This not-so-traditional taverna specialises in contemporary Greek fare designed for sharing. Top of the list for sharing is The Full Greek, a set menu of eight mezze dishes. The line-up includes a lemony taramasalata with blistered pita, village salad with slabs of feta and sweet pickled onions, and the main event, a marinated Greek lamb, dripping in its own juices. The hero, of course, is the saganaki, a fat slab of bubbling cheese pooled with warm honey and oregano, served in the skillet. Get the symposium started with a shot of ouzo or Greek island-inspired cocktail. The Pearsephone pays tribute to the queen of the underworld with an offering of vodka, pear juice, elderflower and coriander, or dial up the party vibes with the Mykonos Beachclub spiked with Metaxa grape spirit. 44 Macleay Street, Potts Point; theapollo.com.au.

Diners of all nationalities gather at this white-columned dining hall and turn the large cavernous space into a big, fat Greek party. Start with taramosalata, a creamy, lemony whip made from three types of fish eggs, followed by yemistes, rice and herb-stuffed capsicums baked in clay. The finished piece of pottery is shattered at the table, revealing the sweet red flesh within. However, it’s Alpha’s Greek lamb that really inspires worship. Crisp, brown edges give way to soft shreds, which can be bundled up in pita triangles with yoghurt for a sophisticated take on simple Athens street food. The Greeks may have been making wine for thousands of years, although its appearance on restaurant menus is fairly recent. So don’t miss the opportunity to try their excellent range of varietals, with offerings from right across the Hellenic nation and islands, too. And of course no Greek meal is complete without a final cap of ouzo. 238 Castlereagh Street, Sydney; 238castlereagh.com.au/alpha.

Prepare for an Aegean adventure in Bondi. Sticking pretty tightly to the Greek script, the menu is an I-want-it-all kind of shareable selection – from smooth and punchy taramasalata topped with fish roe bubbles to neatly laid-out sardines on pita-bread toast, decorated with tomato, lemon and dill. Thanks to a wood oven out back, house-baked pita is a warm, toasty puff, just begging to be dipped and scooped and dipped again. While wood-fired ockie with spanaki (spinach) sauce is straight from the textbook. Drawing on the best contemporary Greek vintages and blends, the wine list is definitely something to explore and judging by the energetic shaker action behind the bar, Topikos’ Hellenic-themed cocktail creations get a good workout. 180 Campbell Parade, Bondi Beach; topikos.com.au.

Veteran chef Peter Conistis of Alpha and Omega fame is breaking new ground here with a regionally-inspired restaurant that celebrates the little-known cuisines of Cyprus and Crete. A simple dish of Abrolhos octopus suspended in taramasalata brings long-forgotten Grecian holidays to mind. Haloumi with fennel? Yes, ploos! A shining slab arrives slashed with black tyre marks of char atop a bed of candied fennel. In place of the slow-cooked leg of lamb there’s the tomahawk, a Homeric take on the classic lamb cutlet. There are Greek wines to try and for dessert, unmissable fig loukoumades. Bay 7/7-27 Circular Quay West, The Rocks; ploos.com.au.

Fill up at this delightful roadside kiosk attached to a local smash repairer. The blue-and-white-striped canteen is famous for its generous Greek-style sandwiches loaded with premium ingredients and made fresh to order. Our pick is The Conbab, made from flatbread rolled with kafta, fresh herbs and a parsley garlic toum. A poached chicken sarnie is all freshness and crunch. Do your fluids need a top-up? There’s espresso coffee and watermelon juice. The concrete courtyard has been decked out in colourful tables and chairs so you’ve got somewhere to sit while you wait for your sandwich and/or car service. 412 West Botany St, Rockdale; kostastakeaway.com.

Set upstairs at Surry Hills’ Bar Cleveland, Sofia on Cleveland is named for co-owner Sophie Bousgas’s Greek-born grandmother who instilled in her a love of cooking. With former fine-dining chef Justin North on board alongside in-house chef Nathan Treleaven (ex Cabra-Vale Diggers), the menu has cured ocean trout and fennel entree, chargrilled cauliflower or grass-fed beef with red-wine jus mains and on almost every table, fries with grated parmesan and truffle. The wine list is full of nicely-priced bottles, mostly Aussie with a few Italians, French and Spaniards thrown in. And, like everything else here, the occasional Greek note. Top on the Hellenic hit list is ultra-peppery extra virgin olive oil, fresh from the family’s farm in Greece. Order some with sourdough for mopping or simply relish its punch across many of the menu items. It’s the real deal. So is a red-orange curl of charred octopus on romesco, brightened with chilli-garlic greens and chorizo rounds. And a less pretty but equally rewarding swirl of chargrilled eggplant pulp, mashed with pine-nut crunch and currant sweetness. Lamb shoulder platters are heading to tables left and right or try the murray cod, a fine half fish with just-set sweet white flesh and delicately crisped skin. Lemon for squeezing and a mixed greens side (silverbeet, baby spinach and more) make for no-fuss Mediterranean mastery. For dessert try the sour cherry spoon sweets and syrup – vyssino glyko – over thick-churned vanilla ice cream, or a square of ekmek kataifi _ baked pastry splinters layered with just-set custard and cream, splashed with rose petals, pistachios and rose water. Level 1/433 Cleveland St, Surry Hills; sofiaoncleveland.com.au.