New Arrivals – June 2025
Posted by estiator at 9 June, at 14 : 28 PM Print
A coast-to-coast glance at some of the industry’s newest additions
Boston
KAIA
kaiasouthend.com
Estiator cover star Demetri Tsolakis and his Xenia Greek Hospitality group are behind this Aegean-inspired newcomer in Boston’s South End. “Kaia is an homage to the Aegean coast…with flavors that conjure memories of lively dinners, warm winds, and cerulean coves,” the restaurant’s site proclaims. Kaia’s wine list focuses on Aegean vineyards, with bottles including Aspros Lagos from Crete’s Douloufakis Winery and orange Muscat of Alexandra Garalis from Lemnos.
North Naples, Florida
ESTIA
estiarestaurant.com
To launch his first restaurant in Florida, owner Gus Pashalis, his wife, and their two kids relocated to Naples from the Northeast; in the Philadelphia area, their family’s Estia Group includes three Estia restaurants, two Pietro’s pizzerias, and Almyra, a modern Greek eatery. For the new North Naples location, Pashalis gutted a 10,000-square-foot sports bar to create Estia’s soaring, whitewashed room.
Old Bridge, New Jersey
MADISON MODERN SOCIAL
madisonmodernsocial.com
Local impresarios Demetri and Kosta Rexinis opened this elegant supper club in April. The brothers have also owned Jersey eateries including Over Easy Kitchen, Gabriella’s Italian Steakhouse, and Patricia’s of Holmdel. Their father, Spartan immigrant Yianni Rexinis, opened a string of restaurants and clubs; the brothers have carried on the family business. “We’re running these cool clubs and restaurants, but our dinner is often us gathered at our mom’s,” Demetri told NJ Monthly.
Portola Valley, California
TAVERNA
tavernaportolavalley.net
Seven years after launching their first “Hellenic farm-to-table” concept in nearby Palo Alto, longtime friends Thanasis Pashalidis and Hakan Bala have opened a second location of Taverna. “I’m in love with Portola Valley,” Pashalidis told a local news site. “It reminds me a lot of a Greek village.” Along with traditional Greek dishes, Taverna serves biodynamic Greek wines and cocktails like Anatolitiko, with mastiha, gin, cucumber, and lime.
Albert Lea, Minnesota
GYRO KINGZ
facebook.com/profile.php?id=61574756925939
They’re not Greek, but the family behind this quick-service newcomer has a long history with Greek food. Owner Jose Campos operated Gyro Express nearby for years; his mother, cousin, and uncle worked at Zorba’s, a Greek restaurant in nearby Rochester. On the menu here: gyro bowls, gyro fries, chicken and shrimp kabobs, and gyro salads.
Riverhead, New York
HAMPTON GYRO
hamptongyro.com
This quick-service spot, serving gyros, platters, and souvlaki—along with burgers, chicken sandwiches, wings and hot dogs—opened in March. It’s the second location for owner Mike Dzanoucakis, who opened the original Hampton Gyro in nearby Hampton Bays in 2018. “There’s no other concept like it here, serving this type of food—Greek favorites, American classics, in a fast-casual way,” he told a local news site.
