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Time Out Melbourne never writes starred reviews from hosted experiences – Time Out covers restaurant and bar bills for reviews so that readers can trust our critique.
What was once a friendly Sunday pop-up for back-to-basics Greek food has since grown into a permanent Collingwood fixture. The Pontian Club is short on frills but long on charm, serving up delicious, fire-fuelled share plates that allow the most irresistible features of regional Anatolian cuisine to shine: smoky depth of flavour, quality proteins, and olive oil-slicked dips and sides (best conquered with the crusty house bread, of course). Don’t expect a reinvention of the wheel. Here, it’s all about the classics done well.
The vibe
On weekends, the restaurant packs the warmth of an inner-north share house dinner party. The fit-out is a mix of repurposed furniture and found objects, while exposed brick walls and worn floorboards lend the space a lived-in feel. Conversations overlap across disposable butcher-paper tablecloths, and though the busy clamour seems like it could veer into chaos at any moment, staff remain attentive and impressively on top of things.
Pick a table near the open-plan kitchen and you can watch the chef prepare dishes over glowing charcoal and flames while you wait.
The food
The compact one-page menu reads more like a list of ingredients, but don’t let its scant detail fool you. Complexity is achieved through char, caramelisation, citrus and herbs that work together to turn humble cuts of meat and seafood into heroes. A sign on the wall assures us that ‘everything is cooked in olive oil' – just as the Greeks
The rustic baguette-style bread would be the obvious choice for a traditional starter, fun to tear up with your hands and mop up fava, tarama, red peppers and eggplant, but my dining partner and I skip ahead straight to the pickled octopus ($26). Though it’s suitably tangy from the vinegar and just tender enough, it’s not dissimilar to what you could find at a good Greek deli.
The halloumi tart ($28) is more thrilling: a golden, salty and addictively savoury package of cheese and filo pastry that’s gone in minutes. The first true standout comes next. Butterflied Mooloolaba king prawns (2 pieces for $32) are as fresh and juicy as can be, cooked over the smoky hibachi grill and naturally sweet with a squeeze of lemon. They’re a joy to eat with your hands.
Hearty proteins comprise the largest part of the menu, from baby snapper ($50) to traditional lamb shoulder ($110), and you’ll want to tread carefully here in how much you order. The portions aren’t huge, but they lean rich. It’s the pork belly ($38) that calls out to us, and it’s a beauty when it arrives – a glistening, slow-braised strip coated in a kind of Greek salsa verde with a snappy, crisp crust. It’s more than enough for the two of us to share. Along with a classic Greek salad ($15) to balance out the richness, it’s overall good value for a casual high-quality meal.
The drinks
Like the food menu, the drinks list is short and cleverly focused. Beyond a single beer or ouzo, a by-the-glass wine selection sees Greek drops rub shoulders with local Victorian names (Owen Latta, Little Frances, Bobar).
Low-intervention and natty wines may be in vogue, but we recommend asking the staff for a sample before you commit to a full glass or bottle – the funk isn’t for everyone.
In keeping with the style of a traditional Greek taverna, wine is served in glass tumblers. Prices are approachable, too, so there’s every excuse to order another.
Time Out tip:
Order the creamy housemade tzatziki on the side. It's just the right amount of tang and it goes with everything.
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