Orthodox Easter
This year Orthodox Easter falls on Sunday 12 April, and the Market is your one stop shop for all your Orthodox Easter essentials.
The centrepiece of many gatherings is a whole roasted lamb or goat on the spit, symbolising the Lamb of God. Guests enjoy appetisers like Greek olives, tzatziki, pita and other traditional dips while the feast cooks.
Festive favourites such as Tsoureki, koulourakia, and other sweet treats are also enjoyed throughout the day. After the midnight church service, families light their Lambada candles and take part in the traditional red egg cracking, symbolising new life and renewal.
From premium meats and fresh herbs to breads, sweets, and specialty ingredients, the Market has everything you need to bring an authentic Orthodox Easter feast to life.
Leg of lamb from Hagen's Organics
Lamb
Visit our butchers for succulent Easter lamb. You’ll find a wide range of cuts at Flinders + Co., Hagen’s Organic Meats, Kirkpatrick’s Meats and Ralph’s Meat Company.
Flinders + Co - Deli Aisle, Stall 12
Hagen's Organic Butchers - Food Hall, Shop 1
Kirkpatrick's Meats - Deli Aisle, Stall 10
Ralph's Meat Company - Deli Aisle, Stall 8
All of the Market’s butchers offer preorder whole lambs, so make sure to pop in or give them a call to check their cutoff dates. If you’re not feeding a crowd, they also have a delicious selection of individual lamb cuts, including legs, shoulders and more.
Season generously with fresh rosemary and thyme, then serve with orzo, tzatziki and a fresh Greek salad – yum!
Sides
Georgie’s Harvest has 20 different potato varieties straight from Victorian farmers. For perfect roast potatoes, season generously with oil and salt, roast until crispy, then finish with parmesan, a little lemon rind and fresh chopped parsley for an elevated twist on the classic.
Our Fruit & Veg traders Frank’s Quality Fruit & Veg, Fruits on Coventry, Rod’s Fruit & Vegetables, Sherif’s Quality Fruit and Vegies, and South Melbourne Market Organics also stock the best seasonal produce, ideal for creating vibrant sides that pair beautifully with any lamb dish.
Frank’s Quality Fruit & Veg - Centre Aisle, Stall 206
Fruits on Coventry - Coventry Street, Stall 46
Georgie’s Harvest - Coventry Street, Stall 50
Rod’s Fruit & Vegetables - Coventry Street, Stall 39
Sherif’s Quality Fruit and Vegies - Centre Aisle, Stall 210
South Melbourne Market Organics - Coventry Street, Stall 51
A variety of potatoes from Georgie's Harvest
Beautiful fresh seafood at Aptus
Seafood
A traditional 40-day Lent, during which meat and dairy are substituted with plentiful amounts of fish and seafood, is observed prior to Orthodox Easter Sunday. Visit Aptus Seafood, Gem Pier Seafood and South Melbourne Seafoods for fresh, locally sourced seafood.
Aptus Seafood - Deli Aisle, Stall 25
Gem Pier Seafood - Deli Aisle, Stall 31
South Melbourne Seafoods - Deli Aisle, Stall 4
All three fishmongers offer a beautifully fresh selection of ready-to-eat options including oysters, cooked prawns, whole lobsters and sashimi grade fish.
Try making a Greek inspired ceviche by curing a firm white fish such as snapper with plenty of lemon juice and a pinch of sea salt, then garnishing with capers, red onion and parsley. Or bake a whole fish for the table topped with chopped tomatoes, olives, onion, garlic and lemon, which will self-sauce in the oven — delicious.
Deli
To explore some of the Greek dishes traditionally enjoyed at Easter, head to our traders in the Deli Aisle. Here you’ll find everything you need for a beautiful mezze spread — olives, cheeses, preserved vegetables, bitesize pastries, dips and fresh bread for appetisers, along with take home favourites like moussaka from the Small Town Pie Shop.
For baklava and other traditional Greek sweets, head to Emerald Deli. Or maybe you could try making your own with our baklava recipe or this recipe for a home baked Tsoureki.
The cheese room at Emerald Deli
Sweets
Koulourakia are a delicious traditional Greek dessert, typically made around Easter to be eaten after Holy Saturday. They are a butter-based pastry, traditionally hand-shaped, with egg glaze on top. They have a sweet delicate flavour with a hint of vanilla.
Head to Gewurzhaus for their delicious Vanilla Bean Sugar, perfect for baking traditional Koulourakia. Short on time? you can also buy ready-made Koulourakia from Rita's Coffee and Nuts.
Koulourakia are a traditional Greek dessert, typically made around Orthodox Easter after Holy Saturday.
Coloured Eggs
Buy free range eggs by the dozen in West Aisle from Babe's Egg’s or head to Emerald Hill Poultry in the Deli Aisle.
Dyes of all colours can be bought from Rita's Coffee and Nuts, Emerald Hill Deli and Vangeli's Deli to create colourful eggs at home and Lambada candles.
Traditional coloured eggs
From the slow roasted lamb and vibrant mezze spreads to fresh seafood, koulourakia, tsoureki and colourful dyed eggs, South Melbourne Market has everything you need to honour tradition and celebrate Orthodox Easter your way.
Whether you're gathering family for a feast, stocking up on sweets, or searching for those final festive touches, the Market’s traders are here to help you bring the flavours and spirit of the season to life.
Wishing you a joyful, abundant and delicious Orthodox Easter. We look forward to celebrating with you at the Market.