Iraklis Varvakis moved to Australia from Greece and he’s made Me Gousto, his newly opened creperie in Oakleigh feel like home.

Iraklis, boldly ventured on launching his “European-style” crepes in the heart of Melbourne’s Greek community and his instinct proved him right.

“Me Gousto Creperie is like my child; it’s the epitome of all the aromas and flavours I’ve brought with me having worked in this business for twenty years,” he tells Neos Kosmos.

“There are over 50 options in the menu and with confidence, I can assure you’ll will be screaming “me gousto” at the end of your meal.”

Even though he’d been successfully running similar businesses in Athens and rural Greece, he saw a window in the Australian market and decided to “go for it”.

For Iraklis, Melbourne is the place to be right now “The most liveable city in the world”.

He is certain that Melburnians, being the foodies they are, can truly appreciate good food and rich flavours.

“It takes a great deal of effort to build something from scratch in a country which is not your own, but it’s very rewarding when you see the happy faces of your customers.”

“We are introducing mainly Greek and French flavours, crepes and pizzas are our focus, but all the crepes can be turned into waffles, too.”

He says the best selling crepe is definitely the ‘Greek’ one but there’s something for every taste. He even has a ‘Make your own’ option on the menu.

“Our sweet crepes are completely different, it’s not what people in Australia or in Greece are used to,” he insists.

“We don’t just do the staple Nutella, banana, cookies kind of thing. We have created combinations of flavours and textures and we even came up with healthy and light options that will too make you salivate.”

And indeed they do. Me Gousto’s menu features crepes with all kinds of delicious fillings, making each bite memorable.

“Is it Lila Pause crepes, Snickers, Ferrero inspired crepes you want? Bougatsa crepa? Exotic fruits mixed with white or black chocolate? Cookies and nuts?
“Whatever your palate craves for, we have it!” Iraklis enthuses.

Even the ice-cream at Me Gousto is made especially to match the textures and flavours of the crepes, with the freshest ingredients.

“We pride on the quality of our service. We enjoy making everything in front of you, whether it’s our crepes mix or our pizza dough.
“There are ten ‘juicy’ pizzas to pick from and number 11 can be mozzarella and four more ingredients of your choice.”

The best thing apart from watching Iraklis and his team prepare their delicious goodies before your eyes is Me Gousto’s opening hours. T

he shop is open to 1am almost every night, which is great for Fridays and Saturdays. “Just like in Greece,” he laughs. “You’ll find us open till 2 or 3 in the morning. “Nothing can beat our food after a late night out. We’re the only ones open at that time, even in Oakleigh.”

Iraklis’ partner from Greece is also keen on becoming part of Victoria’s thriving food scene.

“This is new to us,” he says. “But on the other hand, it means that if someone is devoted and hardworking they can succeed in Australia. This is the vibe I’m getting.”

Committed to give his best, Iraklis works non-stop yet he dreams big. His next goal is to open a a bigger venue in the city, completely different to the Oakleigh one. My goal is to create a crepe factory kind of place and offer an even wider variety of European flavours.

“It goes without saying one needs to invest not only love and meraki but their own personal time in a business from the very beginning to make it flare.
“The food market is very competitive here in Melbourne, but we’re up for a challenge!”

What we think? Beat the rainy day blues challenge and feel like you’ve escaped to a tropical island with Me Gousto’s exotic crepe featuring Nutella, pineapple, coconut and Malibu. We can feel the tan coming on already.

Where: 2/18 Eaton Mall, Oakleigh, VIC

For more information, email @megoustorestaurant or call 0422 562 942.