the old Pontian Club in Brunswick to their art school and skater friends on Sunday afternoons. Along came Oscar Tan, 23 (Marion, Gimlet), a young chef with strong family ties to restaurants, his grandpa Alan Tan only just retired from the ‘wok’ in his late 70s Oscar like all young folks who join a Greek Family (our family!) are indoctrinated to be lovers of Greece, he’s a true philhellene, has travelled to Greece many times, loved by the tavern owners in Samos and cooks Lola’s Yiaya’s recipes with conviction(or risk humiliation from Yiaya Maria).

The dream to have his own restaurant was realized and as the pop up moved around to places like the Railway in Carlton and the Hellenic Museum, the friends landed in Smith St . They spent late nights and long days fitting out the restaurant with second hand furniture, marketplace finds and lots of sweat.

The food draws on Greek Tradition, family recipes with a beautiful simplicity. Bertie’s dad Jim is Pontian and many of the artworks are his, including their signature papou’s lemon tree. Megan, his mum grows the wild greens on her garden plot. Brother Costas has handmade the stained glass Greek Flag.

Al’s background is Italian (you’ll see his elegant nonna on the wall in framed pictures) and his step- dad is from the Greek Island of Kastalorizos, famous for its spice and many expat Australians . Al’s mum Meg home cooks the sumptuous olive oil cakes and it’s their family’s moussaka recipe on the menu.

Oscar has embraced our family recipes with gusto, expect to find Stifado, Yemista, Youvetsi, kleftico, Fava and flame grilled, mouth watering meat and fish. Vegan and vegetarian dishes that typify the best of Greek cuisine also feature. Oscar bakes fresh bread every morning using his nan’s honey from Numerkah. You can wrap your hands around it break it when it’s warm (don’t be afraid).

Lola and Poppy, two half Greek kids have grown up in family businesses and hold the floor with grace and fun.

I’ve eaten almost everything on the menu, my favorites are the eggplants, hibachi grilled pork chop perfectly executed, garfish, king prawns all washed down with ouzo and Greek wine.

Oh, I like to use the small tumblers for wine, as my friend Scott (wine aficionado) described them as the ‘proletariat glass for all occasions’, but there are posh glasses behind the counter for those who must.

Go with a big group, make lots of noise and enjoy the energy of a bunch of young people (all under 30) embracing their family traditions of simple, good hospitality. maybe they are third gen or there by marriage or drawn by love but the Greek spirit...

A simple yet authentic Greek restaurant — and a new addition to Melbourne’s Greek scene that makes me very happy. As soon as I walked in, the aroma of charcoal and oregano hit me instantly. Before visiting, I’d done a bit of research and knew to expect something straightforward — nothing elegant or fine dining — and that mindset made the experience even better.

Some friends and I came here for a Saturday lunch, not wanting anything fancy or expensive, just good food and a comfortable place to sit, eat, and chat. The Pontian Club ended up being the perfect spot. One of the best things about this place is how uncomplicated it is — only 16 dishes on the menu, all meant for sharing. The drinks list is just as simple: a few wines, beers, and non-alcoholic options. No cocktails, no fuss — just good food done right.

The pricing was another pleasant surprise. We ordered enough to fill us, and paid very little. You could easily come with a group of 10 and order the whole menu. Between three of us, we had the Bread (literally a whole loaf), Tarama, grilled octopus, lamb plate, green beans, and potatoes. I love that the menu doesn’t over-describe the dishes — you’re surprised when each arrives, full of flavour and freshness. The green beans, for example, came dressed in herbs and olive oil, sitting on a bed of creamy cheese (maybe feta or ricotta).

The staff were warm and friendly, and the food came out quickly. The interiors perfectly match the restaurant’s relaxed, honest vibe — exposed brick walls with old painted lettering, paper tablecloths, and an open kitchen right in the middle of the room. The tables and chairs are even from the Old Raffles Place on Johnston St, adding a touch of character and nostalgia.

The Pontian Club doesn’t try too hard — and that’s exactly what makes it great. It’s simple, authentic, and...

Intrigued by the positive reviews and curious choice of name, ended up trying this place out Sunday night. Verdict: another rip-off to be added to the list of so-called Greek restaurants unable (or likely unwilling) to put into practice the Hellenic values of “philoxenia” and “philotimo.” What’s more, despite the culturally loaded name, this is not an authentic establishment representative of the Pontian community, with the dearth of Greek staff, inspiration, spirit and feel evident from the moment you walk in. Concerning food, we were two people and the attendant recommended we try their house-made, seemingly special, bread. To my disappointment, we were brought a quarter (or at best half) of what was a dense baguette. Ludicrous to expect two diners to share this and scandalous to pass this bread off as Greek or typical of what one would find in Greece. Moreover, the fava dish was served cold (in Greece always served warm) and meats we ordered (“for sharing”) were just meagre samples of grilled chicken and lamb, with nothing particularly Greek about them. Regarding the name, I enquired about the restaurant’s origins and inspiration, wanting to know what association it might have to the Pontian or wider Greek community. The two attendants I asked, separately, were both unable to speak to the name, simply mentioning some pop-up once active in a neighbouring suburb and giving names of chefs which were anything but Greek or Greek-sounding. This “club”, having nothing to do with “philoxenia” and “philotimo” with its pretentious ambience and inflated prices, does not honour the Greek community, and use of the hallowed Pontian name, with total disregard for this people’s identity, history, and values (not to mention cuisine), is sheer cultural...