Taverna, Kingscliff: If you haven’t ventured south to experience Taverna yet, you need to rectify the situation. From the same owners as Osteria (Casuarina) and The Bombay Cricketers Club (Salt), Taverna’s share-style menu is driven by local produce that is treated well with just a hint of Greek flavour – an intentional shift away from being too traditional. Think grilled octopus with fava-bean whip and sweet pickled vegetable, and 48-hour slow-roasted lamb with soft garlic.

The Lamb Shop, Broadbeach: The Lamb Shop in Broadbeach offers a new take on the humble souvlaki. Packing pitas with lamb shoulder that has been roasting away over charcoals for hours, hand-cut potato chips and slathers of mustard mayonnaise, the bustling joint is all about good, honest flavours and quality nosh. If lamb isn’t your thing, the crew also serves up slow-roasted pork and chicken, alongside Greek bar snacks and salads.

George’s Paragon, Sanctuary Cove and Coolangatta: Synonymous with great seafood, George’s Paragon has been operating from its flagship location in Sanctuary Cove for over 20 years, so you know George and the team must be doing something right. Settle in for a glorious Greek-inspired feast with everything from taramasalata and soft pita to barbecued baby octopus, spanakopita, souvlaki, giant seafood platters and much, much more.

Xenia Grill, Coolangatta: Grab a quick souva to go or settle in for a long lunch of saganaki, dolmades, Greek-style fried chicken, seven-hour lamb shoulder, piping-hot moussaka, flash-fried white bait with skoralia and more. Can’t decide? The share platters will sort you out – there will be plenty of honey-drizzled haloumi to go around!

Athenia Restaurant & Bar, Carrara: Hidden within Emerald Lakes, Athenia Restaurant & Bar has been delighting locals with beautifully authentic Greek nosh for years. The vast menu features all of your Greek favourites including keftedes (traditional Greek meatballs), char-grilled baby octopus, amazing moussaka and its signature slow-baked lamb on the bone.

Zeus Greek Street Food, Robina: Delightfully fluffy pitas form the hero of the Zeus menu, encasing flavour-packed fillings like succulent lamb, chicken, pork, chicken schnitzel, soft-shell crab and haloumi. You can keep it simple and order flame-grilled chicken, pork or lamb from the spit, which comes served with tzatziki, lemon and pita bread or build your own Spartan box. Throw some of Yia Yia’s Chips on the side.

Greek Street Grill, Pacific Fair and Surfers Paradise: Wrap your hands around a gyros loaded with meat, tomato, onion, chips and tzatziki or go the whole hog (and we mean whole hog) and get the mixed-grill platter that is loaded with mountains of succulent meat, pillow-soft pita bread and fat chips. Just be warned, it’s not for the peckish.

That Greek Joint, Burleigh Heads: Formerly Salvadore Dali, That Greek Joint is perfect along the Lower Gold Coast Highway (near Commune) and serves up a hearty menu of barbecued meats cooked over charcoal alongside traditional Greek dishes like spanakopita, haloumi-loaded mezze platters, gyros and more.

Want to get your Greek on in Brisbane? You’ll find all of the top spots over here. Opa!

Image one credit: Figtree