Olympus Dining in Redfern has been named among Sydney’s best restaurants in Gourmet Traveller‘s 2026 Annual Restaurant Guide — recognition that will surprise few of the locals who have watched this corner of Baptist Street transform into one of the city’s most talked-about dining destinations since the venue opened in late 2024.
The guide, released this week, highlights the 200-seat modern Greek restaurant within the Wunderlich Lane precinct as a standout in Sydney’s current dining scene. Reviewers visited all venues anonymously between March and July 2025, covering the bill themselves — a detail the publication emphasises to underscore the independence of its assessments.
At the heart of the room, quite literally, is a 50-year-old bougainvillea tree that anchors the indoor-outdoor space. Designed to evoke the atmosphere of a mountain taverna in Greece, the venue was put together by a team with deep runs in Sydney hospitality — owner Jonathan Barthelmess is also behind The Apollo and Cho Cho San, while the fit-out was the work of designer George Livissianis. The space features a striking glass “oculus” ceiling along with natural textures and limestone surfaces.
The restaurant’s inclusion in the guide follows a breakout year for head chef Özge Kalvo. Kalvo was named Gourmet Traveller‘s Best New Talent at the publication’s 2025 Restaurant Awards — no small feat for someone stepping into their first head chef role at a venue of this scale. Originally from Istanbul, Kalvo moved to Australia and built her experience across some of the city’s most celebrated kitchens, including Anason, Efendy, Ester and Baba’s Place, before taking on the Olympus role.
Her background — drawing on both Greek and Turkish heritage — shapes a menu that offers a fresh take on Greek cuisine while incorporating subtle cross-cultural touches. Dishes range from taramasalata made with white cod roe and finished with bottarga, to avgolemono soup with a hint of chilli and mint, through to pizza-sized spanakopita and whole milk-fed lamb. The drinks list leans into Greek varieties, with assyrtiko and malagousia alongside cocktails built on ouzo.
Those who’ve worked alongside Kalvo describe her as someone who is deeply invested in food and relentless in her pursuit of flavour and technique, while remaining composed and level-headed under the pressure of running a packed kitchen. That temperament seems well-suited to a venue that, by all accounts, has been full nearly every service since it opened.
Gourmet Traveller‘s guide rates Olympus in the $$$ price range — roughly $175 to $250 for two people before drinks. The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner daily, with bookings recommended. It is located at 2 Baptist Street, Redfern; wheelchair-accessible; phone: (02) 8354 0649; olympusdining.com.au.
Published 8-May-2026
