Chef Nic Charalambous has been operating his pop-up food brand, Ouzeri, in Cape Town since late 2020. His offering at the time (“A Greek Feast at Home”) included honest, flavour-packed Greek-style dishes like roasted olives with citrus, garlic and chilli; halloumi with apricot dressing; and lamb yiouvetsi, a stew made with orzo, cooked in a tasty tomato-based sauce.
Nic’s food is influenced by the culture with which he grew up and the regional cooking of Cyprus and Greece. The great news is that his food will be available at his soon-to-be-opened restaurant in Cape Town’s CBD.
Over the years, Nic run various pop-ups at different locations in Cape Town, including The Athletic Club and Social and Leo’s Wine Bar, where diners were able to get a taste of the chef’s story on a plate together with the relaxed, intimate and hospitable ambience he created.
The name “Ouzeri” is the term for a traditional Greek blue-collar hangout. A place to catch up and unwind with a glass of ouzo or wine and some local mezze after work, often with a band playing rebetiko (Greek blues) in the background. Over time, the ouzeri evolved. The food became more substantial, there were waiters working tables, and the drinks list grew. But the food and the wine remained local and regional.
The menu, while being based on regional Greek cooking, will also bring in elements from Nic’s travels through other parts of the Mediterranean.
Ouzeri will be located at 58 Wale Street in Cape Town and will be open for lunch and dinner. Bookings will open in mid-May.
