George Giannoulis and Anita Ling have opened their second location at the Hellenic Club in Woden. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
George Giannoulis and Anita Ling opened Kivotos Wine Bar in 2024, bringing elevated versions of traditional Greek dishes to Braddon. The pair have now opened a second location at the Hellenic Club in Woden, and I was lucky enough to be among the first to try it out.
George and Anita had expressed interest in bringing Kivotos to the Hellenic, but came second to Mazi. But it was second time lucky when the call came that they were being offered the space, with just a few weeks to get organised!
“They approached us about six weeks ago, and we thought, ‘let’s do it!'” Anita told Region.
“It’s challenging [to run two venues], but we had already started to slowly step back from Braddon, and our team there has really stepped up and done so well. So we are very confident in them running it, as long as we can give them the right support.”
Despite the quick turnaround, Kivotos has well and truly settled into the space.
Start your meal off right with herby arancini balls and baked oysters. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
Many favourite items from the Braddon menu have migrated directly across to Woden – including the fabulous dips (don’t miss the taramasalata) and spanakorizo arancini. These herby, deep-fried rice balls are packed full of greens and cheese. For half a moment, I thought George had gone mad and topped them with Nutella! But the garnish is actually aioli blended with black garlic, which adds a gorgeous umami contrast to the freshness of the dill.
“So much of the menu at Braddon is really essential to Greek cuisine, so we don’t want to take those away. But there’s actually more to offer, so we’re hoping to bring more dishes for special occasions,” Anita said.
“I think people in the club will be excited about that: many people come every day and they will always check out what we’re doing.”
Moussaka ‘paddle pops’ are a cute way to serve a traditional dish. These are rich and creamy and absolutely delicious. We also enjoyed Anita’s Greek-style baked oysters topped with minced kima and breadcrumbs, a new addition at the Hellenic Club.
The new space at the Hellenic is larger and will allow for larger groups and long-table dining. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
For George – a more recent Greek immigrant – collaborating with the club offers him the chance to engage more deeply with Canberra’s Greek community. And there are already collaborations on the horizon! The Father’s Day menu included a traditional Greek stew, cooked in collaboration with Éla, the cafe next door at the club.
“Their father-in-law is visiting from Greece, and he made a classic Greek stew. I think some of the senior members of the club really appreciated that traditional taste,” George said.
“We are a bit more casual than fine dining, but we are definitely a bit modern. So it’s nice to offer something more traditional for special occasions.”
Main dishes on the menu include a fabulous charred octopus with grilled cos lettuce and a lovely fried calamari and whitebait dusted with a complex mix of spices. Herb-dusted fries are dangerously moreish and lovely with grilled meats.
The meal doesn’t end there: dessert is worth saving space for! The housemade Loukoumades are absolutely divine, and there’s a lovely, rich, dark chocolate and raspberry mousse. Baklava gets a modern twist with a cheesecake topping and pistachio gelato. Yum!
Save room for dessert! Photo: Lucy Ridge.
Anita plans to elevate the customer experience with table service, rather than the usual club-like experience of lining up at the bistro. She’s proud of her ability to remember families who come into the restaurant and form connections across the community.
Although most alcohol comes from the club, Anita has brought a selection of Greek wines and spirits across from Braddon, and hopes to offer more in future.
There are plans on the horizon for a Greek festival centred around Kivotos, drawing together the community to showcase the breadth of Greek food, all the way from casual coffee, sweets and souvlaki to the more elevated style of dining that Kivotos is spearheading.
Kivotos at the Hellenic is located at 1 Matilda Street, Woden. They are open for lunch daily from 12 noon to 2:30 pm, and for dinner from Sunday to Thursday, 6 pm to 9 pm, and Fridays and Saturdays from 5:30 to 9:30 pm. Follow Kivotos on Facebook or Instagram, and find out more details via the Hellenic Club.
