New restaurant: Olive at Hawker opens at Hawker shops

Mediterranean restaurant Olive at Mawson has done the thing so few Canberrans like to do - crossed the lake.

Brothers George, Dimitri and Arthur Yianoulakis have opened a second Olive restaurant - this time Olive at Hawker.

Nestled in the Hawker Shops, the restaurant has taken over what was previously a dry cleaner and video store, so the brothers had to completely gut the space - a process that has taken close to a year.

"It's been a slow process," said Dimitri.

"It's just us and we've been bouncing between both restaurants, doing it after hours, early mornings - essentially doing 24 hour shifts."

But it seems the locals were prepared to wait - the first week of trade was almost completely booked out.

The large space - it seats up to 100 - is relaxed and casual, with lots of natural light.

The seasonally-driven menu is the same as the Mawson restaurant for now, including their popular slow-cooked lamb shoulder and homemade breads, and everything is made on site.

Dimitri said they may play with the menu and price point a bit as they get to know the local community, and may also add cocktails to the bar menu.

Running the kitchen is head chef Steve Muscat who has been working with the family for 12 years - first at The Trattoria at Woden's Hellenic Club, then at Olive at Mawson, which opened three years ago. And keeping everything running smoothly is charismatic family matriarch Aleka Yianoulakis.

George said the restaurant is all about giving Belconnen residents a local.

"We had a lot of people come in [to Mawson] from the Belconnen area, so we decided the next venture was to go to Belconnen so we can cut out the drive [for customers]," he said.

"Since we opened, we've had all the locals saying 'we're happy that you've finally established here'. Now they're doing the same thing and saying, 'when are you gonna have something in Gungahlin?' So that's what we're looking at - but in the long future."

Olive at Hawker is open Tuesday to Friday for lunch and dinner, and Saturday for dinner. Shop 2a/78 Hawker Place, Hawker.