In a structure that once housed the Chocolate Popcorn Factory and Tiny’s Mann Hole, one of the classiest restaurants in the area serves up authentic Mediterranean cuisine. That’d be Theo’s Metro.
The bar in the front of the restaurant was taken over by owners Peter and Cathy Theodorelos in 1997, while the popcorn factory section was opened as Theo’s in 2001. The challenge for the Theodorelos’ and, in turn, their daughter Faye Settas, has been linking their Greek heritage to the old industrial building.
“If you go into the factory, you’ll notice that we have all the machines, you’ll notice all the hand-painted tables,” Settas said.
It’s not just the tables that are hand-painted. Throughout the airy halls of Theo’s are wall paintings that represent different areas of Greece.
Each sub-portion of the restaurant can be used for gatherings of different kinds, from birthday parties to corporate events. In between, there is an indoor waterfall, a small bridge-like pathway, and ceilings that go higher than your average eatery.
The platinum award for Best Mediterranean Restaurant belongs to Theo’s Metro, a signal that their run of success has been recognized by Times Leader readers for multiple years in a row. As Settas has revealed the Best of the Best placements to the restaurant’s Facebook followers, the good feedback keeps rolling in.
According to Settas, a solid portion of the Theo’s crowd is made up of returning customers and organizations. This is reflected in the family-oriented group that cook and serve at the restaurant.
“A lot of our employees have been here forever,” said Settas. “We have a nice crew — not too big.”
As for the Best Gyro gold award, Settas said there is no big secret to the success.
“It’s just a traditional gyro,” she said, adding that the options include chicken, beef, and lamb and beef gyros.
Actually, maybe she spoke a little too soon about the special gyro ingredient. It just might be one of the ingredients that has brought on customer loyalty.
“The tzatziki sauce is amazing,” Settas said. “I think my mom makes an amazing tzatziki sauce.”