New Arrivals – October 2021
Posted by estiator at 10 October, at 07 : 51 AM Print
A coast-to coast glance at some of the industry’s newest additions
Occuquan, Virginia
ZORBA’S GRILL
zorbasgrill.com
July saw the opening of this family-owned “Greek, Italian, American” spot in a historic Virginia waterfront town. A straightforward menu covers the classics, with feta, dolmadakia, taramosalata, and pastitsio alongside hummus, burgers, steaks, and pasta. Occoquan Mayor Earnie Porta cut the opening ribbon in July with Zorba’s owners. The eatery features an expansive, tree-shaded terrace along with its indoor dining rooms.
Merrillville, Indiana
THE ATHENIAN GREEK CUISINE
facebook.com/ AthenianGreekCuisineMerrillvilleIN/
The spirit of this Midwest newcomer: kefi, which the Athenian’s Facebook page calls “a Greek word that means so much. Happiness, loving life, family, good food, faith and passion.” Seafood gets special treatment here, with whole lavraki, tsipoura, and bakaliaros, the Greek salted cod; familiar favorites like avgolemono and loukaniko are homemade. An adjacent market and bakery offers cheeses, olives, honey, and sweets.
Boston
GRECO
grecoboston.com
“There’s the American version of Greek food—then there’s true blue Greco,” proclaims this restaurant’s site. The Boston-based brand opened its third location in August. Like its siblings in the Back Bay and Seaport District, the new Financial District outpost will specialize in gyros and loukoumades, along with staples like horiatiki, avgolemono, and salads. Eater also reports the new location will sell Greco’s private-label olive oil, produced in Crete.
West Bountiful, Utah
SANTORINI’S GREEK GRILL
santorinisgreek.com
A young and expanding franchise, Santorini’s is bringing Greek fast-casual to the Southwest. Open since July, this central-Utah location is Santorini’s third. Expect classics like gyros along with a “Greek Bowl” with chicken, rice, and veg, and several build-yourown options with pita, proteins, and toppings. Baklava, loukomades, and branded desserts from Cold Stone Creamery and TruFru round out the menu.
Hoover, Alabama
GREEK STREET
greekstreet.com
The founders of Taziki’s, of one of Estiator’s 2021 Franchises to Watch, are behind this Alabama newcomer. Amy and Keith Richards opened Greek Street in July “to give diners a feel of the cuisine found in downtown Athens,” according to a local news report. “Street food” here translates as classics like whipped feta, gyros, souvlaki, and loukoumades. Like many fast-casual concepts, Greek Street also offers a build-your-own option, here with heaping salad bowls. “Our mission with this new concept is to provide nutritious, fresh Greek street food at economic prices,” Keith Richards told a local newspaper.
Port Orange, Florida
FILO GREEK
filogreek.com
With a play on the Greek word for “friend,” this Daytona-area fast-casual eatery made its debut this spring. The difference here is “an Albanian twist” on the menu, building on owner Erision Tahiraj’s heritage (a local news story helpfully explained that Albania “is a country north of Greece”). The menu focuses on build-your-own bowls, the burek and baklava are house-baked, and Tahiraj promises to keep expanding his offerings.
