When she opened in 1998, Hana Assafiri had no idea that it would become one of the most beloved restaurants in Melbourne.
At the time, the way she did things was ground-breaking: there were vegetarian dishes drawing on her Moroccan and Lebanese heritage, a verbal menu, banquet only, no alcohol and no bookings. “It was a massive risk, and everyone said, ‘What are you doing? This is insane!’ I went ‘well, we'll offer it and we'll see what happens,” she recalls.
More than two decades later, it’s clear that the risk has paid off. Moroccan Soup Bar has gained a cult following; partly because of its tasty dishes, partly because of its strong ties with the community.
After , Assafiri spent 13 years working in the domestic violence sector. “My whole life's work has been about finding ways of supporting and empowering women, particularly those on the margins, so that they can have the best opportunities,” she explains.
During that time, she noticed how women from marginalised and migrant backgrounds were often left behind. So she stepped up.
“The Moroccan Soup Bar was born out of that vision. We wanted to start wherever women were at, and did not want women to remain in violent situations simply because they couldn't afford to leave. Or didn’t have access to real advocacy, resources and opportunities,” she says.
With the Moroccan Soup Bar, Hana Assafiri found the ingredients for change. Source: Tatjana Plitt/Melbourne Books
It was a massive risk, and everyone said, ‘What are you doing?'
Over the years, she has employed hundreds of women, who eventually transition to other roles. In 2019, she was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for her services to women and the community. During the pandemic, .
Being a vegetarian herself, Assafiri has built her menu around versions of dishes she used to eat growing up. “We have a really healthy depth of flavour in our food. I don't just want boiled vegetables, because I'm a vegetarian,” she says.
The banquet starts with a wide assortment of dips, bread, pickles and small plates to share, and is followed by larger dishes like the seven-vegetable couscous and the popular fatteh-inspired . For the latter, crispy flatbread pieces are topped with chickpeas, garlic yogurt, almonds and melted butter. It’s rich and creamy, with some crunch. “People decide what stays on the menu. I reckon there would be a protest outside if we took it off,” says Assafiri, and laughs.
While a lot has stayed the same over the years, a big change happened in 2020. After unsuccessful rent negotiations, Moroccan Soup Bar had to move up the road, in the building that housed its takeaway kitchen. Moving her restaurant, after 23 years, in the middle of a pandemic, was not Assafiri’s choice, but she took it in stride.
The beloved Moroccan Soup Bar chickpea bake. Source: Tatjana Plitt/Melbourne Books
“I'm not a victim of my life, and life has thrown me many things. You choose how to respond to them. There's always somebody worse off and there's always somebody better off,” she muses.
She used the opportunity for Moroccan Soup Bar to engage further with the community. The new location is divided into six rooms that have themes ranging from the environment to living on colonised lands. Through quizzes, conversation starters and guest speakers, she wants to start discussions on these crucial topics.
Assafiri might not have expected Moroccan Soup Bar to become a Melbourne institution, but in hindsight, it makes sense that people believed in her vision. "People are hungry for the betterment of humanity," she says, "and this is why Moroccan Soup Bar resonates with the community."
Photographs from by Hana Assafiri (Melbourne Books, $44.95)
316 St Georges Road, Fitzroy North, (03) 9486 3500
Temporary takeaway hours (depending on the COVID situation - please call ahead to confirm)
Weds - Sat 5 pm - 9:30 pm
