A new restaurant has quietly opened in Glenelg, tucked along Jetty Road and it’s bringing a whole new dining option to the popular beach strip – if you know where to find it, that is.
Perched above the rest, Second Floor Bar and Grill has only been open for a week with a handcrafted menu centred around house-made sausages and meatballs, all prepared on-site from scratch. The grills entrance is located between the well established venues, Europa and Mamma Carmela’s.
The name is certainly no accident. The venue not only literally elevates you, but hopes to give you an elevated dining experience, something owner and designer behind the space Ira Olbak, has taken into deep consideration.
The opening has been intentionally low-key, after months of renovation, largely completed by her husband, Mahmut Olbak, who is also head chef, the pair opted for a softer launch to test the waters.
At the heart of the menu is a story that began years ago in Turkey.
“Many years ago, my husband started making sausages himself because he didn’t like what was being sold in shops,” Ira said. “He said, ‘No, this isn’t for me, I’ll do it on my own,’ because he’s stubborn.”
“Our signature dishes are handmade sausages and meatballs,” she explains. “We prepare the mince ourselves with a specific fat percentage, add spices, and go through a full fermentation process before grilling everything on charcoal.”
“It’s quite a long production process, all done here and it’s completely handmade.”
It’s nothing like the frozen food found on supermarket shelves, it’s entirely authentic with a smoky, wood flavour. The result is a tightly curated menu built around smoky, charcoal-driven flavours. Standout dishes include Turkish sujuk, juicy lamb chops and a skewer porterhouse, alongside kasap köfte, a traditional Turkish meatball that leans into bold spices and simple cooking done well.
For now, the venue opens from midday, with a flexible menu that leans into all-day dining, including breakfast options like Menemen – a popular Turkish breakfast dish of scrambled eggs, tomatoes, green peppers and spices.
“The sausages actually work really well for breakfast with eggs,” she said. “We also do Turkish-style eggs, tomatoes, capsicum, eggs, which can be breakfast, brunch, or even dinner.”
For dessert, the menu highlights Turkish favourites, from warm, comforting halva to creamy almond-based keşkül. It’s rounded out with sütlaç, a chilled rice pudding that delivers a simple, nostalgic sweetness.
Renovations began back in August 2025, with the team steadily creating both the space and the menu ahead of a more formal launch.
“We’re still refining things,” she said. “We’re adjusting portion sizes, testing the menu and making sure everything is perfect before a proper grand opening.”
With a balcony view, and plans for music and dance nights, the vision is to create a space where people can settle in and stay awhile.
“I want people to come here to relax, enjoy the atmosphere, have good food, and maybe even dance,” she said. “I want people to enjoy the whole experience, not just the food.”
For now, it remains something of a hidden find on Jetty Road, but that might not last for long.
Second Floor Bar and Grill
When: Open from 12pm till late
Where: Glenelg, entrance between Europa and Mamma Carmela’s.
For more info and updates, click here.
