Slogan Eat greek... live long Food type Greek | Established September 2006 Street address 28 Woodbridge Avenue | |
Current owner(s) Tassos and Chrisanthe Stefanopoulos City Highland Park, New Jersey | ||
Pithari Taverna is a Greek restaurant located in Highland Park, New Jersey. The restaurant was founded by Tassos and Chrisanthe Stefanopoulo in 2006; the two had gained experience after operating a Greek foods store next door, New Athens Corner.
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Reception of the restaurant included multiple favorable reviews in The Star-Ledger, the New Jersey section of The New York Times, and New Jersey Monthly.
History
The restaurant was founded by Tassos and Chrisanthe Stefanopoulos. They gained experience in the food industry by operating a Greek foods shop, called New Athens Corner, and opened the establishment next door in September 2006. The indoor dining room of the facility sat 60 people in 2007. Tassos Stefanopoulos commented to The Star-Ledger on the opening of the restaurant in 2006 that he wished to share the tradition of Greek cuisine with others.
Cuisine
The establishment is a neighborhood restaurant; Greek food is prepared in the form of an open kitchen. Dishes include "grilled octopus in oil, vinegar and oregano ... lamb-and-orzo casserole sealed with Greek cheese and baked" and "yogurt with nuts and honey". Eggplant is a frequent ingredient on the menu at the restaurant. "Ultimate Greek Spread" dishes include "dolmades (grape leaves), tzatziki (yogurt-based sauce), taramosalata (caviar dip), and melitzanosalata (eggplant)". For the recommended seafood option, the restaurant displays the "catch of the day", on ice in the dining room.
Reception
In November 2006, The Star-Ledger highlighted Pithari Taverna among "favorite places to eat" in Highland Park, New Jersey. In a December 2006 review of the restaurant for The Star-Ledger, Peter Genovese commented, "The appearance of a Greek restaurant is welcome news enough; the fact that Pithari Taverna serves up top-notch food in a colorful, casual setting is cause for celebration, with or without a bouzouki." A 2007 review in The New York Times included the restaurant in a piece, "Standouts Among the Year's Best", giving the restaurant a rating of "very good". Karla Cook of The New York Times gave the restaurant a favorable review, and highlighted an octopus dish. Peter Genovese of The Star-Ledger characterized Pithari Taverna as "a personal favorite" among Greek restaurants in New Jersey.
The 2008 edition of the book Food Lovers' Guide to New Jersey noted, "Greek restaurants often get overlooked in the rich culinary diversity of New Jersey. Pithari Taverna is one of the state's newest Greek restaurants, and it's already among the best." In February 2009, the New Jersey section of The New York Times again included the restaurant among recommendations for a "romantic dinner". In August 2009, Heidi Dalzell commented in The Star-Ledger that the Greek restaurant Stamna Greek Taverna in Bloomfield, New Jersey was of a higher quality than Pithari Taverna. In 2010, New Jersey Monthly highlighted the establishment among "Readers' Picks" for best Greek restaurant, in its "2010 Readers' and Critics' Restaurant Poll". Zagat Survey listed Pithari Taverna as "top listed" in "Greek Tops".