The Rose

Ph: 9646 3580; 309 Bay St, Port Melbourne 3207 www.rosehotel.net.au

Greek, $$
Open Lunch Sun-Fri noon-3pm Dinner 7 days 6pm-11pm, Closed Most public holidays; Licensed; AE DC MC V EFT
Chef James Vardis (7-11-07) Owner Harry Stetanidakis & Chris Vafeas (7-11-07)

Mietta's Review
From the outside the Rose and Crown has the appearance of just another suburban pub but inside it's elegant and comfortable. The boys from the Red Eagle via the Botanical are at it again. This time they've take the Crown out of the Rose and replaced it with excellent modern Greek food cooked by Harry Hajisava. Prices are reasonable for the situation.

Other published opinions

Gourmet Traveller 2009 Australian Restaurant Guide "The Rose is a Melbourne pioneer of serving Greek food away from the raucous, blue-andwhite bouzouki cliches of the taverna. Sure, its home base is a pub but low lighting, comfortably upholstered booths and a quirky, 30s-Deco crossed with 50s-diner look trumpet the fact that this is one Greek joint with an eye on the modern"

Age Good Food Guide 2008 Score: 14/20 "A Greek restaurant and an old pub make strange bedfellows but The Rose adeptly brings an upmarket Hellenic edge to Port Melbourne's former Rose and Crown"

Gourmet Traveller 2008 Australian Restaurant Guide "No white walls, columns or dangling fishing nets. Instead, dark timber, leather, thick carpets and orange wall lights create a calm, vaguely Deco mood in The Rose's dining room"

The Age Cheap Eats 2006 Harry Stefanidakis and Chris Vafeas took this pub bar and bistro into their experienced hands two years ago. ... Art Deco features blend with contemporary dark-wood and leather furnishings; and chef James Vardis gives many of his grandmother's Greek recipes a modern edge.

The Age Good Food Guide 2006 score 14/20 "The continuing maturation of the Rose Hotel formerly the Rose and Crown - should be something of a wake-up call for Melbourne's hackneyed array of Greek restaurants."

Gourmet Traveller 2006 Australian Restaurant Guide "The old Rose and Crown stepped up into a new bar-and-diningspace identity in 2004, and it's s quality fresh approach. Run by two Melbourne veterans - Chris Vafeas and Harry Stefanidakis - it features a modern-bistro selection heavily inspired by Greece and, to a lesser extent, the Middle East."

Gourmet Traveller 2006 Australian Restaurant Guide Best pub dining "For a modern Middle Eastern Greek accent on pub dining, The Rose has a lot to offer, again with a wine sensibility to shame many restaurants."

The Age (melbourne) Magazine May 05 Gastro Pubs John Lethlean "Port's old Rose and Crown has been made over, but go at night when the booths are snuggly and the light flattering, and the professionalism and unpretentiousness of the guys who run this place will overcome any doubts."

Herald Sun Stephen Downes 19/4/05 score 15/20 "Don't expect Rose to strike you with gastro-lightning. But you will revel here in the freshness and simplicity of fine ingredients treated with the greatest respect. The wine list is very long and has an admirable spread of prices. Many wines come by the glass, and 14 vodkas, five ouzos, four sherries and numerous ports, tokays and muscats are listed."

The Age Good Food Guide 2005 "this former working-class pub has been spruced up to resemble the ubiquitous modern bistro chocolate banquettes, timber panelling and judicious downlighting. Despite its makeover, the Rose still lacks the glamour factor of some of its flashier Port pals"

Herald Sun CityStyle Best of Melbourne 04 Best Greek "The Rose doesn't dispense with all the things you love - calamari, lamb, fetta and lemon - but uses them in ways that make you realise there is life in the old souvlaki yet."

Age A2 Jane Faulkner 4/9/04 "The fit-out is attractive with a casual bar arid eatery at the front to the restaurant proper out the back with banquette seats to one side or booths to the other. Apart from crisp, white napkins, the wooden tables are simply appointed. Service is casual and mostly there's that sense of Greek-style hospitality reflected in a fantastic wine list and outstanding menu created by the passionate duo and implemented by another restaurant veteran and GreekAustralian, chef Harry Hajisava. This is the best Greek food I've had in Melbourne"

Herald Sun Simon Plant 28/8/04 "Harry and Christos are turning history on its head and serving dazzling Greek-inspired food at one of Bay St's British bastions: the Rose and Crown Hotel. At the Rose - as it's now known you can tangle with tentacles of chargrilled baby octopus, enjoy chicken livers on a fava, shallot and thyme puree, and savour chickpea falafels with a tabouli salad."

The Age, Epicure, 15/6/04, John Lethlean,Score 14.5/20,'Terrific value,good cooking,well run:the Rose ticks a lot of important boxes...We found the cooking largely impressive,the approach fresh.'

The Age, Agenda, 6/6/04, John Lethlean,'An old pub gone modern,Rose is run by a couple of Greek guys with a lot of restaurant experience.It shows.The place hums along to the pace of a good wine list and terrific,good-value-for-money Greek/Middle Eastern inspired food by chef Harry Hajisavas.The Greek-style barbecued quail with a smoked eggplant relish is a cracker,while the daily fish list is the main game for bigger dishes.'