Our Story
Welcome to Santorini Restaurant Grill Bar, a family business founded by George Papaioannou, named after the stunning Santorini Island in Greece, where he spent many wonderful years visiting his grandparents. As a family owned, Greek restaurant, our success has come through hard work and learning from past experiences. We understand the importance of perseverance and developing a good rapport with our customers.
At Santorini, we pride ourselves on offering excellent quality fresh food from local vendors, made with passion, and delivered with friendliness and professionalism. Our menu is designed to transport people to the Islands of Greece through our signature dishes, boutique wines, and welcoming atmosphere. As a qualified Sommelier, George is happy to provide his expertise to help you choose a wine for your taste and pleasure. We import over 120 varieties of wines from boutique vineyards in Greece, and our exclusive wine and liqueurs are available wholesale and direct to customers.
Wholesome food and good value are at the heart of Santorini. George's knowledge of Greece and the beautiful islands of Santorini and Corfu, where he lived and worked for many years, has given him the insight to create the ideal dining experience.
Santorini Restaurant Grill Bar is available for corporate events such as business breakfasts and lunches, fundraising for charities, and social celebrations including weddings, engagements, birthday parties and more. We are honoured to have won several catering awards recognising our high standards and commitment to our customers.
Most of all, we’re very proud of what our family has built, and we look forward to sharing our culture and passion for Greek food and wine with more Australians.
Thank you for considering Santorini Restaurant Grill Bar for your next dining experience.
Meet the Team
George Papaioannou, Owner and founder of Santorini Restaurant Grill Bar, and Mediterranean Wines is a true pioneer in the Australian food industry. With over five decades of experience owning and running a variety of businesses including hospitality, George has built an award-winning restaurant and thriving Mediterranean Wine distribution business that is loved by his family, staff, and the wider community in Brisbane and interstate.
George's passion for food stems from his childhood in Greece, where he spent many happy years visiting his grandparents on the stunning Santorini Island. It was this love for his homeland that inspired George to name his restaurant after the island, and to bring the authentic taste of Greece to Brisbane.
His expertise as a qualified sommelier is evident in the restaurant's wine list which features over 120 varieties of wines from boutique vineyards including Kriti, Evia, Peloponnese, Kilkis, Goumenissa and Naousa. George is always happy to give advice on the perfect wine and food pairing to ensure our customers can experience the true flavours of Greece.
Our exclusive wines and liqueur sare available for wholesale and direct purchase by customers, too.
Lourdes Papaioannou - Head Chef, is the heart of Santorini and runs the back of house like a well-oiled machine. Lourdes moved to Greece at the tender age of 17 years and fell in love with the country and its people. Meeting George was life changing. As well as becoming a wife and later mother to two boys, Lourdes also learned to cook traditional Greek dishes passed down through generations from George’s mother, a renowned cook in their family. This invaluable knowledge, couple with Lourdes’s natural talent and love of cooking laid the foundations for her successful career in hospitality. Lourdes’s passion for food and family governs her leadership style in our kitchen. Her work and commitment have led to our restaurant winning several catering awards.
George Jr. & Mario Papaioannou - Venue Managers, share their parents’ love of Greek food and passion for the hospitality industry. With extensive experience in the hospitality industry, they possess a deep understanding of the restaurant's menu offerings and can provide expert guidance on food and wine pairings, elevating every dining experience. George’s and Mario’s exceptional attention to detail and professionalism guarantees that every guest feels valued and cared for, be it through recommending the perfect wine to complement a meal or providing insightful knowledge on the restaurant's dishes.
