Category: Greek

Round up your friends for a good meal with wine or coffee and cakes at Artopolis.
This Greektown eatery offers a wine bar, sandwich counter, pastry case and the agora, a small market selling imported art, olives, cheese and jam. The big casual dining room invites you to hang out. Find a table in the balcony level and watch the world go by on Halsted street.

Smaller and simpler than many Greektown restaurants, Artopolis emulates a Mediterranean shop and café. Customers hang out after work for wine and dinner, many of them conversing in Greek. I enjoyed finding pastries and dishes that were new to me, including the signature artopitas. The spanakopita “spinach and cheese pie” is one of many types of dinner pastries here, including the Kotopita of chicken, mozzarella, peppers and a baked ham and cheese pie ($8-$10). The name “Artopolis” means “city of bread” and the fresh bread, thick crust pizzas, sandwiches and artopitas are baked fresh daily.

Soup and salads are excellent here too. Try the traditional soup, a golden avgolemono with lemon, egg, white rice and big chunks of chicken ($3.75). Salads include the Frutti di Mare with shrimp, calamari, octopus on greens and French style Jardin with big slices of Brie cheese and pears on mesclun greens. The no-lettuce Greek Country salad of cucumbers, tomatoes, feta and Kalamata olives remains my favorite. If you and your friends meet here for lunch, you can have the soup and salad combos or split a big pan pizza.

The wine list and shop features imports such as Retsina and some domestic wines, by the bottle and by the glass. Mediterranean cocktails, like the champagne and peach Bellini or the Café Calypso with iced coffee and rum complete a meal on a high note.

For those with a sweet tooth (everyone I know), Artopolis offers an assortment of Greek cookies and pastries like baklava and honey puff loukomades. Other types of new and traditional sweets include tiramisu, chocolate mousse in chocolate cups and mango yogurt tarts. Coffee choices include espresso, hot or iced cappuccinos and wonderful Greek coffee ($2-$2.75). Served in a small cup and brewed strong, the Papagalos Greek coffee here tastes dark-roasted and aromatic, either sweetened or plain, with none of the bitter edge of many espressos.

If you are looking for a last-minute gift for a friend or food to bring to a party, Artopolis can help. The wines, cheeses, cakes and cookies here make unique and delicious presents with optional gift wrap. You would have to come back to Artopolis many times to try everything, but the varying daily menu adds to its appeal.

While not as visually appealing as many of other Greek restaurants in the up-and-coming Greektown area, Mr. Greek Gyros has something to offer everyone who’s hungry and is looking for better-than-average portion sizes. Stripped of the glam and glitz, this corner diner has the feel of a greasy spoon but boasts a flavorful menu that makes you think twice about judging a book by its cover. In an area literally surrounded by other Greek restaurants, Mr. Greek Gyros stands out thanks to its large glass windows, which give you a peek inside, where you’ll see a plenty of seating and a huge menu above the counter.

I’ll be honest—this place isn’t where you go when you want the authentic Greektown experience. This is the place you go when you want the 24-hour diner experience. The perfect place to go at three in the morning after a night of heavy drinking, this eatery boasts a huge menu that includes both Greek and not-so-Greek favorites. Number one on their house specialties list is the incredibly affordable $5.75 daily special: Gyros with fries and a medium drink. But what you don’t realize when you order this special is that you won’t have room for the fries, much less the drink. As you wait, you might glance at the decadent cakes and pies that tempt you from the nearby dessert case. But then the cook will slam down a massive package on a red cafeteria tray that will change your mind.

Seriously, the pita on this gyro can hardly contain the juicy meat pouring out of it. Slathered in that delicious cucumber sauce with tomatoes and onions thrown on top, this bad boy will satisfy even the most wicked of appetites. Keep plenty of napkins nearby—you’ll need them.

If gyros really aren’t your thing, don’t worry. You also have hot dogs, hamburgers, pizza puffs, Italian beefs and even rib tips and tacos to choose from. Sound too fattening? Try a Greek salad or a Chicken Caesar salad and you won’t have to ruin your diet plans.

In the event that you’re actually still hungry when you finish your main course, you can order seconds from the side order menu, which includes everything from mozzarella sticks to Spanakopita.

And to top it all off, Mr. Greek Gyros serves breakfast standards like eggs and bacon, omelettes and pancakes. Any time you stroll into this place, whether it’s 6 pm or 6 am, they’ll be ready to serve you whatever you’re in the mood for.

Greektown is full of dining options, to the point where it’s hard to pick. But if you’re ever in the area and just looking to grab a quick bite to sate your appetite, do yourself a favor and stop into Mr. Greek Gyros. Your stomach—and your wallet—will be happy.

Got a taste for something a little different? Then fly on down to the Pegasus! From the front windows that completely open up, to the veranda rooftop deck and the wealth of delicious Greek cuisine, this contemporary dining establishment embedded in the heart of Greektown puts all of its counterparts to shame and makes all of Chicagoland shout "Oopa!" at the top of their lungs!

If kicking off the evening to a fun and festive start is on the menu, be sure to order up an appetizer of Saganaki, the flaming cheese, with drinks and mull over the menu while savoring it's ooey gooey goodness. In fact, since most folks can not just pick one favorite off the menu, so bypass it altogether and go family style - the Greek way! Have the spirited and helpful wait staff assist in picking out several items so both of you can get a taste of some of the best the Pegasus has to offer. Of course, if you had your heart set on getting some of that lamb or fresh seafood Greece is known for, be sure to order either the Paidakia (Lamb chops) or the Sinagrida (broiled Red Snapper). Either way you decide to go, just remember to order up some of the best Baklava in the city for dessert!

If the food and beautiful ambiance are not enough enticements to lure people to arrive in droves, then the wine list will surely do it. The Pegasus has taken a great deal of time in choosing its Greek wine selection, none of which will max out the card. A decent mid-grade, red recommendation is the Boutari Naossa, while the Boutari Kretikos is its white equal. Of course, those wishing to stick to what they know best will find familiar listings from California and abroad.

So, make a fun, romantic and truly memorable night of contemporary culture at the Pegasus! With so many reasons to go, it is little wonder this establishment makes its neighbors jealous.