It’s an extraordinary, light-filled restaurant you wouldn’t expect to find sandwiched between other brick buildings in Sydney’s CBD. In 2014, designer Paul Papadopoulos worked his magic to breathe new life into the Hellenic club on Castlereagh Street – a community space that had brought the Greek migrant community together since the 1950s. The result was Alpha, where a majestic dining space with sandstone and whitewashed walls, enormous marble bench tops and a wall stamped with the Greek alphabet formed the backdrop for contemporary Greek fare.

The striking dining room sets the scene for chef Peter Conistis’ menu, which both challenges and pays homage to traditional Greek cuisine. Classic taverna dishes such as spanakopita sit alongside Conistis’ signature scallop moussaka: delicate, pan-fried scallops sandwiched by thick slices of roasted eggplant and dotted with bursts of salty fish roe.

Mezze plates range from morsels of fried green tomatoes – ‘tomato keftedes’ – with mint and olives; and bright wedges of barrel-aged feta served with lashings of olive oil, mixed chilli and thyme; to a silky taramasalata with pita from the woodfired oven.

The flavours coming out of the kitchen are refined, but the presentation is rustic and generous. Slow-cooked, meaty lamb ribs are thoughtfully matched with a minty pea puree while tangy flecks of sheep’s milk cheese cut through the fatty meat. Ouzo and Greek beer and wines all make the cut on a strong drinks list.

Don’t miss new bar Beta upstairs – you’ll understand why, like the dessert of loukoumades (doughnuts with honey syrup and walnut ice cream), it’s one of the most Instagrammed in Sydney.

Must eat dish: Lamb ribs
Instagram: @alpha.restaurant