Pithari Taverna

Pithari Taverna
Restaurant information
Slogan Eat greek... live long
Established September 2006
Current owner(s) Tassos and Chrisanthe Stefanopoulos
Food type Greek
Street address 28 Woodbridge Avenue
City Highland Park, New Jersey
County Middlesex County, New Jersey
State New Jersey
Postal code/ZIP 08904
Country United States
Website http://www.thepithari.com/

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.

Reception of the restaurant included multiple favorable reviews in The Star-Ledger,[1][2] the New Jersey section of The New York Times,[3][4] and New Jersey Monthly.[5]

History

The restaurant was founded by Tassos and Chrisanthe Stefanopoulos.[3] They gained experience in the food industry by operating a Greek foods shop, called New Athens Corner,[6] and opened the establishment next door in September 2006.[4] The indoor dining room of the facility sat 60 people in 2007.[4] 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.[7]

Cuisine

The establishment is a neighborhood restaurant; Greek food is prepared in the form of an open kitchen.[3] 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".[3] Eggplant is a frequent ingredient on the menu at the restaurant.[8][9] "Ultimate Greek Spread" dishes include "dolmades (grape leaves), tzatziki (yogurt-based sauce), taramosalata (caviar dip), and melitzanosalata (eggplant)".[6] For the recommended seafood option, the restaurant displays the "catch of the day", on ice in the dining room.[10]

Reception

In November 2006, The Star-Ledger highlighted Pithari Taverna among "favorite places to eat" in Highland Park, New Jersey.[1] 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."[2] 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".[3][note 1] Karla Cook of The New York Times gave the restaurant a favorable review, and highlighted an octopus dish.[4] Peter Genovese of The Star-Ledger characterized Pithari Taverna as "a personal favorite" among Greek restaurants in New Jersey.[11][12]

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."[6] In February 2009, the New Jersey section of The New York Times again included the restaurant among recommendations for a "romantic dinner".[13] 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.[14] In 2010, New Jersey Monthly highlighted the establishment among "Readers' Picks" for best Greek restaurant, in its "2010 Readers' and Critics' Restaurant Poll".[5] Zagat Survey listed Pithari Taverna as "top listed" in "Greek Tops".[15]

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ The paper explained its standards: "Of the 46 restaurants we reviewed, 21 (or 46 percent) received one of the top ratings: 3 excellent, 18 very good."

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lardizabal, Yvonne (November 30, 2006). "Town snapshot: Highland Park". The Star-Ledger. p. 2.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Genovese, Peter (December 22, 2006). "A taste of the glory that is Greece - Salads, grape leaves, spinach pie, gyros on the menu". The Star-Ledger. p. 44.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Corcoran, David (December 30, 2007). "Standouts Among the Year's Best". The New York Times (The New York Times Company). p. 10; Section: New Jersey, Dining. Retrieved 2010-07-16.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Cook, Karla (April 8, 2007). "In the Grip of Octopus at a Greek Taverna". The New York Times (The New York Times Company). Retrieved 2010-08-03.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "2010 Readers' and Critics' Restaurant Poll". New Jersey Monthly (njmonthly.com). July 14, 2010. Retrieved 2010-08-03.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Genovese, Peter (2008). Food Lovers' Guide to New Jersey. Globe Pequot. p. 120. ISBN 0-7627-4775-7.
  7. ↑ Qarooni, Nawal (October 5, 2006). "Highland Park residents savor an expansion of local offerings". 'The Star-Ledger. p. 1.
  8. ↑ "In Season". The Star-Ledger. August 6, 2008. p. 39.
  9. ↑ Fusco, Mary Ann Castronovo (August 5, 2008). "Get fresh with eggplant". NJ.com (www.nj.com). Retrieved 2010-08-03.
  10. ↑ Fusco, Mary Ann Castronovo (April 22, 2009). "Jersey's Bumper Acropolis". New Jersey Monthly (njmonthly.com). Retrieved 2010-08-04.
  11. ↑ Genovese, Peter (December 12, 2008). "Stamna Greek Taverna". The Star-Ledger. p. 024.
  12. ↑ Genovese, Peter (December 11, 2008). "Stamna evokes the glory that was Greece". NJ.com (www.nj.com). Retrieved 2010-08-03.
  13. ↑ Cook, Karla (February 8, 2009). "For a Romantic Dinner, a List to Take to Heart". The New York Times (The New York Times Company). p. 10; Section: New Jersey, Dining. Retrieved 2010-07-16.
  14. ↑ Genovese, Peter (August 21, 2009). "Opa! Greek is - the word on the Munchers' latest culinary adventure". The Star-Ledger. p. 033.
  15. ↑ "Zagat Rated – Pithari Taverna". Zagat Survey (ww.zagat.com). 2010. Retrieved 2010-08-04.

External links

Coordinates: 40°30′03″N 74°25′19″W / 40.500698°N 74.421881°W