Restaurant
Vasili's Taverna
103 Commercial Rd, Port Adelaide SA 5015, Australia
Find Vasili's Taverna
103 Commercial Rd, Port Adelaide SA 5015, Australia
Directions ↗*Opening hours may differ during holidays.
Visit websiteAbout Vasili's Taverna
Vasili’s Taverna turns out traditional Greek yiros grilled over glowing hot coals in Port Adelaide. Passersby often get waved inside for a fresh sample carved right off the spit before ordering. The kitchen rotates lamb, pork, and chicken over open embers rather than standard electric rotisseries, imparting a deep wood-smoke char to every bite. Diners regularly tackle the open yiros plate for two, loaded with tender sliced meat, thin warm pita, crisp chips, and garlic sauce.
- Charcoal Spit Roasting: Pork, chicken, and lamb roast over real coals and charcoal rather than electric or gas rotisseries, lending a distinct smoky crust.
- Counter-Side Spit Tastings: Guests are frequently welcomed at the threshold with a complimentary taste sliced straight from the skewer before they order.
- Open Yiros Platters: Share platters heap flame-charred meats alongside warm sliced pita, fresh salad, crunchy chips, and house garlic sauce.
What's On at Vasili's Taverna
Upcoming events, special menus and other reasons to plan a visit.
No events or specials listed right now.
Key Advantages of Vasili's Taverna
Why diners seek out Vasili's Taverna for traditional charcoal yiros and Greek hospitality
Authentic Meats Cooked Over Hot Coals
Spit-roasted chicken, lamb, and pork are grilled over real glowing hot coals, imparting deep smoke flavor rather than using standard gas rotisseries.
Chicken, lamb or pork for your meat selection. All cooked over hot coals.
Mark McInnes Flavor-Rich Charcoal Spit Grilling
Traditional open-bed charcoal cooking produces tender, juicy spit meats with distinct smoky char.
Charcoal gave the meat so much better flavour .
Kamille Caralipio Warm Welcome with Meat Sampling
Guests are warmly greeted by the owners upon arrival and offered complimentary tastings of the spit meats before placing their order.
He gave us a sample of all the meats.
BuzJackson Personal Taverna Hospitality
The family taverna hospitality extends outside the counter, inviting passersby to taste freshly carved spit meats before committing.
Was walking by and the owner convinced me to come inside and try some lamb.
Leonard B Interstate Dining Destination
The reputation of the charcoal-cooked spit meats makes the taverna a primary destination for travelers across Australia.
It's almost worth driving from Wollongong to have it again
jamie griffin Worth the Drive Across Adelaide
Patrons gladly travel across the state specifically to reach Port Adelaide for authentic charcoal-grilled yiros.
The best yiros in SA it’s worth a drive that’s for sure.
wendy richardson
Most popular items
Authentic Greek spit-cooked meats grilled over natural coals and served fresh
Lamb Yiros
I had a lamb yiros with salad and garlic sauce.
BuzJackson Open Yiros Plate for Two
We had the Open Yiros Plate for Two and it was seriously delicious, generous portion, beautifully cooked meat
Nate Jenko Chicken Yiros
the lamb and chicken yiros meat had so much flavour and servings were a good size
Peter Combo Yiros
Combo yiros with the lot was on point. Big, full wrap loaded with garlic sauce.
Owen Lampe
Beyond the menu
Thoughtful hospitality and personal generosity that define the dining experience
Pre-Order Meat Tastings
Guests arriving at the taverna are offered free samples of spit meats right as they enter to confirm food quality before ordering.
Personal Owner Greetings
The owner personally greets guests at the door and takes time to engage with diners, cultivating a welcoming taverna environment.
Complimentary Hospitality Extras
Guests receiving takeaway or large orders are treated to unprompted bonus dishes, such as extra meat, warm pita bread, or drinks.
Streetfront Welcome & Invitation
Passersby on Commercial Road are regularly invited inside from the sidewalk to taste warm sliced lamb fresh off the spit.
Before you head over
Essential guidance on timing your visit, tasting meats, and portion sizes at Vasili's Taverna.
Arrive Early to Avoid Missing Out
Arrive earlier in the day or for lunch rather than close to 8pm, as the kitchen can sell out of popular meats and close orders before the evening ends.
Take Advantage of Meat Tastings
If you are unsure which meat to choose or are deciding between chicken, lamb, and pork, accept the owner's offer to sample the spit meats before placing your order.
Opt for the Open Plate to Share
When feeding two people, consider ordering the open yiros share plate, which serves generous portions of meat, thin fresh pita, and salad suited for sharing.
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