New Arrivals – January 2024
Posted by estiator at 18 January, at 06 : 19 AM Print
A coast-to coast glance at some of the industry’s newest additions
Philadelphia
ALMYRA
This “modern Greek” spot occupies the ground floor of a new Hyatt Centric hotel in Center City. Anchored by a custom-made marble bar, the restaurant comes from the Pashalis family, who also own co-own Manhattan’s Avra and six eateries in Pennsylvania and Florida. Named for the goddess of the sea breeze, 7000-square-foot Almyra is offering a lower price point and more casual vibe. ““We’re gearing towards a younger crowd,” co-owner Gus Pashalis told a local news site. “Going into Estia Locust is like coming into my grandma’s house in the village,” while Almyrais like “landing on an island in the Aegean Sea.”
almyrarestaurant.com
Washington, D.C.
LIMANI
This 16,000-square-foot, 500-seat stunner comes from the upscale Limani brand, which also operates in New York’s Rockefeller Center, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, and Charlotte, North Carolina. Chef/co-owner M.J. Alam prides himself on using Greek olive oil exclusively in recipes, for going butter completely. Fresh fish and seafood dominate the menu, along with classics like spanakopita and moussaka. A globe-trotting wine list includes a few Greek selections, like Costa Lazaridi Chateau Julia Chardonnay from Macedonia.
limani.com/washington
North Bellmore, New York
BLUE WATERS MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE
How Blue Waters Mediterranean Cuisine came to be such a good Greek restaurant is something of a mystery, one that only deepens when you hear it’s the brain-child of a 27-year-old Ecuadorian émigré who until a decade ago had never even eaten Greek food,” enthused Newsday in December. Diego Vintimilla opened the eatery after stints at New York Greek hot spots like Kyma and Limani. “Vintimilla’s choices with regard to everything from olive oil to oregano show judiciousness beyond his years,” Newsday writes.
bluewaterscuisine.com
Washington, D.C.
BALOS ESTIATORIO
“Γειά σας, D.C.!” the Balos website proclaims. This airy upscale eatery, named for a lagoon on the outskirts of Crete, occupies a prime spot in DC’s affluent Dupont Circle neighbor-hood. Behind it are “industry experts, fellow Greeks, and lifelong friends” Stefanos Vouvoudakis, Tom Tsiplakos, and Joe Ragonese. All three were “raised on the Hellenic tradition of shared meals filled with animated conversation and bold, brilliant, delectable foods.” A rotating menu by Chef Jean-Charles Métayer is inspired by Greek seafood, spices, and seasonal fare “highlighting the brightest tastes available at any given time of year”, according to a press release.
balosrestaurants.com
Vestavia Hills, Alabama
GREAT GREEK GRILL
This national franchise opened its first Alabama location last month. “Our mission is to provide an authentic taste of Greece, using the finest ingredients and traditional recipes that have been passed down through generations,” Anil Patel, owner of the Vestavia Hills store, said in a press release. At all of its locations, Great Greek Grill sticks with the classics, from tzatziki and dolmades to classic Greek salad and gyros to baklava and rice pudding.
thegreatgreekgrill.com/location-vestavia-hills-al
Fairfield, Connecticut
LANTERN POINT TAVERNA
A real estate agent by day, Jimmy Karageorge grew up in the restaurant industry—his father emigrated from Greece in the 1950s and bought a hot dog stand in downtown Bridgeport before starting a diner in nearby Hamden. Open since November, Karageorge’s casual restaurant specializes in Greek-style fish, latholémeno (baby lamb chops), braised short ribs, gyros, soups, salads, Greek cocktails, and more than 10 Greek wines. Karageorge told a local outlet his staff makes all the ingredients on-site and dishes out massive portions. “You’re not going to leave my place hungry,” he promised.
lanternpointtaverna.com
