Pyro, the hotly anticipated debut restaurant from the chef Yiannis Mexis, is launching on Thursday 1st May. A celebration of cooking over fire, Pyro will feature bold Greek flavours and seasonal produce, reimagined and refined in a menu of dishes designed to be shared, enjoyed and lingered over. A unique space that also features a large bar and outdoor terrace, Pyro will encapsulate the laid back buzzy joy of a Greek Taverna, all in the heart of Borough.

Yiannis has worked at some of London’s most acclaimed restaurants, mastering his craft along the way. Beginning his journey at Elystan Street*, Yiannis then worked at The Ledbury*** and Petrus*. It was during his latest role as Head Chef at HIDE* that he discovered the kind of chef he truly wanted to be. Now, inspired by his childhood culinary experiences growing up in and travelling around Greece, Yiannis is drawing from skills developed in Michelin starred kitchens to apply new modern ideas to Greek food. Pyro’s dynamic offering showcases his distinctive, contemporary style while paying homage to the rich tapestry of flavours found across Greece’s diverse landscape.

Pyro, taken from ‘pyr’, the Greek word for setting things a-blaze, understandably boasts a huge open fire and kitchen at the heart of the restaurant. Joints of succulent meat, fresh local seafood and seasonal vegetables are scorched to perfection, creating a complex flavour unachievable with any other technique. Yiannis has transformed traditional dishes using hyper-seasonal high quality ingredients and authentic Greek produce to create Pyro’s distinctive and relaxed style, which focuses on small plates, and sharing dishes.

Grazing plates include spanakopita with fragrant herbs & barrel aged feta, mussel saganaki with toasted bread & vine leaf and souvlaki skewers cooked over the embers, served with prunes, radicchio & sour apple, with a choice of pork pluma or hen of the woods mushroom. These are paired with flatbreads baked on the hearth, such as potato pita and onion seed flatbread, and served alongside moreish dips like tarama and carob rusks and spiced feta with marinated sweet peppers.

Larger dishes include Dorset lamb, slow cooked over alder wood and accompanied by lamb fat flatbreads, smoked anchovy yoghurt & bitter leaf fricassee. Whole charred aubergine is served with a rich tomato stew & smoked mizithra, and the flame-kissed whole lobster comes with mussels & roasted tomato orzo. From the fire, there is barbecued octopus in spiced red wine with yellow split pea, charred hispi cabbage with pine nuts & graviera cheese, and whole Cornish turbot, cooked on the bone, served with smoked bayleaf & ladolemono.

Pyro’s bar, a huge open air garden worthy of any Athenian night spot, will be open late into the evening and serve cocktails curated by Ana Reznik. With her extensive expertise honed in top-tier global bars, including A Bar With Shapes For A Name, Ana’s laboratory-created drinks are a celebration of craftsmanship and innovation. Her signature cocktail menu at Pyro uses vibrant, seasonal Greek ingredients that capture the essence of Mediterranean cuisine; earthy saffron spice, floral jasmine, olive oil, and bold aniseed from ouzo, as well as featuring the unique flavours from preserved bergamot, mastic, seaweed, and mahlep. With a focus on regionality and sustainability, Pyro will serve beautiful wines from around the world, including exciting varieties from independent Greek producers. Perfectly paired with Yiannis’s food in the restaurants, the wines are also served by the glass and bottle on the terrace for lazy afternoons in the sun.

At the weekend, the garden will be the location for London’s new must-visit weekend event, the Greek Sunday Feast.

Address: Pyro, Southwark Quarter, 53B Southwark St, London, SE1 1RU
Instagram: @pyrorestaurant
Website: www.pyrorestaurant.co.uk
Opening times: Restaurant – Tuesday to Saturday: 12pm – 3pm, 5.30pm -10.30pm, Sunday: 12pm – 7pm
Bar: Tuesday to Saturday: 12pm – 1am, Sunday: 11am – 9pm