Authentic Greek Eatery Revives the Historic Culture in Chelsea
The large Greek immigrant community that once called Chelsea home vanished nearly 100 years ago but the co-owners of Tziki Souvlaki think the neighborhood’s modern day residents will embrace their old world Hellenic dining cuisine with gusto.
| 24 Oct 2024 | 03:52
Tziki Souvlaki, new restaurant that has taken over the site formerly occupied by Restivo on the corner of Seventh Ave. and 22nd St., is hoping to carve a niche offering family-inspired Greek cuisine. (
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Co-Owners Harry Nicolaou and John Antokas in the kitchen of their new restaurant, Tziki Souvlaki, which just opened in Chelsea. (
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A young crowd (foreground) appears to be embracing a new Greek restaurant with old world recipes from as three Greek Orthodox priests in background finish bestowing a blessing at the grand opening celebration. (
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All the dishes offered at Tziki Souvlaki, the newest restaurant to open in Chelsea, were inspired by family recipes that the owners imported from Greece. The dishes shown are (counterclock wise from the top) (
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The co-owners of Tziki Souvlaki, one of the newest restaurants in Chelsea are betting that they can carve a niche with family-inspired Greek cuisine in a neighborhood that saw most of its Greek immigrant community vanish decades ago.
The restaurant opened quietly on September 5th, but when the co-owners kicked off the grand opening in October they decided to bring in some heavenly inspiration to bless the endeavor in the form of three ordained Greek Orthodox priests.
We caught up with co-owner Harry Nicolaou as family members, and a slew of friends-and-family attendees partook in the consecration of the new place overseen by the priests. all of whom were family members of the propretors.
They then stuck around for a full-tilt sampling of the whole Tziki menu that the team has brought to Chelsea. There are a slew of two-syllable Mediterranean joints in the neighborhood; we’ve got FléFlé, Mémo, Terra, Zazu. But Nicolaou is confident Tziki can separate itself from the fray with its hyper-focused menu.
It’s strictly Greek, and all family-derived recipes, from his Cyprian roots to the co-owners, John Antokas from Xios, Ari Kourkoumelis from Kefalonia and Athenian Alex Fotopoulos. Together, they form a somewhat pan-hellenic diaspora.
Nicolaou also owns a very popular bistro in the East Village, called Ella Funt after an iconic drag queen that has a deep and quite fabulous history in the New York nightlife scene. He opened that in June of 2023 after the pandemic held it up for nearly four years.
But in his newest endeavor, he wanted something that would exemplify his pride of heritage , and which he could share with his friends, now business partners. “It feels like home,” he beamed at the grand opening, as well it should , especially that day with cousins, parents and other family members toasting what they firmly believe will be his inevitable success.
The eatery took over the old Restivo space on the corner of 22nd Street and 7th Avenue, and while it’s unclear exactly why Restivo bowed out, suspicions revolve around its mediocre food and somewhat geriatric clientele.
Tziki shares none of that, to be sure, but is thrilled to be in the neighborhood. “Chelsea is accepting of everything,” he explains when asked why he chose the location. There is also a strong history of Greek heritage in the neighborhood; the Saint Eleftherios Greek Orthodox Church on 259 West 24th street has been there for over one hundred years, when it was created to support and serve the large Greek community that once populated the area. Tziki wants to do exactly the same thing for the community, but from a culinary perspective. Fast forward to today, and there aren’t any other strictly Greek places in the area. And if it got a little chaotic (from the Greek word “abyss”, mind you) during my visit, the menu relies on simplicity. Even the decor is cool and austere, yet homey. It looks as if it could have been plucked out of any town in Greece, with softly plastered walls washed in lime, dried herbs hung in bunches, and a bright turquoise mati hung to ward off evil and misfortune.
The menu, too, is intentionally elemental. There are five souvlaki options (all $12) served in a pita, three meats (chicken, pork and beef), and two vegetarian ones (halloumi cheese and tahini wild mushrooms). Technically, the pork is a gyro (yee-ro, people, NOT jī-ro), as the meat is spit-roasted on a rotisserie, and the others are grilled on a skewer. All of the above get stuffed into extraordinary pitas: plush and chewy with fresh-baked flavor and just the right heft to hold everything together. There are also individual chicken, beef or mushrooms skewers offered ($7 each) served with a choice of spicy tomato or Greek yogurt cilantro sauce. You can round things out with a classic Greek salad with the crispest cucumbers and exceptionally juicy tomatoes, or Greek fries, and if you opt for the latter, pro tip: get a side of both of the salsas (spicy tomato and Greek yogurt with fresh cilantro, $2 each as an addition) and douse those feta-fluttered, herb-flecked ‘taters for a Grecian poutine. Thank me later.) Antokas’ favorite is the pork shoulder, while Nicolaou, although he admits the pork is probably better, prefers the beef. And yet, the customer favorite so far is the chicken, and my favorite was the tahini mushrooms, so it seems there’s something for everyone. Which was Nicolaou’s goal all along. He is “embracing community” here, and “would only serve people what we want to have ourselves,” he told me, adding he’s using the best ingredients he can source while keeping prices as low as possible, and he’s really executing on both counts. Portions are generous, to say the least, and the flavors magnify the satiety quotient even further. But don’t take my word for it.
Tziki is open seven days a week, lunch and dinner, from 11:30 am to 9:30pm at 209 7th Avenue www.tzikisouvlaki.com.