Kolonaki Bryanston — Restaurant in Gauteng

Kolanaki is a standout spot for modern Greek cuisine — stylish, welcoming, and full of unexpected surprises.

The 3 dips I had are as follows:

1st: MELITZANOSALATA - Charcoal-grilled eggplant purée, miso paste, garlic, olive oil, cumin and a miso crisp

My least favorite of the 3. The eggplant chunks were so heavily smoked, they almost tasted artificial — like liquid smoke or a smoked-flavour spray I sometimes use in cooking.

2nd: TIROSALATA: Charcoal-grilled peppers whipped with feta cheese and a touch of chilli

This dish was as beautiful as it was flavourful. The feta isn’t the star of the dish like you would think, instead its balanced out perfectly with the grilled peppers.

3rd: TARAMOSALATA - Creamy cod roe, salmon roe, lemon, kalamata olives, capers and a squid ink crisp

I was hesitant about this one, but it turned out to be a total surprise — I absolutely loved it. It’s light and flavourful and just keeps you coming back for more. Oddly enough it’s a pink dip. That was a little unexpected, but then again I didn’t know what to expect ordering the Taramosalata.

For the small plates:

SPANAKOPITA: Baked phyllo pastry filled with spinach, leeks, dill, feta and sesame seeds.

Hands down the best spanakopita I’ve ever tasted. The phyllo was impossibly crisp and golden, shattering with each bite without being greasy or dry. The ratio of feta to spinach was spot on. I would highly recommend this dish.

KOLONAKI FETA: Feta cheese wrapped in phyllo pastry, drizzled with honey syrup, topped with sesame seeds and strawberries

I did not enjoy this dish at all. Firstly, there were no strawberries as listed in the description.. Secondly it tasted like fried phyllo pastry and nothing else. There was such a small amount of feta in it that it never featured in your mouth.

CHARCOAL GRILLED OCTOPUS: Charcoal-grilled octopus with yellow fava bean purée, capers, fried garlic, tomato, Kalamata olives and a crispy vine leaf

OMG is all I can say! I would eat a kilogram of this if I could. I did not for one second think an octopus can be so delicate and soft, almost melts in your mouth. The puree perfectly complimented the octopus. I will 100% percent order this again.

CHARCOAL-GRILLED SCALLOP: Charcoal-grilled scallop finished with garlic butter and preserved lemon

These scallops were so small they looked like canned mussels.  They were so small I was sent four instead of two — but even that wasn’t enough to get a proper sense of the flavour.

PRAWNS KATAIFI: Three kataifi-wrapped prawns served with Greek yoghurt, pepper, strawberry, almonds and cucumber

I really enjoyed this visually stunning dish. The 3 prawns were huge and cooked perfectly. The katafi was delicate and fine not to overpower the dish. Eating it with the strawberry puree and cucumber really made it pop. Definitely a must try!

CHOCOLATE BAKLAVA: A decadent twist on the classic, served with orange chocolate ganache and vanilla ice cream

I have a sweet tooth and this dish definitely delivered. Halfway through, I was craving something acidic or even a bit of crème fraiche to cut through the sweetness. I didn’t get any orange in the smooth, delicate ganache. I also never got any vanilla ice cream. This dish started off amazing but got too sweet to quickly. I struggled to finish it.

GELATO: The PISTACHIO gelato was terrible. Nothing is worse than a grainy “ice cream”. Texture and flavour are everything when it comes to gelato — and unfortunately, this only had...

Kolonaki: A Mediterranean Masterpiece That Lives Up to Its Name of literally "Little Column", is an upscale neighbourhood in central Athens ...

To cross the threshold of Kolonaki is to be enveloped in a vision of Mediterranean splendour. The dining room, crowned by swathes of draped linen, channels the effortless chic of Greek cuisine.

It’s a breathtaking first impression, and - joy of joys - it’s merely the prelude to an experience that delivers on every front. Kolonaki embodies the very spirit and character of the Mediterranean, weaving warmth, vibrancy, and precision into a meal that sings.

The waiting staff are a revelation, blending professionalism with an intuitive knack for detail. The kitchen operated with the precision of a Swiss watch, even as the dining room hummed with a full house. Our first course arrived a mere 15 minutes after ordering, a testament to the team’s mastery of their craft. Delicious tuna on melon and a well seasoned hummus with pita to start. We’d barely sipped our first glass of wine when the plates appeared, each a small work of art. The halloumi cheese, golden and crisp, arrived as promised, its molten heart paired with a zesty lemon wedge that elevated it to sublime.

Every dish was a triumph. The oregano chicken was cooked to perfection, its delicate flavour amplified by a flawless fennel salad accompaniment. The presentation, with its artful drizzle of oil and scatter of microgreens, was as dazzling to the eye as it was to the palate. The kleftiko arrived precisely as requested, its slowly cooked centre yielding under the knife like a lover’s sigh.

The true brilliance of Kolonaki speaks of its character, of soul, and this restaurant delivers both in spades. Here is the Mediterranean in all its glory - generous, vibrant, and impeccably executed. The management, ever-present yet unobtrusive, orchestrates a dining experience that feels both warm and intimate. For a lunch that’s worth every rand and then some, Kolonaki is not just a destination; it’s a revelation. Book your table now, and prepare to...

I love the Parkhurst branch but sadly this branch does not compare. The space is very big & commercialised, so lacks a bit of atmosphere. We were very squashed on our table. It was also very cold and drafty where we sat.

Service was poor. Drinks took very long during the meal, plates were not cleared quickly enough, especially when there is a lack of space. There are plenty of waiters but they seem to hang around together on the sides.

We had a few tapas dishes. The deep fried calamari, haloumi, prawn saganaki, prawn kataifi and spanakopita.

The deep fried calamari lacked salt, could not taste the honey or lemon zest on the haloumi, the prawn saganaki sauce was bitter and there wasn’t enough of the sauce, the spanakopita was also lacking some seasoning. I’ve had all these dishes at Parkhurst before and they taste much better.

I tried the Persephone cocktail, which while it was well priced, I didn’t enjoy the egg white foam on top which was not mentioned in the description.

This meal left me unsatisfied and disappointed. If I feel like visiting Kolonaki in the future I wouldn’t visit this branch.

I also don’t like that while the Parkhurst branch has meat dishes that have either lamb or beef, this branch combines the two meats in one, so if you don’t eat one of them then you unfortunately can’t try any of the minced...