Manoli’s Greek Taverna goes into liquidation after COVID-19 pushes business over the cliff

A MAJOR Darwin food icon has become the first restaurant in the Top End to collapse and close its doors forever amid the economy-crippling coronavirus – and it won’t be the last

Manoli's Greek Taverna has collapsed, with liquidators called in for the Darwin food icon. Owner Manoli Papathomas said coronavirus ‘topped it off’ for the struggling business he built from scratch in 2009. Picture: Che Chorley

A MAJOR Darwin food icon has become the first restaurant in the Top End to collapse amid the economy-crippling coronavirus – and it won’t be the last.

Manoli’s Greek Taverna, a highly-regarded restaurant that has regularly ranked in Darwin’s top 10 places to eat, was put into liquidation yesterday.

Owner and head chef Manoli Papathomas, who opened the restaurant in 2009, said his business had been hit by the NT’s economic downturn in the past two years.

The loss of about a dozen parking bays on Smith St due to a new bus stop also cut patronage before the pandemic “topped it off”.

“It is what it is,” Mr Papathomas said.

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He will take a slimmed down version of his lunch menu, including calamari, to The Honey Puff Cafe, which is owned by his sister.

The restaurant has featured in publications including Forbes and Gourmet Traveller.

The NT News, in ranking Manoli’s as Darwin’s 8th best restaurant in 2018, said “your yiayia can’t make it better”.

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Mr Papathomas switched to takeaway only when coronavirus restrictions hit but found it “wasn’t working out” financially once gas and power bills had been accounted for.

He did not apply for help through Federal or NT Government stimulus packages, as he was not confident of bouncing back.

“What can you do, I think it won’t be the same once this is all over,” Mr Papathomas said. “I think the whole economy is going to take a long time to get back on its feet.”

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Hospitality NT chief executive Alex Bruce, commiserating the demise of the “iconic Darwin restaurant”, said the peak body was concerned Manoli’s would not be the last.

“Our concern is that this will not be the last, with viability severely impacted by the level of re-openings and restrictions announced to date,” he said.

“We really do need to see restrictions ease further as soon as the NT Government can give us the green light.”