Theo Petidis decided to carry on the family tradition of restaurateurs the modern Australian way.
From growing up taking naps across two chairs in his parents’ Greek restaurant called the Stork, in East Melbourne in the ’80s, he has gone on to create his own industrial foodie haven in the leafy suburb of Hawthorn.
Nestled on Church Street, Morrisons has replaced the former Japanese takeaway Minna House.
Although it has been open for just a few weeks, it seems to have already won a place in the hearts of Richmond and Hawthorn residents.
“My parents’ restaurant was traditionally Greek and it also offered live music,” Theo tells Neos Kosmos.
“Growing up as a young kid, I used to run around on the dance floor with my younger sister and fall asleep.”
During the past six months, first-time business owner Petidis had been working closely with Victor Isobe of sustainable design firm Zen Architects to create a modern, minimal, and relaxing environment.
“One day I was walking outside the building having a conversation with the owner, the next I’ve bought the place.
“This is my first café and it’s more modern, fitted to my market place,” he explains.
“That’s essentially what we are trying to provide here at Morrisons; speciality coffee with a slight twist on modern Australian breakfast.”
The interior sports concrete details, wired tables and padded chairs, whitewashed brickwork, state of the art equipment and lighting exposed concrete, padded wire chairs and wooden stools.
“Because it’s not an overly large space we wanted to give it slightly better finishes. A lot of blood sweat and tears as they say,” he jokes.
For the summer, the owner has planned to turn the unused alleyway into an outdoor courtyard-style dining space.
Petidis has a soft spot for good coffee, serving up Code Black Coffee Roasters behind a monster La Marzocco Australasia machine.
If you also wish to try spicy and strong tea blends ot superfoodie smoothies, Morrisons is the place to go.
Meanwhile, Colombian-born chef Fabian Diaz is responsible for the mouthwatering and sexy-looking menu.
“I guess it was a fair amount of trialling with my chef who is of Colombian descent. We went through various dishes.
“We decide to have a seasonal menu, so it will be changed every two or three months based on fresh produce.
“We offer options for gluten intolerant people and vegans; everything is fresh, gets delivered daily.”
Our picks for this week?
– Ricotta hotcakes with pistachio creme, agave syrup, nutmeg and vanilla, served with coconut milk and seasonal fruit
– Spring onion, potato and broccoli fritters with pesto aioli, guacamole, purple tortillas roasted truss cherry tomatoes and labne (plus you can always add a poached egg on top)
– Bulgogi beef burger with Korean marinated beef with beetroot, cheddar cheese and seasonal leaves on a brioche bun with crispy chips
– Vanilla and berry panacotta ft activated tukmaria seeds, pistachio praline and basil micro herbs
Morrisons is open 7 days, 7am-3pm Monday to Friday and 8am-3pm on weekends.
For more information check facebook.com/morrisonshawthorn or follow @morrisons_cafe on Instagram.