INNOVATIVE CLUBS: GREEKS ON THE GO & OLD CLUB BECOMES COMMUNITY COMMONS
ALPHA GETS BETA
Alpha Restaurant, located in Sydney’s Hellenic Club, has been one of the forerunners in the recent Greek food revival in the harbour city. Last week they announced the opening of the Beta Bar above the popular Castlereagh Street restaurant which will offer modern Greek meze and a range of complementing cocktails.
Operated by the Hellenic Club in partnership with chef Peter Conistis, the bar has been designed by DS17’s Paul Papadopoulos, who also worked on the striking Alpha Restaurant design. The 200 seat bar will fill the huge historic upper floor of the building, making the most of the heritage windows and arches in the space.
Conistis’ menu items include rock oysters with cucumber, green olive, rose and sumac dressing; slow cooked lamb pastries with spice roasted sweetbreads, eggplant and pomegranate; and smoked fetta custard with duck skin crisps, quince, lemon salt and Aleppo pepper.
Beta will also boast a private dining area/function space which will feature traditional Greek spit roasts in the atrium. The function area will be able to accommodate up to 200 people for a drinks reception and up to 150 for dinner.
Images: Above – Alpha Restaurant: Feature image – Beta Bar
CAMPERDOWN COMMONS: CLUBS COMMUNITY PROJECT
The old Camperdown Bowling Club has been transformed into a lush urban farm, restaurant and community meeting place, now called Camperdown Commons.
Camperdown Commons is a joint initiative of Canterbury Hurlstone Park RSL and Sydney’s Inner West Council and is operated in conjunction with their partners: urban farming and sustainability educators “Pocket City Farms” and “Acre”, their restaurant and café partner who are passionate advocates of locally grown produce.
CHPRSL CEO Dean Thomas said “Bowls weren’t going to work here any more. This gives us lots of different ways to interact with the community.”
They envisage Camperdown Commons as a revitalised community hub providing a safe, inclusive space for locals of all ages and walks of life. It is a place where locals can connect and share common interests.
www.camperdown.commons.com.au/
Images: Feature: Acre Eatery and above: Pocket City Farms general manager Emma Bowen with son Banjo and Michael Zagoridis at Camperdown Common
