The Bite: A taste of Greece in Wellington

Sunday, 10 November 2024

Hearty, honest, affordable, delicious. That’s Sophie and George Apostolakis’ stripped-down, straight-up description of their Souvlaki Mixed.

Meat, tzatziki, tomatoes, onions and chips in pita – it’s Greek street food at its finest and they flog hundreds of them a week from their food truck and their permanent pod outside Moore Wilson’s in Pōneke Wellington.

The inspiration

The couple are celebrating 10 years since they started the Greek Food Truck. It was Sophie who convinced George to launch the operation after returning from four years living on the Greek island of Santorini where she had seen and tasted Greece’s No.1 street food and wanted to bring it back to these shores.

George had been in the food business with various establishments around Wellington since the 80s. Sophie comes from a career in fashion having run Zambesi Store and a stint working in retail during her time in Greece.

It was the start of their relationship and the beginning of the food truck movement here. Both are still going strong.

The dish

There are variations on the pair’s souvlaki. The mititei – a beef and pork skinless sausage with onions, tzatziki, tomatoes and chips, and the Aphrodite (named in honour of George’s mother) – a breakfast souvlaki with halloumi, bacon, lettuce, beetroot relish, tomato, onion and tzatziki.

Everything, including their baklava, salads and spanakopita, is made at their commercial kitchen up town.

The secret

The homemade tzatziki is thick, creamy, garlicky with generous chunks of fresh cucumber.

Fragrant chicken and lamb is marinated and seasoned and sprinkled with oregano.

And what’s a souvlaki without chips - thick cut, salty, hot.

All wrapped in a soft, light, fluffy Giannis pita bread. Opa!

Where to get it

Where: A permanent pod outside Moore Wilson’s and their Greek Food Truck parked at Wellington Railway Station and various other spots around the city.

Cost: $16