Yarraville Greek restaurant, Eleni’s Kitchen and Bar, hit in arson attack

Vandals have smashed a car into a restaurant on a popular Yarraville shopping strip before setting it on fire. It’s the second suspicious blaze to hit the restaurant in 10 months.

Eleni’s Kitchen and Bar was targeted in the attack. Picture: David Geraghty

A Greek restaurant in Yarraville has been firebombed for the second time in less than a year after a car was rammed into the eatery and set ablaze.

The white Toyota SUV was smashed into Eleni’s Kitchen and Bar and set alight shortly before 4.30am on Monday, with firefighters bringing the blaze under control before it spread to neighbouring shops.

Police said a car was rammed into the back of the Canterbury St restaurant and set alight, with the offenders fleeing in a second vehicle.

No one was inside the restaurant at the time.

Police talk with a local outside the restaurant. Picture: David Geraghty

Fire crews stopped the blaze spreading to neighbouring shops. Picture: David Geraghty

The vandals smashed the car into the back of the restaurant on Canterbury St. Picture: David Geraghty

The arson comes after another blaze at the venue on June 28 last year.

The restaurant reopened in November last year.

It is owned by sisters Anatoli and Eleftheria Amanatidis who said that all that remained after the fire was a picture of their great-grandfather.

Eleftheria Amanatidis said it was “devastating” to have been targeted again, “but resilience is in my blood”.

“Our family has been running businesses in Yarraville since 1971, and that 54-year history gives us the determination to face whatever challenges come our way,” she said.

The sisters also operate the neighbouring sandwich shop Jimmy’s Deli.