Space is tight at this tiny all-day taverna,so chef Alex Xinis triples as your bartender and waiter. Daytime visits yield Greek coffee and pastries such as wood-fired spanakopita;tomato-studded focaccia;and bougatsa,made with hand-stretched filo and a custard filling.

When the sun goes down,the music’s turned up and the hulking hearth (Tzaki is Greek for “replace”) ramps up production. There’s charred South Australian octopus,molten saganaki with syrupy baby figs,and pulled suckling lamb.

You’ll want extra serves of oregano flecked flatbread for smoky chickpeas,which have been braised in a complex stock boosted with kombu and brightened with herby Koroneiki olive oil. Blistered,twice-baked feta cheesecake is a finale bested only by an ice-cold martini with coffee-infused vermouth,one of several smart cocktails.

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Melbourne’s Western Suburbs

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