Coming Soon: The Homer Team Is Opening an Athenian Wine Bar in the Shire

Last year was a big one for Greek food in both Sydney and Melbourne. It felt like there was a newcomer every other week – The Apollo’s follow-up Olympus was hot out the gate that summer, Olympic Meats was a fast favourite, and the Greek-influenced Clarence & V hit the CBD. And in Cronulla, brothers Harry and Mario Kapoulas (Ham, Rushi) opened the breezy, ever-popular Homer. The brothers are going again in 2026, opening wine bar and ouzeri Volta next door.

“It’s funny, cos when we started Homer, Greek restaurants were just taking off,” says Harry. “And now with Volta, wine bars seem to be taking off.”

It is good timing, but Harry and Mario’s style of hospitality and detail-focused execution is what has made their venues mainstays (Ham has been a go-to for 16 years). At Volta, this will look like a large by-the-glass offering, a “super casual” vibe and a menu that does its own thing as well as lean on the kitchen next door, overseen by the boys and Homer head chef Kirri Moua.

“There’ll be a lot of pickling – veggies, octopus – plus dips, bread from Homer,” Harry says. “Mainly cold dishes – things that we can get quickly to guests. But Volta’s going to wear a few different hats as far as wine’s concerned. We’re going to push to find the best Greek wines that we can for the place, but also use other grape varietals from around the world. We’re not only doing Greek wines.”

And while wine is a focus, so is ouzo. “I think it might be one of the first ouzeries we’ve seen in Sydney,” says Harry. “An ouzeri’s sort of like the old-school Greek wine bars – people go have a glass of ouzo, play cards, talk.” There will be at least 20 bottles of the sweet aniseed spirit to choose from, with a range of producers and more than a few premium bottles. “Things that you can sit on, which is how I drink ouzo, to be honest,” says Harry. “You know, sip it on a cube of ice – it’s a bit of an education on that as well.”

The 60-seater’s fit-out will have the same purposely undone vibe of the concrete-heavy Homer – open plan and a bit industrial – with rugs and mid-century furniture to soften. A communal table will run down the middle of the space.

“It’s going to be a bit different to what Homer does,” says Harry. “More based around a wine bar that you’d find in Athens today, rather than something a bit more classic.”

Volta is slated to open at 4/3 Surf Lane, Cronulla, in October 2026.

@volta.cronulla