New Arrivals – May 2024

Lefkada native Gregory Politis was set to retire from running a successful Greek restaurant when friends and fans urged him to open his own eatery. The result is Mykonian House, where traditional dishes are the specialty. “We’re focused on home cooking, very traditional recipes,” he told a local news site. “I’m very proud of our octopus. The actual taste that I had growing up. We try to get the best ingredients we can, as far as the vegetables, the cheeses, they’re all imported from Greece, Greek products, we use extra virgin olive oil.”

Childhood friends Justin Hunt and Dimitri Hatgidimitriou have found success at their first restaurant, Philosophia, where shareable Greek plates include pastitsio, whole branzino, and pan-fried kefalograviera cheese. A local news site reports their second act, Taverna Philosophia, has a different look and feel as they look to blend brasserie ambiance with Greek cuisine. While Philosophia is filled with shareable small plates, the 90-seat Taverna Philosophia is meant to be more of a “feast,” Hunt told the site. Dishes include whole porgy, rack of lamb, bone-in ribeye, and pork shank with house-made pappardelle and ricotta tzatziki.

Dynamic Chicago chef Avgeria Stapaki is pushing the boundaries of Greek cuisine with this new hot spot, open since March 29 in the city’s Bucktown neighborhood. Her creations here include avgolemono ramen, a Greek-Japanese mashup featuring ramen noodles made in-house, Swiss chard “nori,” and crispy chicken; dolma with tabbouleh and beurre blanc; and short rib orzo, Eater reports. “A warm and earthy color palette is designed to evoke Greek, North African, and Middle Eastern sensibilities, and the team has installed lush olive trees to lend an organic feel,” the site says.

This Florida mini-chain has planted a flag in New York. Along with its new Brooklyn location, Meraki Hospitality Group runs four establishments in South Florida, including restaurants in Coconut Grove and downtown Miami. “They have had much success over the years in Miami and their dream was for one day to open a Meraki in New York,” managing partner Michael Georgoulakos told a local news site. Chef Gianni Kotsos is helming the kitchen; the menu features staples like horiataki, a pork gyro platter, moussaka, and lamb kabobs.

This Northern California-based chain opened its 70th location last month. This one is operated by multi-unit franchisee Nicholas Taptelis, who has partnered with the brand since 2019 and operates six Nick the Greek locations in California and Texas. The new restaurant grows the brand’s presence around Sacramento, which now has five locations. QSR Magazine reports Nick the Greek is set to open 25 more restaurants this year, for a total of 100 locations by the end of 2024.

Edesma aims to chart its own course on Long Island, “offering homey, traditional Greek cuisine that does not break the bank,” Newsday reports. Diners can construct a meal from shareable mezze, all less than $20; most main dishes are under $30. “There is so much more to Greek food than we see on Long Island,” owner Vassilis Triantopoulos told the paper. Vassilis and his brother, George, hail from Glyfa, on the Malian Gulf. The menu features rarities like tourlou (stewed vegetables), ravasaki (cheese-filled, honey-drizzled phyllo packets), dakos salad (tomatoes, olives and capers on Cretan barley rusks).