Charlotte Street since the eighties
Once home to the renowned Andreas Restaurant, 40 Charlotte Street reopened in March 2018 as Ousia — a fusion of the traditional and the contemporary, in the food, the room and the service.
Andreas Restaurant became famous for two things — the quality of the food and its charming host, Andreas Roussis. So why change it? We haven't. It has evolved.
It ran as a family restaurant for some forty years, starting at 22 Charlotte Street in the eighties before moving to number 40 in 2008. In 2017 Andreas and the younger generation of the family decided that evolution had to continue, and closed the doors for the most substantial transformation in its history.
The first stage was a complete renovation of the building. The most significant structural change was repositioning the staircase down to the basement, which opened up a Mykonos-style bar for cocktails, mezedakia and live music.
The rest of the interior was designed for balance — an ambience that fits the dishes being served, for diners who want carefully prepared Greek-Cypriot food with a touch of class.
The chef and kitchen team rebuilt the preparation of every dish, from the supply chain through to the plate it arrives on. The emphasis is on quality of produce at fair prices.
The result is a simple, affordable fusion of old and new Greek-Cypriot mezedakia in the heart of the West End.
Two areas over two floors. The Mykonos bar downstairs handles livelier nights and private functions, with Greek-style cocktails, Zivania shots and Mastixa.
The ground floor bar — copper top, chocolate wooden planks — is positioned to serve diners properly. The team and its advisors went off the beaten track to source a wine collection that complements both the food and the room.
It is no secret that Andreas became the Godfather of Charlotte Street, adored by locals and customers alike. For anyone who had grown used to his presence — we have not lost him. Andreas evolved with the restaurant.
If you are lucky on your visit you will find him mingling at his charming best, supported by a management team, service staff and bartenders who pair old-world charm with modern professionalism.
Changing the name was the hardest stage of all, sparking emotional debate until days before reopening. The affection for Andreas Restaurant will never be lost, and the name will outlive its creators.
'Ousia' has many meanings and no definitive interpretation — it depends entirely on the context in which it is spoken. It describes the essence, the heart of a subject, an emotion, an action. In that way it represents everything Andreas Restaurant and the family behind it have stood for.
