The building at 314 South Ashland that will house the new coffee and pastry shop from Athenian Grill owner Ilias Pappas.
Lexington, KY – Ilias Pappas, owner of the Athenian Grill restaurant in Chevy Chase, is looking to expand his offering of authentic Greek food with a pastry and coffee shop across South Ashland from his restaurant that opened late last year.
Tentatively named “Athenian Pastry and Coffee Shop”, the store will feature coffee from local coffee roaster Magic Beans, in addition to authentic Greek coffees and a full espresso bar. Pappas said the shop should be open by late summer.
Pappas stressed the importance of using local and fresh ingredients, and most of the elements he uses in his current capacity, such as the honey and fruit used in the pastries, are locally produced.
“The culture in Greece, there are tons of pastry and coffee shops, where people go to catch up with their friends, relax and do some work, have a pastry, or have a cup of coffee and just spend some time in the neighborhood,” Pappas said. “You can come to Athenian Grill, you can have your meal, if you have time and you want you can venture across the street to our bakery and choose from an array of authentic Greek desserts that will be made on the premises, freshly baked."
Pappas is working with the local architectural company Alt32, the same firm that did his restaurant. The architects are researching on the designs of the Greek-style pastry shops similar to the ones Pappas loved growing up so as to replicate that feeling of being in Greece, Pappas said.
A few examples of what to expect from the extended pastry menu include: Baklava, which consists of filo dough, chopped pistachios, and honey; Kataifi, which is rolls of shredded wheat filled with ground walnuts, baked golden brown and lightly drizzled with honey syrup; Karithopita, a walnut honey cake with hints of cinnamon, clove, and lemon; and Galaktoboureko, a milk custard encased in filo dough.
“We want to grow the company,” Pappas said. “We want to continue offering our clients authentic Greek options, and we have a big demand for desserts out of our original restaurant.”