Is Perth's new Greek restaurant Aphrodite heaven in Hellas?

Why it has taken until 2024 for Perth to be blessed with a sit-in Greek restaurant is truly a mystery.

So when Cretan Stefania Ciocionoiu opened Aphrodite just a couple of doors along from our Perth office on George Street, we hoped that would mean no more odysseys would be required from the Fair City for some top quality Hellenic food.

Stefania has run Kali Kardia on the other side of the city centre for a while and their fresh gyros have ensured that the tiny takeaway has muscled its way to the top of our favourites list.

Stepping into Aphrodite, we were excited to see how her and her team have made the transition from mouth-watering street food to top class Greek dining.

Aphrodite in Perth a sea of blue and white

Aphrodite – named after the Greek goddess of love – has been open for almost two months.

Management took over and promptly refurbished the unit which was fleetingly occupied by Dundee burger merchants Vandal & Co – however to those in the Fair City, most will know the George Street premises as the former home of Grand Italia.

Aphrodite in Perth. Image: Steve MacDougall/DC Thomson

As you’d expect, seaside pantones of blue and white adorn the dining area and peaceful traditional music gently fills the room.

It was a Wednesday evening when we ducked in to the taverna, taking refuge from gloomy weather which couldn’t be less Mediterranean – despite it being July.

There were half a dozen other tables with diners – fairly busy for a newly founded establishment on a weeknight.

We were quickly seated by smiley staff and began to peruse the menu.

Feta saganaki the ‘highlight of my trip’ at Aphrodite in Perh

There’s no shortage of options at Aphrodite. It offers a broad menu with plenty of vegetarian options and it’s all dishes you’d expect to find on menus from summer holidays sunbathing in the Mediterranean.

The service was notably quick, and the waiting team were friendly and attentive throughout – clearly eager to make a good impression.

I went for the feta saganaki (£6.90). That’s breaded feta drizzled with honey.

There’s no doubt about it. This is one of the best things I’ve ever ordered, and almost certainly the highlight of my trip.

The feta was soft to cut into and the tang of the cheese was complimented perfectly by the sweet notes of honey.

I’m not going to lie, I could have ate even more of this but I would say it was the perfect sized appetiser before my main.

My partner went for the melitzanosalata (£6.50).

It’s a chilled aubergine salad, which was light and refreshing – one of those particularly healthy dishes where you can feel every bite doing you good.

It wasn’t too filling, thankfully, as the main courses certainly weren’t skimped on.

Main courses ‘not skimped on’ at Aphrodite, Perth

I ordered the ghemista (£14.50) – a dish made up of a tomato, pepper and courgette stuffed to the brim with rice and paired with a dollop of sour cream.

I’ve never been one to order stuffed peppers but there was something so comforting about this dish.

It was simple yet delightfully tasty and every bite was fresh.

It is definitely a meal I would be happy to order in the future when I make my definite return to Aphrodite.

My partner chose the stifado (£19.50) – that’s a stew with beef and shallots, served with a side of sticky yellow rice (chips are available instead).

As is often the case when we write these reviews, his choice was something he’d never had before.

But the slow-cooked meat tore effortlessly and the rich gravy was divine.

Stifado with rice. Image: Steve MacDougall/DC Thomson

It’s often easy to picture Greek food as being something best only consumed throughout summer, but this dish is the ideal tonic for an evening as bleak as those we’ve become accustomed to in Tayside this July.

The menu really is a sizeable one, with plenty of grilled meat, vegetables and fish which I’m sure we’ll explore further on our next trip.

Frankly, we had no room for dessert.

The verdict

Perth’s reputation as a city with excellent independent restaurants is long-standing and irrefutable.

However, the absence of great quality Greek restaurant has made that persisting gap in the market become more noticeable.

Hospitality businesses don’t have their challenges to seek, especially restaurants still building their reputation.

But Aphrodite will certainly become an established presence in Perth and its food is more than tasty enough to draw in diners from further afield too.

Perth punters have had to wait for a Greek restaurant to open on their doorstep, but they’ve been delivered with one which delivers with aplomb.

Stefania has said she wants to bring live Greek music in due course – another potentially exciting development.

Whatever the future holds for Aphrodite, the foundations of success are firmly in place.