Opso modern Greek cuisine in Marylebone

Ambrosial menus inspired by Athens’s Funky Gourmet

In ancient Greek mythology, ambrosia is the food of the gods, conferring ageless immortality upon whomsoever consumes it. While Marylebone restaurant and bar Opso can’t promise such anti-ageing benefits when it opens in early June, it will nonetheless be taking its cue from Greek cuisine, with cocktails based around ouzo and metaxa.

Opso – Greek for delicacy – is the brainchild of Greek-English architect and food enthusiast Dimitris Karampatakis and entrepreneur Andreas Labridis. “Opso combines our Greek upbringing with a shared love of London,” Labridis says. “It encompasses our ideas and passions, while the menus are inspired by the unique flavours and produce of Greece.” These menus have in fact been created in consultation with chefs Georgianna Hiliadaki and Nikos Roussos, founders of the two-Michelin-starred restaurant Funky Gourmet in Athens.

The concept is an enticing one – for although there is a time and a place for taramasalata and dolmades, the emphasis at Opso is on less familiar Greek culinary treasures. Take breakfast, served from 8am, with its tsoureki, a brioche-style bread flavoured with aromatic Greek spices; moustokouloura, a soft biscuit made of sweet dough with grape molasses from Crete; a soft poached egg with caramelised bacon and leeks served on a toasted koulouri; and sesame-encrusted buttermilk bread, topped with a yogurt hollandaise, which serves as a modern Greek eggs Benedict.

The all-day menu will include an updating of the Greek classic hortopita, which is a handmade shortcrust pastry pie of seasonal greens and feta cheese, while spetsiota is grilled grouper, served in a squid-ink bun with a tomato confit sauce. Also on offer are opulent sharing dishes such as a 16-hour slow-cooked lamb shank with orzo and tomato jam. Puddings indeed sound ambrosial, to wit loukoumades, a puffed pastry dish infused with thyme honey, served with fragrant kaimaki ice cream and topped with shaved walnuts.

The gods may be smiling on Opso, but Londoners will be smacking their lips.