Opa Bar and Mezze

Opa Bar and Mezze is a Greek eatery by prolific restaurateur Michael Tassis. It serves dishes inspired by the food he grew up with, particularly traditional dishes from his father’s region of Ioannina on the northern Greek mainland. Expect classics such as souvla, moussaka, pastitsio, lamb fricassee, and more.

Opa is named after the Greek exclamation that you might hear punctuating songs and dances at community celebrations. The menu was designed with fellow head chefs Vangjel and Dianna Jorgo, a husband-and-wife team from the same region of Greece as Michael’s dad.

It's split between traditional dishes – lahanodolmades (pork and veal wrapped in cabbage leaves and served with avgolemono, or egg and lemon sauce), souvla (lamb on the spit), soutzoukakia beef tartare (cumin- and cinnamon-spiced meatballs served with tomato and a quail egg), and half a lamb (requiring 48 hours’ notice) – and modernised Greek seafood, including raw ocean trout with citrus, watermelon and fennel; freshly shucked oysters with tomato and ouzo; and chargrilled lobster with capers and ladolemono (lemon and oil) or Cretan butter sauce.

The expansive 21-plate mezze offering takes you from saganaki to octopus to spicy sausages and meatballs. There’s also a surprise or two on the dessert menu, including chocolate baklava.

The wine list is extensive, with close to 200 bottles on offer. You’ll find a selection of Greek wines, including savatiano and xinomavro. But the real focus is on pinot noir, due to its versatility with red and white meats, as well as fish. There’s also cocktails, ouzo and Greek liqueurs.

The 500-square-metre venue is separated into two spaces: a casual bar built around a long marble counter for sipping on wine and snacking on share plates (you can order your food via an app), and a dining room with table service and a more extensive food menu. Each spot offers majestic views across the Brisbane River, whether you’re lounging in a sofa booth or perched on the wooden seating out front.

Inside, it’s all white walls and blue-stone flooring with accents of terracotta tiles, pale timber and terrazzo tabletops.