A “Standout” Captivates Rochester
Posted by estiator at 14 July, at 14 : 41 PM Print
Once a diner, Mike Karipidis’ El Greco by Mike is a buzzing hot spot.
By Michael Kaminer
For more than 13 years, Mike Karipidis ran a successful diner inside a building he owned in Rochester, New York. Sidelined by a bad back in 2006, Karipidis took a break, leasing the space to a succession of operators who kept flopping.
“The place changed hands four times in six years,” the Thessaloniki native tells Estiator. “In 2022, I finally took it over again. This time, I cleared out the place and decided to do something with it that I’d really enjoy.”
The result, upscale Greek eatery El Greco by Mike, has made the space a magnet again. Designing the room and the menu himself, Karipidis unveiled El Greco by Mike in late 2024. With glowing press coverage, adoring online reviews, and strong word of mouth, El Greco by Mike has become “a talking point in Rochester,” Karipidis says.
“There is not a big Greek community here, so there are not a lot of original Greek restaurants run by Greek people.”
A restaurant critic from Rochester’s daily newspaper praised Karipidis’ spot for “standout dishes” including “sublime” lamb souvlaki.
“The lemony roasted potatoes, which come alongside every main dish, are tender and comforting,” she wrote. “The response to that story has been unbelievable,” Karipidis says. “We’ve had so many calls. People who left Rochester for California years ago are recommending it to their friends because they saw the story.”
With its sleek decor, Greek-pop soundtrack, and beautifully presented dishes, the restaurant would stand out anywhere. “The atmosphere is different,” Karipidis says. “It’s very well-decorated. The lighting is amazing. We have an expensive sound system, because Greek people love music, and music is such an important part of the experience. In fact, our background music is so good that people come and stay for a long time. They enjoy it, and feel like they’re in Europe.”
For El Greco by Mike’s Greek fare, Karipidis turned to his hometown for inspiration; he visits Greece at least once a year.
“Thessaloniki is known for its food and hospitality,” he says. “It’s a capital of dining, with restaurants and food everywhere. A lot of my friends there own restaurants, and I was able to see firsthand things I knew I would end up using here.”
A popular appetizer, bouyiourdi (Μπουγιουρντί), has its origins in Thessaloniki, and even the restaurant’s octopus is prepared “the way we do it back home. We have a charcoal grill with lava rocks, and after pan-searing, we marinate the octopus with a signature lemon marinade. It’s a talking point, people love it, and we sell a lot of it.”
Likewise, Greek wines make up more than 80 percent of El Greco by Mike’s wine list, Karipidis says. Highlights include a Mavratragano from Crete’s Klima Kotsifali, an Assyrtiko from Anatolikos Vineyards in Lagous, and a red dessert wine from Mavrodaphne of Patra.
“I have two friends who are wine experts, and they helped assemble the list,” he says. “One of them is in Greece, and one is back and forth between Greece and the States. We have some very good Italian and California wines, but we sell much more of the Greek wine. People who come here want to try something different.”
While he says customers had to get accustomed to Greek wines when El Greco by Mike opened, “it became so popular that people started ordering by the bottle.”
The restaurant also sources olive oil from Greece, “which is expensive but worth it,” Karipidis says. “We won’t use anything else. Everyone knows the difference.”
The restaurant, which seats about 80, owes part of its success to Natalie Masten, Karipidis’ partner in life and work. As the restaurant’s manager, “she has been an amazing asset,” he says. “She’s my right hand.”
Along with running the front of house, Masten starts the day by making the restaurant’s beloved dip from scratch, including tirokafteri and roasted eggplant. “She also makes our baklava, which is unbelievable,” he marvels.
The pair live upstairs from the restaurant. Karipidis’ daughters are not involved in the business—yet. Eleni is an EMT in Rochester; Maria attends Georgia’s Mercer University and plays on Greece’s national soccer team for under-19s in the summer.
While the restaurant’s service earns raves, staffing remains “very difficult,” Karipidis says. “It’s so hard to find the right people. I’ve been lucky. All of my staff are kids or freshmen in college. I try to bring fresh thinking into the business. And most of my team has Greek backgrounds, so they get it. They’re also great at communicating with customers.”
For now, Rochester’s El Greco by Mike will be the sole location; Karipidis says he has no plans to expand the concept.
Did anything surprise Karipidis about the pivot from diner to upscale restaurant? “What surprised me is how well El Greco by Mike was accepted by people, and how much non-Greek people love Greek food and the Greek experience,” he says. “And it turns out a lot more people than I thought have been to Greece.”
El Greco by Mike
165 W Commercial Street
East Rochester, NY 14445
elgrecobymike.com
