After 57 years, this third-generation Greek family restaurant still feels remarkably fresh

There’s a fairly consistent divide in the world of Melbourne Greek restaurants. On one hand, there are our venerated old-school spots, the places that never change. On the other, there’s a new school − one that’s modernising and evolving what it means to be both Greek and Australian in this oh-so-Greek Australian city.

Straddling that line is Salona, a restaurant that has been around since 1969 and is now operated by a third generation of the Konis family. But unlike many other longstanding Greek stalwarts, Salona has been bullish in its evolution.

Much of what makes our historic Greek restaurants so beloved is retained here: the sense of family, the welcome, the generosity of the offering. But other things have changed just enough to make this more than a nostalgic or homey place to visit. After 57 years, it – somewhat remarkably – feels fresh.

That freshness is at least in part thanks to owner Stavros Konis, who is constantly evolving the venue. For a while, he was offering cocktail classes in the afternoons. On Tuesdays, they have a $30 steak night, and certain Sundays are dubbed “symposium Sundays”, offering an in-depth look at the food and wine of various regions. (Konis also co-founded Kafeneion in the CBD but is no longer involved.)

Last year, along with his wife, Alexandra, and brother Alex, Konis undertook a renovation and expansion of Salona, taking over the next-door space that had been a travel agency, more than doubling the restaurant’s capacity. There’s now an al fresco area out front, and murals on the walls by Greek Australian artist Efrossini Chaniotis.

Salona straddles more than the line between classic and modern. It inhabits a space between casual and fine dining, with all the good parts of the latter (white tablecloths, an amuse bouche to start the meal, low lighting) with none of the trappings (stiff service, high prices).

The kitchen does its best to cater to those wanting home-style comfort, but only to a point. At the beginning of August, a waitress explained to me that there was no Greek salad on the menu because the tomatoes weren’t up to the restaurant’s standards. “If it’s not good enough for us to want to eat it, we won’t serve it to you,” she said.

But of course there are dips (with free crusty bread) and saganaki and spanakopita. The saganaki usually comes with an apricot marmalade; during truffle season you might be lucky enough to get a version with Cretan honey and fresh Victorian truffle (and a blessed lack of truffle oil). The spanakopita is wrapped in house-made filo and bursting with lemon and dill, bold and delicious.

There are less common dishes that have been passed down through the family, such as a warm black-eyed pea and smoked trout entree that sings with the tang of very good Greek olive oil. This kitchen is not afraid of flavour: everything is punchy, everything tastes like the familiar version but more, bigger and usually better.

Instead of moussaka, Salona serves papoutsakia, in which a whole eggplant is halved, scored, cooked to a soft heap and covered in a rich ragu and fluffy bechamel. Goat baked in parchment is stewy and tender and kissed with cinnamon. I could happily make a meal of the side dishes: lemon-drenched silverbeet; beetroot salad with myzithra, a soft Greek cheese; addictively crispy hot chips.

It’s easy to order too much food, but dessert is non-negotiable. The baklava is walnut-dense and fudgy and not overly sweet, and there’s a halva mousse situation that’s just plain brilliant.

If I didn’t know better, I’d assume Salona was a newer restaurant, part of the Greek renaissance we’ve been experiencing in recent years. Of course, it is while also managing to retain the simple joy of good food and good company that Konis’ grandfather provided all those years ago. Surviving almost 60 years as a restaurant is an amazing feat – doing it while managing to feel fresh is pure magic.

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