Peter Vouras celebrated Greek Independence Day Monday by flying the Greek flag right outside the newest location of his restaurant Freskos and cutting a ribbon to commemorate its opening.
Vouras was joined by New Haven officials Monday at 21 Whitney Ave. to officially open the second location of Freskos. His first location of the fast-casual restaurant that specializes in authentic Greek cuisine opened at 2323 Whitney Ave. about three years ago in Hamden.
Mayor Toni Harp said the restaurant adds another layer of diversity to the city’s gourmet food scene.
“Freskos offers fresh authentic Greek food,” she said. “And it stands above the competition offering authentic food in the beautiful, light-filled settings.”
The restaurant’s menu focuses on some of the mainstays of Greek cuisine. You can grab a gyro or souvlaki, Greek appetizers like grape leaves and hummus, or you can go with a Greek-style salad. On Monday, lunch customers got the extra bonus of listening to a musician (pictured above) strumming tunes on a guitar called a bouzouki.
Vouras’ face might be a bit familiar if you watch television and movies. He’s an actor and comedian and has appeared in shows you know like Law & Order: Criminal Intent. In fact, that’s partly how he came to try his hand at the restaurant business.
“When you’re an actor, you spend a lot of time working in restaurants,” he said.
He said he always thought about what he might do if he owned his own. Even before he was an actor he was no stranger to the business. His grandfather owned restaurants in the Hartford area.
Though Meriden is his hometown, Vouras is as he says, “100 percent Greek.” His entrepreneur grandfather and dad came to Connecticut directly from Greece. His mother, like him, is a Greek-American born here in the United States.
Vouras said he always wanted to be in New Haven. He said he likes the Whitney Avenue location because of the foot traffic between Grove and Audubon streets. It was also attractive because of its proximity to Yale University and Gateway Community College. He chose his first location in Hamden because of its proximity to Quinnipiac University.
“This is a big endeavor,” he said. “Hopefully, this is one of many Freskos to come.”
Click the video below to catch official remarks.