The best Greek food used to be hidden in Greek mothers' kitchens, the recipes passed to the daughters, the food passed to the sons. Thank the gods, it has now been outed, so we have Peter Conistis doing gorgeous spanakopita pies at Alpha, and Jonathan Barthelmess grilling sardines at The Apollo in Potts Point. Even Greek souvlaki is back where it belongs – on the streets - at Balmain's Zeus, Bexley's Gyradiko, and soon to come, George Calombaris' Jimmy Grants souvlaki chain in Parramatta.

Now former Perama and Xanthi chef David Tsirekas has surfaced post-Westfield at Kingsgrove's Kefi Greek Tavern. Tucked under a modern residential building that towers over the railway station, it's half log-lined tavern, half take-away souvlaki bar, and all Sydney Greek.

A linear fireplace of flickering flames runs along the stackstone wall, and chefs work in full view on 48-skewer souvlaki grills, vertical gyro spits for lamb, and horizontal spits for pork and chicken kontosouvli. That's the thing about Greek food; it's cooked openly and publicly, and deliberately kept simple, affordable and people-friendly.

Of the mixed dips ($8), I'm not in love with the bready, pink, taramasalata, but the tsatsiki is fresh and tangy, and tirokafteri ( "the orange one") is a ripper, all chilli-kicked capsicum and feta. Small pita breads ($1.50) are dusty with dried herbs and served warm, ready to tear, dip and mop.

Yiayia's chips ($8) are as grandma meant them to be - big, soft and golden, topped with crumbled feta and a fried egg ($8); hangover fare. Greek slaw ($9.50) is creamily dull. But you're not here for slaw, you're here to share a tin tray lined with baking paper and piled with juicy, melting, crisp-edged, herb-rubbed lamb ($26) or pork ($23) sliced off the spit, served with lemon wedges and spice and smoke.

The new luxury in food isn't sea urchin foam with heirloom carrots and licorice, it's eggs on chips, and syrupy loukoumathes doughnuts and icy cold Mythos beer, and sharing a tray of decent meat cooked by someone who knows what he is doing. Food for the people, whether it's the people of Kingsgrove or the people of the world. It's a pity the Greeks don't have a word for democracy; they could well have invented it.

THE LOW-DOWN
Do… start with dips and pita.
Don't… smash the plates.
Dish: Lamb off the spit, $26 to share.
Vibe: Family-style feasting.