Basil Projects Commercial Hospitality

Beyond the Postcard: Akti

Sep 03, 2025 Woolloomooloo, NSW

On a wharf defined by icons, a new story is being told. At Akti, the ambitious and deeply personal venture from the Sydney Restaurant Group, the postcard image of Greece; all blue and white has been respectfully set aside. In its place is something warmer, more soulful, and infinitely more interesting: a vision of modern Greek hospitality, filtered through the lens of a family legacy.

At its heart, Akti is a story of family and hospitality. It’s a nod to the Drakopoulos family's own Greek heritage, built on the foundation of philoxenia – the art of making strangers feel like family. On this historic wharf, where many Greek migrants first arrived in Australia, that story feels particularly poignant.

To us, it’s a restaurant that recognises that true luxury isn't about formality, but warmth and connection. It’s in the way the space flows, from the breezy wharfside terrace to the intimate "Baraki" (small bar), inviting you to linger. As Perry Drakopoulos notes,

The goal is for diners to relax into the meal the way one would sitting harbour side in Greece.

A family affair in the truest sense, the layered and happy interior fit out was curated by Perry Drakopoulos. Bypassing the cliched palette of blues and white stucco, the evocative palette captures an Aegean sunset; soft pinks, warm plums, and gentle ivory tones that glow under the harbour sun. With furniture pieces chosen for comfort and looks - padded seats, casual Director's Chairs, soft tactile fabrics - every touch point encourages relaxation.

Customised 'Pagoda' umbrellas with oversized valances beautifully frame the scene and provide much needed shade, while our Director's Chairs in sunset ombre contribute to the vibe at 'Baraki' bar, next door.

Being a coastal city synonymous with beautiful beaches and summer, Sydney and the harbourside location of Akti in particular, feels like the perfect extension of the Greek experience.

- Ntinos Fotinakis, chef at Akti

Our verdict? We may be biased, but Akti's welcoming and youthful energy makes it the perfect place to gather with your favourite people for a long, lazy lunch that effortlessly drifts into sunset cocktails. It’s a little slice of the Mediterranean, right here on Sydney Harbour. Meet you there!