New dining room at Nòstimo By The Original Greek a hit with customers

With roots going back to Peterborough's first Greek restaurant, the award-winning eatery also has new menu items and will be doing monthly wine pairings

By Megan Gallant -
Published
Nòstimo By The Original Greek, a restaurant in Peterborough's Northcrest Plaza that serves up Greek-Mediterranean cuisine, opened its new dining room in November 2023. Offering dine-in eating has been a goal for co-owners George Anagnostou and Shannon LeClair since they launched the eatery in 2021. The new dining space seats 40 people in two separate areas, with the opportunity to host private events and dinners. The duo has launched a new menu to support the dining room and will be soon offering wine pairings. (Photo courtesy of Nòstimo By The Original Greek)
Nòstimo By The Original Greek, a restaurant in Peterborough's Northcrest Plaza that serves up Greek-Mediterranean cuisine, opened its new dining room in November 2023. Offering dine-in eating has been a goal for co-owners George Anagnostou and Shannon LeClair since they launched the eatery in 2021. The new dining space seats 40 people in two separate areas, with the opportunity to host private events and dinners. The duo has launched a new menu to support the dining room and will be soon offering wine pairings. (Photo courtesy of Nòstimo By The Original Greek)

Peterborough foodies have gotten their wish with the opening of a dining room that’s been two and a half years in the making and carries on the traditions and recipes of more than 45 years.

Nòstimo By The Original Greek, previously only offering takeout and catering, was met with enthusiasm from the public in November when it opened a dining room for both lunch and dinner service, and launched an updated menu with both familiar favourites and all-new dishes.

Opening the north-end eatery during the height of the pandemic back in 2021, co-owners George Anagnostou and Shannon LeClair had the perfect combination of Anagnostou’s expertise running several restaurants throughout his career and LeClair’s fresh ideas and excitement at opening her very first restaurant.

Nòstimo By The Original Greek owners George Anagnostou and Shannon LeClair celebrating the restaurant's grand opening in October 2021, after being delayed for months by pandemic restrictions. (Photo courtesy of Nòstimo By The Original Greek)
Nòstimo By The Original Greek owners George Anagnostou and Shannon LeClair celebrating the restaurant’s grand opening in October 2021, after being delayed for months by pandemic restrictions. (Photo courtesy of Nòstimo By The Original Greek)

Nòstimo By The Original Greek began serving moussaka, souvlaki, loukaniko, pitas, and other authentic Greek dishes through takeout and catering, with the intent of offering dine-in seating when it was safe to do so.

“I’ve owned restaurants since 1986 and I’ve always done dine-in,” says Anagnostou, adding that guests had been asking about dining in since the restaurant opened. “We were waiting until people started dining out again, and decided it was finally time to open the dining room.”

Aptly named after the Greek word for delicious, Nòstimo By The Original Greek can now seat up to 40 people across two different dining spaces. One space is near the entrance to the restaurant where the wine bar is located. The second space, which had been under construction since last spring, features another bar stocked with liquor and is ideal for booking private parties, gatherings, and events.

The second dining space at Nòstimo By The Original Greek gives the restaurant more space to host private parties, gatherings, and events. (Photo courtesy of Nòstimo By The Original Greek)
The second dining space at Nòstimo By The Original Greek gives the restaurant more space to host private parties, gatherings, and events. (Photo courtesy of Nòstimo By The Original Greek)

Decorated with 18th century artwork, photos of the blue waters and white buildings of Greece, and tablecloths to match, both dining rooms offer a relaxing escape to the Mediterranean,

“People have really been supporting us,” notes Anagnostou. “We still get a lot of takeout orders which is great, but we’ve definitely been seeing the demand for dine-in. On New Year’s, we were full the whole night.”

Some of those who come to dine at Nòstimo By The Original Greek are very familiar with Anagnostou’s culinary legacy over the years. His parents Paul and Mary introduced Peterborough to the traditional cuisine of Greece when they opened the city’s very first Greek restaurant, Shish Kabob Hut, in 1976.

