Andy Fillmore
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Great Greek Mediterranean Grill, a new restaurant in Ocala, Florida, offers an alternative to traditional burger joints.The restaurant serves classic Greek dishes like gyros, salads, and souvlaki plates.Customers have praised the restaurant for its fresh ingredients and clean environment.The restaurant is part of a rapidly expanding franchise with locations in 18 states.
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The recently opened Great Greek Mediterranean Grill in the Market Street at Heath Brook shopping center on Southwest College Road (State Road 200) offers a tasty and nutritious alternative to the usual burger fare.
March Beall joined her brother Denny and his wife, Karen, at Great Greek Mediterranean Grill for lunch on March 26. The three all live in nearby communities.
“We were looking for someplace to go other than hamburgers,” March Beall said.
March Beall had a lamb gyro while Denny Beall has a beef gyro and Karen Beall had a small Greek salad.
March Beall found the gyro “very tasty” while Denny Beall said the beef gyro was good.
Karen Beall said her lunch was “very good” and she would “definitely come back” to the restaurant.
The Ocala franchise of the rapidly expanding fast casual Greek restaurant — with 74 locations open or coming in 18 states including 14 in Florida — is owned by Manish Patel.
Patel was a customer at the West Palm Beach franchise. He was so pleased with the food he decided to open a franchise.
The menu includes Avgolemono soup with chicken and lemon juice; Melitzano Salata with roasted eggplant and garlic; Classic Greek Salad with Romaine lettuce, feta, red onion and olives; Great Greek Rice Bowl; Great Greek Gyros with meat or chicken breast; and lamb or steak Souvlaki plates.
A selection of desserts included baklava with walnuts and honey syrup and Mom’s Rice Pudding. A kids menu and catering is available.
The website greatgreekgrill.com details the history of the chain.
“A Greek-Armenian family first opened the original Great Greek Mediterranean Grill on May 5, 2011. The traditional dishes they served were made with family recipes, passed down through generations in Greece before they were served to American customers,” the website states.
Two partners, Nick Della Penna and Trent Jones, purchased the restaurant in 2016 and maintained the family recipes while opening locations in the Las Vegas area and soon joined with United Franchise Group, saw further expansion, and opened in West Palm Beach. The brand opened 25 locations in 12 states in 2023, the website indicates.
Jesus and Samantha Valdes also stopped in the new Ocala location on March 26 for lunch. Jesus Valdes operates JV Bread, a multi-brand baked goods distributor in The Villages.
Jesus Valdes stated in part in an email after their visit that the couple had a dining experience which was “overall good….fresh ingredients and clean establishment.”
David Estes visited the Ocala eatery on March 26 with his wife, Ashley, and their daughter, Ava, 2 months old.
David Estes, a sales manager, had a lamb gyro and Ashley Estes, an emergency room nurse with HCA Florida Foxwood Emergency, had salad. Both are self described Greek food lovers.
“It’s refreshing food,” David Estes said.
Great Greek Mediterranean Grill; 4414 SW College Road Ste. 316, Ocala; (352) 598-3087; open Sunday-Thursday, 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday, 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m.