Nostos

Leichhardt’s Norton Street is famous for its Italian Forum Cultural Centre and the glut of Italian restaurants in the neighbourhood, but that shouldn’t deter you from checking out the delights on offer from the other side of the Ionian Sea. Greek cuisine, that is, whose latest ambassador down Norton Street is Nostos, a restaurant serving up delicacies that will have you longing for the Mediterranean even if you’ve ever left Sydney’s inner west.

As you approach Nostos, just a block north up Norton Street from Leichhardt Town Hall, chances are you’ll hear the strains of the bouzouki being tuned, or perhaps a panegyris in full swing already. This is how Nostos rolls. Far more than a just a Greek restaurant, Nostos offers a proper Greek dining experience to Sydney’s inner-west: come the weekend Nostos has music, dancing, and good times included. Of course, the star of the show is the fantastic Greek cuisine created by Nostos’ chefs, spread across an a la carte menu plus a prix fixe banquet menu.

If you’re indulging in some casual dining at Leichhardt’s rare Greek kid on the Norton Street block, Nostos’ traditional arni, a slow-cooked shoulder of lamb, is a surefire winner. If you really want to experience what Greek cuisine is all about, bring a good crew and let the restaurant know when you reserve that you’re down for the banqueting menu. At a set price per person, you’re guaranteed to dine on some of the finest and most authentic Greek delicacies on offer in Sydney. Starting small with, naturally, Greek, salads and dips as well as dolmathes (stuffed vine leaves). The feast proceeds through seafood dishes, classic Greek keftethes (greek meatballs in a red salsa and spicy feta sauce) to the lamb dish that this restaurant is quickly becoming known for. Finish with a range of Greek desserts such as galaktoboureko, but save some room for dancing.