New Arrivals – July 2023
Posted by estiator at 12 July, at 11 : 39 AM Print
A coast-to coast glance at some of the industry’s newest additions
Laurel, Maryland ⏺ THE BIG GREEK CAFÉ ⏺ biggreekcafe.com
This Maryland chain has opened its seventh location in Laurel, about 22 miles southwest of Baltimore. Twins Simos and Nikos Marmaras are behind the brand, which launched in 2009. The menu leans traditional, with staples like melizano salato, avgolemono, and spanakopita, along with bowls, salads, and sandwiches. “Our expert food team specializes in the kind of Greek cuisine that will leave your taste buds dancing like ‘Zorba the Greek’,” the company’s site says.
Austin, Texas ⏺ YAMAS ⏺ yamasatx.com
Rhodes natives Roxie and Hristos Nikolakos teamed with Macedonia-born chef Dimitrios Kelesoglou to open this “little local neighbor- hood restaurant” in June. The Nikolakos’ daughter, Mackenzy, designed Yamas’ logo. Decorative pieces here come from Greece, and murals by artist Aurora Covarrubias include a massive octopus. The imaginative menu includes fried feta, cod fricassee, and lobster thermidor with orzo.
Washington, D.C. ⏺ MÉLI ⏺ melidc.com
This “members-only Greek-ish wine and mezze café” is part of the Reed Cooke Club, a private social club dedicated to supporting community nonprofit- it’s in D.C.’s Reed Cooke neighborhood. Its name, of course, means both “member” and “honey” in Greek. Membership is $25 per member or $50 for families. The project “supports fellow womxn-operated businesses by featuring womxn-made/owned businesses as much as possible,” including local farms and organic producers.
Dallas ⏺ AGORA ⏺ instagram.com/agora_greek_restaurant
Though it looks like a quick-service joint, this Greek newcomer “might catch you by surprise,” wrote the Dallas Observer. “Dim lighting and various Greek trinkets flood the large dining space with an elegant, yet cozy feel, and the full-service bar in the corner is no less inviting.” On the menu: homey fare including lamb shank, Greek village salad, and baked feta. “We really want to connect families and friends together over the dinner table,” owner Mary Anne Salvaci said.
Wilmette, Illinois ⏺ TAVERNA NAXOS ⏺ tavernanaxos.com
The menu leans traditional at this newcomer in Wilmette, about 20 miles north of Chicago. Meze, meats, seafood, and sides feature favorites like scordalia, moussaka, and Greek salad, along with rizogalo and baklava for dessert. The restaurant seats 60 in its dining room, 30 more upstairs, and another 30 on an outdoor patio. Taverna Naxos opened on the site of Firefly, a longtime Wilmette bar.
Visalia, California ⏺ NICK THE GREEK ⏺ nickthegreek.com
This Northern California-based chain, which launched in 2014, opened its 60th location in June. Nick Taptelis and his partners, who operate eight other Nick the Greek locations, own the store located in Visalia, California. “We started Nick the Greek as an homage to the food we grew up with…People who experience authentic Greek street food keep coming back for more,” said Nick Tsigaris, cofounder and CMO. The company plans 20 more locations by year’s end.
