Hey everyone – Happy Turkey Season! Halloween is officially over, and that means the countdown to Thanksgiving is on.
Thanksgiving is a holiday I’ve celebrated in New York for the past three years, and it has become a newfound tradition that I truly enjoy celebrating. When I sit back and reflect on the things I’m most thankful for, I’m grateful for all the opportunities and blessings God has given me up until this point, especially the one that led me to become part of the beautiful family that is The National Herald.
Thanks to them, I’ve grown in ways I never thought possible. With every day I work here, every person I meet, and every story I share, I feel more and more that I’m right where I’m meant to be – serving the Greek-American community and surrounded by the love and support of my family, as well as my family away from family.
An assortment of gyros and Greek bites at Greek Brothers on Long Island. (Photo: Courtesy of Greek Brothers)
Now, as you all begin to organize your Thanksgiving plans, start shopping for the Christmas season, and squeeze in your final few adventures before the snow storms start, I wanted to draw your attention to this family-owned business, Greek Brothers, which has locations in both Manhasset and Franklin Square on Long Island, which is the perfect place to swing by for a meal, especially while going on weekend travels on Long Island.
If you’re not familiar, Greek Brothers is owned by brothers and business partners Stavros and Giannis Metekidis, who come from Chios and Pontos. It first opened at 691 Hempstead Turnpike in Franklin Square at the end of 2023, and then its second location opened at 444 Plandome Road in Manhasset in January of 2026.
With Stavros having worked in Michelin-recognized kitchens and Giannis having a background in business, finance, and sales, the pair decided to join forces and open a restaurant after living in New York for around a decade and having a deep desire to offer authentic Greek food like they were used to back home.
A lamb and beef gyro from Greek Brothers. (Photo: Courtesy of Greek Brothers)
“We have been to so many places all over Greece and we have our own ideas, so we said, ‘why don’t we bring the most authentic food that we know, here,’” Giannis Metekidis told TNH.
“We both came here, we studied, we worked, and then we decided we wanted to do something different.”
Now, you’re probably wondering, what is Greek Brothers known for? Well, the casual family-style restaurant is recognized for its offering of authentic Greek cuisine and home-cooked food.
“We offer a lot of cooked meals, where we serve things like moussaka, pastitsio, our own spanakopita – we open the phyllo ourselves. We have gigantes, and we also have gyros,” Metekidis said.
“Some people only come for the gyros because they love the way we make it.”
A variety of Greek spreads and pita bread at Greek Brothers on Long Island. (Photo: Courtesy of Greek Brothers)
In terms of desserts, Greek Brothers also make their own Greek-style cheesecake, baklava, banoffee, profiterole, sokolatopita (chocolate pie), and portokalopita (orange pie). What makes them especially stand out is all the fresh and high-quality ingredients they import all the way from Greece.
The Metekidis brothers are also recognized for their catering and private events.
“We have all kinds of customers who come because they like our food and we help them – we give them good prices and, you know, they like us,” Giannis Metekidis added.
Recognized as more of a takeout spot, the Greek restaurant also offers a space for dining in, which is all decked out with the ‘colors of Greece’ – as Metekidis described.
“We had brought an architect from Greece who came and designed everything,” he expressed.
“At the Franklin Square location, we also brought marble tables and chairs from Greece, from the islands, and we have made it feel like when you visit, you are at home.”
Greek meatballs at Greek Brothers.(Photo: Courtesy of Greek Brothers)
Approaching almost three years in operation, Metekidis reflected on what the response has been like from the community towards Greek Brothers.
“They love it and they keep coming back for more,” he expressed.
“Our food is made for families – it’s a family-oriented place and our meals are big, so that makes everyone happy.”
“We also offer combo platters like the Brother’s Special, which we started last month. It comes with eight souvlakia, four pork and four chicken, four pites, two servings of potatoes, homemade tzatziki, and Greek Brothers sauce – it’s a big meal designed for four to five people.”
Discussing his favorite thing about running the business, Metekidis explained “I love receiving the feedback from our customers and hearing that they love our food.”
“We want to make sure that people are happy, and that’s the whole purpose of why we do this. Greek mothers are known for cooking food for their kids, and we have that exact same mindset. We want to make sure our customers are well-fed and that they’re happy – that’s all we want.”
With two current stores, the Metekidis brothers hope to open more Greek Brothers locations across New York in the future.
To learn more about Greek Brothers, visit https://greek-brothers.com/, or follow @greekbrothersny on Instagram.
Dining and Cooking