New Arrivals – May 2021
Posted by estiator at 7 May, at 04 : 32 AM Print
A coast-to coast glance at some of the industry’s newest additions
San Diego
ZIZIKIS STREET FOOD
zizikis.co
With a name that plays off “tzatziki,” this family-owned Greek fast-casual opened this month at San Diego’s Del Mar Highlands Town Center mall. Veteran San Diego chef James Arabatzis launched Zizikis with his parents, Costa and Mary, as business partners. Family recipes inspired the menu here, which ranges from lamb gyros to burgers to pita sandwiches. A baklava ice cream bar, topped with walnut crumble and honey syrup, makes a tempting dessert option. “Fueled by a rich Greek history, we transform classic street-food dishes using modernist techniques to bring elevated street food to the forefront of fine-casual dining,” says the restaurant’s site
Tucson
SANTORINI GREEK CAFÉ
facebook.com/ Santorini-greek-cafe-102198288626788
“The best Greek dishes in town,” claims this Tucson newcomer, whose team includes several Greek immigrants—you can meet Katerina from Kalamata on Facebook. The menu sticks with tradition; think avgolemono, tirokafteri, spanakopita, soutzsoukakia, and mousakas, with desserts like baklava and galaktoboureko. According to Tucson Foodie, the opening comes a few months after local favorite Fronimo’s Greek Café closed for good after more than 25 years
Dublin, CA
NICK THE GREEK
nickthegreeksj.com/dublin
California “souvlaki and gyro house” chain Nick the Greek opened its newest franchise last month in Dublin, about 27 miles southeast of Oakland. Lamb, beef, and pork are cooked on vertical rotisseries; pitas are served warm. Traditional bifteki gets reinvented as “beefteki” on pita with tzatziki sauce, and bowls come with a protein, basmati rice, veg, red wine vinaigrette, and spicy yogurt. Avgolemono and Greek salad bring touches of tradition to the menu, along with sweets like baklava and loukoumades. Nick the Greek is in growth mode; the Sacramento Business Journal reports two Sacramento locations are slated to open this summer.
Las Vegas
ESTIATORIO MILOS
estiatoriomilos.com
Costas Spiliadis has bet on Las Vegas for the latest edition of his glitzy Greek superbrand. Inside the Venetian Resort, Spiliadis and chef Jesse Maldonado will offer seafood flown in from the Mediterranean, Greek wines, and fresh produce, along with a few surprises. The new location boasts a “yogurt room, where yogurt is strained in the classical way,” according to a press release. Milos Las Vegas will also feature a new produce market “where patrons can select from an array of fresh fruits and vegetables to accompany their meals.” The name Milos, if you need reminding, refers to the island in the Aegean Sea—and to a windmill, ανεμόμυλος, in Greek. “The addition of Milos to The Venetian Resort brings our collection of award-winning signature restaurants to a new level,” George Markantonis, president and COO of The Venetian Resort, said in a press release.
Detroit
BAKALIKON
greektownmarket.com
This all-day market in Detroit’s Greektown comes from cousins Spero and Yanni Dionysopoulos, who also own the legendary Golden Fleece restaurant next door. The pair are importing all of their food products from Greece, “including things other places in Michigan don’t have,” Spero Dionysopoulos told Estiator. The store will also feature the state’s largest selection of Greek wines and an exclusive lineup of liqueurs. An all-day concept, Bakalikon will also offer coffees and pastries in the morning, and “a nice bar with Greek cocktails, wine, and meze” in the evening, Dionysopoulos said. The opening comes as Greektown “reinvents itself,” according to the Detroit News, with development projects like a pedestrian plaza.
Columbus, OH
AGAPÉ
agapeeats.com
The fast-casual wave continues with this new Greek-Mediterranean brand, created by five friends with backgrounds in food, hospitality, and tech. At its debut location, in a Columbus suburb, Agapé is showcasing “micro-batch products, creating healthy, affordable, and accessible food for the masses,” according to Columbus Underground. “Eat good food, serve good food, treat employees and customers the right way, and be involved in the community,” partner Mason Estep told the site. Meals come in pita, salad or rice-based bowl form and are topped with gyro, greek chicken, chicken shawarma, falafel or veggies. Diners select one spread—hummus, spicy feta, tzatziki, or baba—then get to customizing with toppings and sauces, Columbus Underground said. The partners are already gearing up to open a second location next month, and many more are planned across Ohio. The name, of course—ἀγάπη—means “unconditional love.”
