“The gyros in Greece are made with pure meat” and without fillers, says Dan Krystallis, co-owner of new fast-casual GoGreek, which opened in Pelham in late May. “We couldn’t understand why we couldn’t get [the same quality] here.”
As first-generation Americans who spent childhood summers in Greece, Dan and his brothers, Greg and Chris, savored the local snack-bar cuisine. Gyros and the like existed here, but didn’t compare to the authentic Greek versions they’d grown up with. In their 20s, the brothers had discussed their dream of filling that void, but day jobs got in the way.
Then, Greg passed away in 2016 at the age of 46. Six weeks later, realizing life is short, Dan and Chris hopped a plane to taste their way through Greece, sampling some 40 gyros in three days. They weighed the gyros; they measured the gyros. “We had to get it right. We landed in the sweet spot of all the gyros we tried,” says Dan.
One standard the brothers refused to compromise on was the quality of meat, insisting on pure pork with no fillers, which allows the gyros, made with gluten-free pita sourced from Saratoga, to qualify as gluten-free. The only “fillers” are the tomato, lettuce, red onion, and French fries rolled inside, all served with a side of thick tzatziki.
The commitment to quality doesn’t end with the choice of meat. Spanokopita —spinach, feta, and phyllo-dough pie — is made with fresh spinach, the taste of which predominates. Feta, olives, and pepperoncini are imported from Greece.
With an emphasis on fast-casual Greek food, you won’t find items like moussaka and pastiticio on the menu. While gyros are the hallmark, another standout is Papu’s Chili, accented with cinnamon and crumbled feta. The GoGreek fries are made from hand-cut potatoes and topped with chunks of feta and a sprinkling of oregano.
The simplicity of GoGreek’s offerings is intentional, and Dan and his wife, Amber (she’s the chef), don’t want to lose focus on these core provisions. Still, some additions are planned for the future, including an expansion of the gluten-free offerings and the introduction of catering and delivery.
The shop currently seats 17 at a mix of counter and table seating, including a counter spot reserved for wheelchairs. An application for outdoor seating is pending town approval.
GoGreek
108 Fifth Ave
Pelham
914.740.3173
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