photo courtesy of Grecian Family Restaurant
Grecian Family Restaurant in Spring Hill is making significant changes, including a new head chef and an entirely Greek menu, following a temporary closure that sparked speculation about filming involving celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay. More Eat & Drink News
The restaurant, located at 2003 Wall Street, was closed October 16-20 for what it described as equipment maintenance and changes to the restaurant. A large tent was spotted outside the business, fueling speculation that Ramsay was filming a restaurant renovation show at the location.
The restaurant reopened Wednesday, October 21, for breakfast service only, with plans to debut its new lunch and dinner menu on Friday, October 23.
On Thursday, October 22, Alex Georgalos shared a message on the restaurant’s social media announcing that he had taken over as head chef of his family’s restaurant and was implementing changes to improve the dining experience.
“You may have already heard about us, and if not, you probably will in the coming weeks and months,” Georgalos stated. “I’ll be honest most of our feedback hasn’t been good, and for good reason, but now I have taken the helm.”
Georgalos said the restaurant is moving away from its extensive menu, which previously included sandwiches, burgers, pasta, pizza, and salads, to focus exclusively on authentic, scratch-made Greek cuisine.
“We are going to start honoring our heritage and culture by sticking to an entirely authentic Greek menu,” he shared.
The restaurant will continue offering its salad bar and traditional Greek village salad. Its breakfast menu will also remain unchanged, with breakfast served daily from 7 to 11 a.m.
Acknowledging that some longtime customers may be disappointed by the changes, Georgalos asked the community to give the restaurant another opportunity.
“If you haven’t been here in a while because the food quality has diminished or your experience was terrible. I am asking you to give us one more chance,” he stated. “I will do everything I can to make your experience as special as possible, and hopefully give you an actual taste…..of Greece.”
The restaurant has now shared its new lunch and dinner menu, set to debut Friday, October 23.
The menu features traditional Greek dishes, including pork gyros ($22), lamb or chicken souvlaki ($24), moussaka ($24), and beef stifado ($24), a slow-braised beef dish with pearl onions and spices. Other entrees include whole grilled snapper served with lemon, oregano and arugula ($35), which serves two.
Appetizers include a meze plate with tzatziki, fava, marinated olives and warm pita bread ($15); fried calamari ($12); spanakopita stuffed with feta and spinach ($12); baked feta with sesame seeds and honey ($12); and zucchini fritters ($10).
The restaurant will also offer a Greek village salad ($12), feisty feta dip ($12) and an unlimited salad bar ($13.95).
Side dishes, priced at $6 each, include lemon potatoes, Greek avgolemono soup, braised green beans, fries with oregano salt and horta, a traditional Greek dish of braised greens with lemon and olive oil.
For dessert, guests can choose from homemade baklava ($6) and galaktoboureko ($7), a traditional Greek custard pastry. A children’s menu will also be available, featuring chicken tenders, hamburgers, cheeseburgers and grilled cheese.
The changes come amid speculation about Ramsay’s involvement with the restaurant. A casting call circulated online seeking diners for a restaurant renovation show filming in Spring Hill. Earlier this year, a casting company sought struggling restaurants in the Nashville area for an unnamed television project involving Ramsay.
However, neither the restaurant nor Ramsay’s representatives have confirmed that filming took place at Grecian Family Restaurant or that the recent changes are connected to a television production.
The restaurant’s new Greek lunch and dinner menu is scheduled to launch Friday, October 23.
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