Feature
“People would first go to George’s for diner and then
to Omonia for their coffee and cake,” Arvanitis said.
When George’s closed, he said, Broadway became
less bustling.
Arvanitis hopes to bring back those prodigal cus-tomers
to Broadway and new customers who might
not consider the street their first choice for fine dining.
A total of 150 people can be seated in the roomy
one-floor restaurant which is open from 5 to 11 p.m.
on weekdays and 11:30 p.m. on weekends. Brunch
service is offered from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturdays
and Sundays.
The Greek
fried cheese
dish, Saganaki,
is served with a
side of tomato
jam.
BY ALEJANDRA O'CONNELL-DOMENECH
Amylos Taverna, a new Greek-inspired restaurant
at 33-19 Broadway in Astoria, opened its doors
to customers on Jan. 7.
In a neighborhood famous for its small Greek
eateries, Amylos aims to prove that Greek food
and fine dining go hand-in-hand.
“There is a presentation. There is an art. There
is a thought,” said Martha Arvanitis, co-owner of
Amylos Taverna, about the design and cuisine of
the restaurant. Amylos’ modern rustic chandeliers,
marble back-lit bar and mix of stone walls and wood
floors create an atmosphere similar to that of many
Financial District spots.
The menu — featuring dishes like lobster mous-saka
— is meant to elevate traditional Greek fa-vorites.
According to Arvanitis, even though the
restaurant has only been open a few days, some
customers have said that it has brought “New York
City to Astoria.”
“Not any Greek restaurant has tried to do that,”
Arvanitis said.
Amylos is located a block away from Arvanitis’ other
business, Omonia Café, and is currently located in
the building that once housed Uncle George’s Greek
Tavern, which permanently closed in 2013.
Uncle George’s generated a large amount of foot
traffic on Broadway, and according to Arvanitis, the
popularity of the restau-rant
with the Greek and
Greek-American commu-nity
played a large part in
Omonia Café’s success.
Spinach pie
salad is one
of the creative
takes on a
Greek classic at
Amylos Taverna.
www.qns.com I LIC COURIER I JANUARY 2019 29
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