HAMDEN, CT – As one of the most significant days in Greece’s history quickly approaches — Greek Independence Day, March 25, Peter Vouras of Freskos Greek Restaurant is hosting a celebration of his own: the 10th anniversary of his award-winning restaurant – and you’re invited.
Peter Vouras’ award-winning restaurant, which he opened back in 2016, is located at 2323 Whitney Avenue, Hamden, CT.
It is most known as a fast-casual Greek eatery, best known for its made-to-order fresh food. Here, you’ll find things like authentic gyros, souvlakia, salads, traditional Greek dips, dolmades, burgers, avgolemono, and more.
They even serve delicious Greek desserts including loukoumades, kataifi, kourabiethes, baklava and portokalopita, as well as a variety of Greek coffees.
In honor of Freskos Greek Restaurant turning 10, Peter Vouras will be throwing a big party coinciding with one of the most important days in Greece’s history, Greek Independence Day on Wednesday, March 25.
The general lunch crowd at Freskos. Photo: Courtesy of Peter Vouras, Freskos Greek Restaurant
The special event, honoring his beloved restaurant, will include live music, with a bouzouki and guitar player, dancing, delicious food, drinks – and 10% off for all customers throughout the whole day.
“We’ve already got the mayor committed to coming to town too, as well as several local politicians, so we’re just going to have a fun, festive atmosphere – like an open house,”Vouras shared.
“We’ll have some mezethes going around as well.”
In an interview with The National Herald, the Greek restaurant owner revealed how he felt to see his business celebrate its 10-year anniversary.
“Well, considering that most restaurants really don’t last that long, I’m very grateful that we’ve been able to maintain and have a thriving business after all these years,” Vouras told TNH. “It seems like time just flew by.”
Vouras explained how some of his greatest achievements over the years include winning Best Greek Restaurant in Connecticut statewide this year, in Connecticut Magazine’s readers poll, as well as winning Best Greek Restaurant in New Haven County for the last three years.
Described as a restaurant that loves to give back to its community, Vouras shared how ‘filoxenia’ – hospitality – is at the heart of everything he and his team do at Freskos.
“Over the years, we have done numerous benefits – we did one for Ukraine, we did one for the fires in Evia, we did one for the hurricane in Puerto Rico, and we like to give back,” he explained. “We like paying it forward.”
Peter Vouras’ mom Dena and sister, Lisa. Photo: Courtesy of Peter Vouras, Freskos Greek Restaurant
Discussing what initially inspired Vouras to open Freskos Greek Restaurant 10 years ago, he shared how he was (and still is) an actor, and “when you’re acting, you work in restaurants.”
“So, I worked in restaurants in Manhattan and I lived in New York City, and I would often go on different auditions while also doing catering,” he explained.
“I then moved to Los Angeles, I did acting there… and I basically learned the ropes and I learned what you do and what not to do [in the hospitality industry], and what I want and what I don’t want.”
“…Then later on, I started a family, and it’s very difficult as an actor, unless you’re like, an A-list actor, to maintain that lifestyle and that whole auditioning process, so it was time to make a decision – and I made the decision that I really didn’t want to work for anybody else, and I had the idea of opening Freskos.”
As “everybody loves Greek food,” Vouras said he drew inspiration from places he loved visiting while in Greece, and created Freskos to be like a “little souvlaki shop” in Athens.
When asked what makes Freskos unique, he noted how “everything is made to order here.”
“There’s nothing sitting under a heat lamp, so you may have to wait. We have a saying: we don’t make fast food, we make Greek food as fast as we can, and so people may have to wait a little bit, but what they’re getting is an amazing sandwich or salad or whatever they get,” Vouras said.
Peter Vouras and Raj Narayanan. Photo: Courtesy of Peter Vouras, Freskos Greek Restaurant
As a restaurant owner and an actor, Vouras shared how he wanted to give a “big ‘efharisto’” to all of his loyal supporters over the years. “If it weren’t for them [his customers], we wouldn’t be around this long,” he reflected.
“We’ve been very grateful and very lucky, and it’s one of those things where every day I get up and I come into work with a smile on my face, and I tell my employees, imagine you’re serving your mother – that’s what I always say to them.”
To learn more about Freskos Greek Restaurant in Hamden, Connecticut, visit www.freskosgreek.com.
Dining and Cooking