JANUARY 2 0 1 9 I BOROMAG.COM 27
BY DANIEL GROGAN
Eight years ago,
George Hatzopoulos
sat in the bar previously
located at 12-21 Astoria
Blvd. and had a drink
with his cousin.
“My first week back from Greece, my
cousin was like, ‘Hey I know this cool spot,’’’
Hatzopoulos said. “This place used to be
called Hell Gate Social. Right here was
where I had my first-ever drink on American
soil. I can’t even make that up. Six dollars got
you a shot and a beer.”
Now the bar is called Arcadia Bar and
Kitchen, and Hatzopoulos runs it with his
longtime friend George Alatsas.
Both Georges were born in Astoria; Hatzopoulos
was raised in Greece, while Alatsas
was raised right here in Queens. Shortly
after Alatsas moved back to the States, the
two began collaborating.
“He worked at a restaurant on 30th Avenue
called Ovelia, and I used to frequent the bar
there,” Alatsas said. “And I was working at
Central, a club on Steinway and 20th Avenue.
/BOROMAG.COM