Nòstimo By The Original Greek co-owner George Anagnostou is carrying on his family's culinary legacy. His parents Paul and Mary opened the first Greek restaurant in Peterborough, Shish Kabob Hut, in 1976. Their son began his own culinary career working in the restaurant at just 14 years old. (Photo courtesy of Nòstimo By The Original Greek)
Nòstimo By The Original Greek co-owner George Anagnostou is carrying on his family’s culinary legacy. His parents Paul and Mary opened the first Greek restaurant in Peterborough, Shish Kabob Hut, in 1976. Their son began his own culinary career working in the restaurant at just 14 years old. (Photo courtesy of Nòstimo By The Original Greek)

Anagnostou began working at the buzzing downtown joint (where the King of Greece once dined) when he was just 14 years old and, before long, developed the same passion as his parents for sharing the culture and food of Greece.

When he was just 24 years old, after spending three years in the kitchen of Toronto’s Fairmont Royal York Hotel, Anagnostou opened The Greek Tycoon in Whitby — his first independent venture but certainly not his last. In search of more knowledge, he then became a sommelier and opened a wine bar in Toronto, before returning to his hometown to open The Original Greek at Parkhill Road and Water Street — the same location where his parents had opened Shish Kabob Hut all those years ago.

It was during his next venture, operating a jazzed-up food truck called The Original Fat Greek STREETery in Ennismore, that he began attending private wine pairings where he became acquainted with LeClair. A designated Red Seal Chef, LeClair had gained a reputation across the Greater Toronto Area, learning techniques for French, Mediterranean, and Asian cuisine in high-profile restaurants and hotels and from well-known chefs like Mark McEwan.

Nòstimo By The Original Greek is owned by Chef Shannon LeClair and George Anagnostou, who is also a sommelier and once ran a wine bar in Toronto. Guests often ask for his recommendations for wine pairings. (Photo courtesy of Nòstimo By The Original Greek)
Nòstimo By The Original Greek is owned by Chef Shannon LeClair and George Anagnostou, who is also a sommelier and once ran a wine bar in Toronto. Guests often ask for his recommendations for wine pairings. (Photo courtesy of Nòstimo By The Original Greek)

“One day I said to her that people were asking me to open a restaurant and I asked if she wanted to join me,” Anagnostou recalls. “She came out of Toronto and here we are today.”

Together, LeClair and Anagnostou have won hospitality awards including Peterborough Community Votes awards for best Greek restaurant in 2022 and 2023, and best restaurant and caterer in 2023. The restaurant was also nominated last year for a Peterborough and the Kawarthas Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Award in the hospitality category.

Along with the launch of the dining room, the duo decided to add a few new dishes to the lineup of favourites that have been featured on Anagnostou’s menus for 20 years.

“We kept our original menu from The Original Greek and from past restaurant ventures that have been successful and then we added new menu items,” says Anagnostou.

Along with traditional authentic Greek cuisine such as moussaka, souvlaki, loukaniko, and more, Nòstimo By The Original Greek is serving up new menu items including chargrilled octopus, beef brochette, and shrimp saganaki. (Photo courtesy of Nòstimo By The Original Greek)
Along with traditional authentic Greek cuisine such as moussaka, souvlaki, loukaniko, and more, Nòstimo By The Original Greek is serving up new menu items including chargrilled octopus, beef brochette, and shrimp saganaki. (Photo courtesy of Nòstimo By The Original Greek)

Using fresh ingredients as always, the new menu items — some of which can’t be found elsewhere in Peterborough — include chargrilled octopus, beef brochette, and shrimp saganaki — pan-seared tiger shrimp in a zesty tomato sauce. On weekends, Nòstimo By The Original Greek offers dinner specials where LeClair and Anagnostou get “creative” with their cooking. Specials are announced through the restaurant’s social media pages every week.

“The guests are loving what we’ve done,” Anagnostou affirms. “They’ve been around with me since opening The Original Greek in 2003 — for 20 years — so they’re happy we’re offering indoor dining.”

