44 THE QUEENS COURIER • BUZZ • JANUARY 10, 2019 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
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dining out
Photo courtesy of Anna Christina Arvanitis
New taverna off ers
fi ne Greek dining
BY ALEJANDRA O’CONNELLDOMENECH
adomenech@qns.com
@AODNewz
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 fi ne dining go hand-inhand.
“Th ere is a presentation. Th ere is an
art. Th ere 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 fl oors create an atmosphere
similar to that of many Financial
District spots.
Th e menu — featuring dishes like lobster
moussaka — is meant to elevate traditional
Greek favorites. According to
Arvanitis, even thought 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 traffi c on Broadway, and
according to Arvanitis, the popularity of
the restaurant with the Greek and Greek-
American community played a large part
in Omonia Café’s success.
“People would fi rst go to George’s for
diner and then to Omonia for their coff ee
and cake,” Arvanitis said. When George’s
closed, he said, Broadway became less
bustling.
Arvanitis hopes to bring back those
prodigal customers to Broadway and new
customers who might not consider the
street their fi rst choice for fi ne dining.
A total of 150 people can be seated in
the roomy one-fl oor restaurant which is
open from 5 to 11 p.m. on weekdays and
11:30 p.m. on weekends. Brunch service is
off ered from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturdays
and Sundays.
The interior of Amylos Taverna in Astoria
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