Put on your dancing shoes. Late-night dining institution Steki Taverna is making a comeback

One of Sydney’s most iconic late-night restaurants, Steki Taverna, is set to reopen in Enmore in mid-October.

The announcement by owner Paul Ioakimidis comes one year after the surprise closure of Newtown’s original Steki Taverna, a 39-year-old Greek-Australian cultural institution known for its charming Greek aesthetic, live music and dancing until 2am.

More than 500 customers crammed into the 75-seat space on O’Connell Street last August to farewell the restaurant, and Ioakimidis says the outpouring of support gave him the encouragement needed to seek a fresh location.

“The coronavirus pandemic affected us a lot, and we were already struggling to stay open when the second lockdown was announced, and that’s when we decided to close it,” Ioakimidis says.

“The response to the announcement was just incredible. There was so much love coming from the community it was overwhelming, and I honestly became very emotional.

“I wasn’t sad for me, but for the Sydney community losing Steki. There’s nowhere else quite like it.”

Ioakimidis was once a customer himself, having frequented the taverna two or three nights a week in the mid ’90s. He became a partner in the business when Helen and Kostas Pinakis left in 2000, and became the sole owner in 2006 after Niko and Kostas Theodoropoulos each moved on.

“It’s a big responsibility,” he says. “We had customers coming every week for more than 20 years, bringing their children and their grandchildren.”

Ioakimidis initially planned to reopen Steki Taverna in his home suburb of Marrickville. But the Inner West Council’s decision in March to make Enmore Road a designated special entertainment precinct (with extended trading hours for live music venues) redirected his focus.

“It was perfect for Steki Taverna,” he says. “And there’s such a vibrant, diverse culture on Enmore Road.”

The new venue, at 149 Enmore Road, will be larger than the first, with capacity for 90 diners. Tables will be arranged around the dance floor, with space among them for a live band. The interiors will be styled much the same as the original, with feature walls and memorabilia.

When the restaurant reopens, Ioakimidis plans to serve drinks until midnight and close about 1am, but hopes to obtain approval for a 2am close.

Head chef Stratos Loupos will be back in the kitchen, alongside ex-Kafenes chef Filipas Triandafilidis, serving a slightly updated menu of Greek classics such as fried halloumi and souvlaki. Steki’s signature dish, a full quarter lamb roasted for up to six hours with a blend of spices, will also make a comeback.

“Customers used to tell me they’d walk into Steki’s and immediately feel like they were in Greece,” Ioakimidis says.

“We will try to recreate that atmosphere, and we’ll encourage everyone to dance and get involved. I’m excited to bring Steki back to the people.”

Renovations are under way and, though the opening date is yet to be determined, the first Friday and Saturday night are already booked out.

Steki Taverna is due to open at 149 Enmore Road, Enmore, in mid-October. facebook.com/stekitaverna/