The co-owner notes that, having formed such a connection with many of the regular guests, they always know to ask for his advice as a sommelier of the best wines to pair with their meal. While some are Ontario wines, many come from across the world, as far as Australia, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, and, of course, Greece.

“The majority of guests let me do the recommendations for their wine pairings,” says Anagnostou, acknowledging that it was one of the main things he missed before the dining room opened. “They trust me.”

Nòstimo By The Original Greek offers both domestic wine and wine from as far as South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, and, of course, Greece. The restaurant will soon be hosting monthly food and wine pairing events with a seven-course meal and part of the proceeds going to a local organization or charity. (Photo courtesy of Nòstimo By The Original Greek)
Nòstimo By The Original Greek offers both domestic wine and wine from as far as South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, and, of course, Greece. The restaurant will soon be hosting monthly food and wine pairing events with a seven-course meal and part of the proceeds going to a local organization or charity. (Photo courtesy of Nòstimo By The Original Greek)

To give back to the community, the two co-owners often share their kitchen with those interested, including by hosting sushi-making classes led by LeClair out of the restaurant and inviting students for co-op placements to get direct mentorship.

“It’s for those really interested in becoming chefs and getting into the culinary industry,” Anagnostou explains. “You have to start somewhere and, if they have a passion, here they can get hands-on training.”

As Anagnostou and LeClair adjust to the business of the new dining space, Nòstimo By The Original Greek will soon be re-introducing monthly food-and-wine pairings, consisting of a seven-course dinner. A portion of the proceeds will be donated towards a local charity.

In the past, these events have supported relief in Ukraine, Kawartha Food Share, and local families in need during the holiday season. In April of 2023, Nòstimo By The Original Greek raised $1,700 for the Peterborough Rotary Club and YES Shelter for Youth and Families through a wine pairing night.

With the opening of the new dining room, Nòstimo By The Original Greek has added new menu items alongside the recipes that have been on the menu for 20 years since co-owner George Anagnostou opened The Original Greek in Peterborough. The chargrilled octopus appetizer is one of the newer menu items that cannot be found elsewhere in Peterborough. (Photo courtesy of Nòstimo By The Original Greek)
With the opening of the new dining room, Nòstimo By The Original Greek has added new menu items alongside the recipes that have been on the menu for 20 years since co-owner George Anagnostou opened The Original Greek in Peterborough. The chargrilled octopus appetizer is one of the newer menu items that cannot be found elsewhere in Peterborough. (Photo courtesy of Nòstimo By The Original Greek)

As they prepare to offer romantic dinner specials for Valentine’s Day, Anagnostou and LeClair are embracing and enjoying the old and new connections they are making while welcoming patrons into the dining room to feast from the new menu.

“It’s great getting to see people happy and enjoying the food once again,” says Anagnostou. “I just love the buzz of the room.”

Located at 184 Marina Boulevard in Northcrest Plaza, Nòstimo By The Original Greek is open for takeout, catering, and dine-in. Visit their website at www.nostimobytheoriginalgreek.com to browse the menu and to order online and follow them on Instagram and Facebook for updates on weekend dinner specials.

Along with the extensive menu of authentic Greek dishes, Nòstimo By The Original Greek offers specials only available on the weekend, including the beef tenderloin wellington. This beef tenderloin is wrapped in prosciutto, mushroom duxelle, and puff pastry and served with garlic whipped potatoes, sautéed vegetables, and a red wine demi-glace sauce. Weekend specials are announced on the restaurant's social media channels. (Photo courtesy of Nòstimo By The Original Greek)
Along with the extensive menu of authentic Greek dishes, Nòstimo By The Original Greek offers specials only available on the weekend, including the beef tenderloin wellington. This beef tenderloin is wrapped in prosciutto, mushroom duxelle, and puff pastry and served with garlic whipped potatoes, sautéed vegetables, and a red wine demi-glace sauce. Weekend specials are announced on the restaurant’s social media channels. (Photo courtesy of Nòstimo By The Original Greek)

 

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