In this edition of The Dish, we’re taking you to an authentic Greek marketplace where everything they sell and serve comes straight from the homeland.
From homemade pastries, soups and gyros, to everything you need to stock your pantry, fridge and freezer, Yiasou is a one-way ticket to Greece right at home in Montgomery County.
“Yiasou means ‘Hello,’ in Greek,” explains owner Effie Vlahos.
She owns Yiasou Greek Market & Cafe in Narberth with her husband Demetrios, better known as Jimmy.
They opened the shop three years ago and they both come from a long line of Greek restaurateurs and diner owners.
“We love this,” says Effie. “This is in our blood. We love to to create food, cook.”
Yiasou is part coffee shop, bakery, grocery, market, even souvenir shop.
“We like to bring in little things from different parts of Greece, from where we come from,” says Effie. “Everything we get is imported in. Everything is either from Greece or a recipe that we make that has been passed down to us. We have avgolemono soup, which is the traditional Greek lemon chicken. That would be my grandmother’s recipe.”
The olive oil is imported from the Vlahos family grove in the Peloponnese region.
“My dad on the label,” says Jimmy. “His dream was to always sell olive oil. So when we opened up the store, I figured out a way to bring it in.”
From specialty drinks to Greek yogurt and cheeses, breads, olives and beyond, everything is authentic.
The family makes fresh food daily that you can grab and go or eat hot.
“Gyros are the bestseller right now,” says Jimmy.
The bakery is stocked with Greek sweets and savory treats like bougatsa, baklava, spanakopita and another best seller, the orange cake.
“We pretty much sell out of this every day,” she says.
Wash that down with the popular iced freddo cappuccino.
For more information, visit: YiasouGreekMarket.com
Dining and Cooking