New Arrivals – June 2024

Truth in advertising: A pair of brothers is actually behind this fast-casual spot, open since April. Stavros Metekidis cooked in renowned New York City kitchens, including Marea, Estiatorio Milos, and the Four Seasons; sibling Giannis sold luxury cars. Wanting to strike out on their own, the duo opened Greek Brothers in the space formerly occupied by local favorite Fresko Souvlaki & Gyro House. On offer: souvlaki, avgolemono and bean soups, moussaka, pastitsio, spanakopita, stuffed grape leaves, gigantes beans in tomato sauce, and Greek meatballs.

Local restaurateurs Lisa and Tom Georgalis tapped their heritage for this upscale spot, open since April. “When we visit family in Greece, we dine and drink in a more fluid way,” Tom Georgalis said in a statement. “We may go to the patio or lounge for drinks, then the dining room for our meal, then back to the lounge area for drinks with music. We want our guests to experience this at Nikki with well-executed, carefully sourced authentic Greek cuisine.” The opening spring menu includes pefti kreatopita (meat pie), stuffed squash blossom with kefalograviera cheese, and avgolemono from a family recipe.

Greek classics and creative mashups star at this new-comer, where souvlaki and gyros share the menu with Greek-Mexican “Taka Tacos” and a “falafel waffle.” Owner Doug Schneider told a local site the restaurant “was inspired by my family being Greek. We are in the Greek community locally and we cook Greek food at home.” New Brunswick was once home to a thriving Greek community; a wall of framed vintage photos here depicts scenes of the town’s Greek life, including images of the Spinning Wheel Diner, a beloved Greek-owned restaurant in the 1950s.

At its second location, open since April, this fast-casual concept serves up traditional favorites including gyros, souvlaki, and spanakopita. Behind it are childhood pals Alexander Kalathakis and Panos Panourgias, who rehabbed rundown buildings in New Hampshire until Ovid struck and business dried up. Their first location, in nearby Haverhill, paid homage to their favorite foods from childhood summers in Greece. “Our goal is to carry on the tradition of Greek hospitality which is to treat every guest like family,” the restaurant’s site proclaims.

With Greek donuts as its sole specialty, this shop is the first in the United States for Australian-based Lukumades, which has more than 21 locations in Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, United Arab Emirates, Taiwan, and Singapore. The franchised location comes from brothers Leo and Geo Georgallis, sons of Greek immigrants. “Traditionally in Greece, there is one flavor. They do it with honey and cinnamon, which is the way they’ve been doing it for thousands of years,”Leo Georgallis told a local news site. “We just kind of took it to the next level and are offering hard-to-find flavors like European chocolate, things you don’t normally see.”

In just three weeks, Brothers Dimitris and Ilias Korakianitis transformed a local Caribbean restaurant into a Greek eatery, keeping the same service team and even retraining chefs to cook a Greek menu. “I think the big difference here is that Greek chefs came and taught us how to do it, «the restaurant’s general manager told a local news site. “You can read a recipe all day long, but there can be technique that you’ve never learned and that’s cultural.” It’s the second location for Dimi’s Greek House, after a long run in London, Ontario.