Olive at Hawker restaurant to reopen after gutted by fire

The Olive at Hawker restaurant will finally reopen after being severely damaged by fire in March. Get excited for hearty and affordable Mediterranean fare in a rustic, homely setting.

Aleka Yianoulakis with her sons George and Dimitri Yianoulakis at their refurbished restaurant Olive at Hawker in Hawker, Canberra. Picture: Tracey Nearmy

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A Greek restaurant decimated by fire will rise from the ashes as police continue to hunt the arsonist responsible.

Olive at Hawker Mediterranean restaurant is almost fully booked for its reopening night on July 23 as the community continues to rally behind the Yianoulakis family who have battled without their sole source of income for the last four months.

The family were devastated when both their restaurants at Hawker and Mawson were gutted by fire within an hour of each other on March 27.

The extensive damage caused by fire to the Olive at Hawker restaurant.

Police are treating both blazes as suspicious as investigations continue.

Owner Dimitri Yianoulakis said the impact on their family had been “dramatic” with his mum Aleka the hardest hit out of everyone.

“We’ve all taken it really hard but mum took it the worst, she’s been heavily involved with both venues and has put her heart and soul into it so it was gut wrenching for her,” he said.

“She can’t stay at home, she’s a working lady.”

Aleka can be spotted working around the clock doing whatever she can do to help tradespeople and staff who are putting the final touches on the restaurant, which has been recreated as closely as possible to the original.

The restaurant is almost fully booked for its reopening night on July 23. Picture: Tracey Nearmy

Mr Yianoulakis, who has three children and one on the way, said they wanted to rebuild as much for the community as for themselves.

“It’s our livelihood, it’s not something we would walk away from,” he said.

“But the community is so tight-knit and they have really rallied behind us with so many people offering to help from tradesmen to people offering to print stuff off and even look after our kids.

“Even random people have dropped off flowers and cards.”

The 100-seat restaurant will offer hearty food which will be like enjoying a home cooked meal at a relative’s house in a relaxed, rustic setting.

Think homely wooden furniture, vintage photos of singers and actors from Greece and a family friendly vibe.

It will offer a mix of Greek, Italian and Mediterranean flavours with only slight changes to the menu with more pizzas, pastas and meze platters.

The Mawson restaurants will need to be completely demolished and rebuilt as it’s structurally unsound.

“It will be a more affordable menu and easier for bigger groups,” he said.

They have extended their opening hours by half an hour to open earlier for dinner at 5.30pm for those who want to get their kids to bed. Lunch will be from 11.30am.

Mr Yianoulakis said they were trying to recreate what they had before and “breathe new life” in to the Hawker shops where foot traffic had dropped off.

They would “eventually” reopen the Mawson restaurant but it needs to be completely demolished and rebuilt as it’s structurally unsound.

“We’re in talks and we want to reopen within 12 months and if we can’t then we’ll look at another site.”

The family are also considering opening a third restaurant in Gungahlin where he believes there is a “gap” in the market.

Aleka Yianoulaskis with her son George in the refurbished bar. Picture: Tracey Nearmy

“In another year there will be 90,000 people living there and not enough eateries, and no Mediterranean.”

An ACT Policing spokesman said investigations remain ongoing into the two “suspicious” fires which occurred between 12am and 1am on Wednesday, March 27.

A witness managed to put out the Hawker fire with a handheld extinguisher.

“The (Mawson) fire was extinguished by ACT Fire and Rescue however the premises was extensively damaged,” he said.

Anyone with information about these incidents are urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

To make a booking at the new restaurant, email: [e-mail].

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