The name itself leaves little mystery about what cuisine will be dished out at a soon-to-open Syosset spot.
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“We are The Greek — we are going to be what street food is in Greece,” said Eddie Galatoulas, a partner in the fast-casual eatery that’s aiming for a mid-March opening. “You know you’re not going in there to get an egg roll.”
is the product of a partnership between longtime friends and food-industry veterans whose decades of experience on Long Island and in New York City include operating coffee and doughnut carts, food trucks, burger joints and pizzerias.
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Galatoulas, 55, entered the coffee and doughnut cart business straight out of high school and is teaming on the new concept with George Ntourmas, who opened his first pizzeria when he was in his 20s.
Both men say they are bringing a taste of home-cooked Greek goodness to the 38-seat space at 408 Jericho Turnpike that once housed an express outpost of Burgerology, the fast-growing burgers-and-shakes restaurant founded in 2017 by the Galatoulas family.
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“It’s always been a dream of mine to open a fast-casual Greek concept,” said Ntourmas, 46. “I grew up eating my mom’s Greek food and hearing from everybody that it’s the best food, so what we have now is grandma’s authentic recipes with a modern twist.”
The recipe for pastitsio — the so-called Greek lasagna that features ground meat and béchamel sauce — earned high marks from Ntourmas’ mother, who had been skeptical when her son floated the idea of deep frying the dish.
“She thought I was absolutely off my rocker,” Ntourmas said with a laugh. “I proved her wrong.”
Other dishes available for dine-in and takeout will include souvlaki, falafel and gyros on pita that Galatoulas says will be “more authentic than anyone else’s.”
The pair’s push for Greek authenticity extends beyond the menu.
“When you walk in, you’ll feel like you’re there, and get a panoramic view of sceneries from Greece,” Galatoulas said. “You’re biting into an authentic gyro, you’re ripping your teeth into baby lamb chops.”
The sweets portion of the menu will feature loukoumades (fried puffs with honey), homemade baklava and custard baked in phyllo. The loukoumades will be served both authentically and with a fun, modern twist, Galatoulas said.
While Ntourmas has long dreamed of opening a fast-casual place, his partner still envisions eventually opening a full-service Greek restaurant.
“I want to do a full-service restaurant in my retirement, a place where I can hang out when I get to a point where I’ve done all that I want to do,” Galatoulas said.
But it’s a dream that may have to wait a bit for the food-industry veteran, with his plate full at the moment.
The arrival of The Greek Eats & Sweets comes as to seven outlets across Long Island, in Astoria, Queens and Manhattan and become the and the New York Islanders.
The family-owned restaurant, which is gearing up to open a Massapequa branch next month, has also given Galatoulas more opportunities to work alongside wife, Georgia, daughter, Maria and son, John.
He said the experience mirrors how he grew up around his father’s coffee shops in Queens and Manhattan.
“I grew up in the restaurant industry,” Galatoulas said. “I loved it — and I still love it.”
Top: Interior shot of The Greek Eats & Sweets location in Syosset. (Credit: )