Impressively, the Kontakos family, who own The Olive Grove in Bury St Edmunds (as well as a restaurant in Cambridge), have been in the hospitality industry since 1936. This particular restaurant has been on St John’s Street since 2002, and we decided to head in for our first visit while running errands in town.
As soon as you step inside The Olive Grove, you can see the care that has been taken to create a bright and contemporary decor, yet one rooted in tradition. It’s a Tardis of a place that stretches back far further than you would initially think: the front room where we sat features window seating (perfect for people-watching!) and shelves stacked with beautiful Greek food and drink products.
Our son chose his food from the starter menu (he often does this, even when there’s a dedicated kids’ menu). Unsurprisingly, it was the halloumi sticks (£7.50) that caught his eye. Artfully arranged and sat on a generous drizzle of spicy herb mayo, the cheese was beautifully cooked. The mayo? A little too spicy for him, but he happily countered the heat by dipping his halloumi into the tzatziki (£6.95, including bread) that we’d also ordered. The tzatziki was creamy and cooling, but I felt that the bread was a little overdone.
The street food menu was the order of the day for the adults: a chicken souvlaki wrap (£11.95) for me, a lamb souvlaki wrap (£12.95) for my husband. Both were impressive: generously-sized, with tender, juicy meat wrapped in a flavourful Greek pitta. Both came with sliced tomato, lettuce, red onion and chips inside for a hearty, all-in-one meal. The sauces made all the difference: more of that delicious tzatziki with the lamb, and a tangy gherkin mustard with the chicken. Delicious.
To accompany our food, we each ordered a bottle of a sour cherry drink (£3.50), which was tart, sweet and refreshing, perfect for cutting through the rich flavours of our meals.
We certainly left The Olive Grove feeling satisfied thanks to their quality food, generous portions and beautiful restaurant. We’ll definitely be back – hopefully one evening instead of a lunchtime visit – to soak up the atmosphere and try dishes from the main menu. Highly recommended for anyone looking for delicious Greek food in Bury St Edmunds.