Louis Pappas Fresh Greek opens in Bradenton. You might want to try the potato salad
Louis L. Pappas, CEO of Louis Pappas Fresh Greek, was in town this week, personally supervising preparations for the Thursday opening of the Florida fast-casual food chain’s sixth restaurant, and first in the Bradenton area.
The new restaurant at 8512 Cooper Creek Blvd., is located midway between an LA Fitness and a Courtyard by Marrriott Hotel.
It’s a location that Pappas picked out more than a year ago with Benderson Development Company’s Mark Chait when it was still a patch of grass.
In the restaurant business since he was 16 — for about 48 years — Pappas’ passion for serving good food burns as brightly as ever. It’s in his blood. A giant photo collage of his grandparents, parents and uncles who preceded him into the culinary arts hangs on a wall in the new restaurant
“I will never quit work. l love the culinary side and I love mentoring and training,” he said.
Pappas worked his way up from busboy to CEO at the original Louis Pappas Riverside Restaurant in Tarpon Springs.
“Without any formal culinary education, Louis became an accomplished self-taught chef. While staying true to the essence of Greek food, he expanded his horizon in search of flavors that would complement the authentic Greek taste. Without abandoning the heritage that inspired his family’s original recipes, Louis created a new generation of Greek cuisine that put a fresh twist on traditional dishes as we know them. Many of these recipes are compiled in his Louis Pappas New Generation Greek Cuisine Cookbook,” according to a history posted on the company’s website.
Denise and Clark Baxley were among those who had an opportunity to sample the menu this week before Thursday’s official opening.
“It’s delicious, it was perfect,” Denise Baxley said, adding that Louis Pappas serves her favorite Greek salad. Clark Baxley had the mojo pork sandwich and had similar high praise.
Louis Pappas Fresh Greek may be fast-casual food, but it is also a destination, Pappas said, adding that guests will travel miles to get to one of his restaurants.
In addition to the Greek salads, the menu also includes flat breads, pitas and sandwiches, pick-two combos, pita platters, cafe entrees such as the Greek rice bowl, traditional mousaka (Greek spiced beef layered with grilled egg plant and topped with creamy bechamel and marinara), dolmades (a mix of ground beef, rice, tomato and Greek spices, hand-rolled in grapevine leave) and more. Most of the menu items list for less than $10.
A particular favorite is the potato salad. The menu also includes sides, beverages, and childrens entrees.
Other Louis Pappas Fresh Greek restaurants are located in Clearwater, Tampa, and Lakeland. A seventh restaurant is under construction in the Pasco County town of Trinity. Pappas is considering adding an eight restaurant in The Villages, near Ocala.
“At the end of the day, I came here because I love this area,” Pappas said, adding that the Benderson company was “phenomenal” in helping him find a suitable location.
“They want their tenants to succeed,” he said.
In addition to their dine-in and take out options, the restaurant also offers catering.
Louis Pappas Fresh Greek is open 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. seven days a week.
In other local restaurant news:
▪ Chef Rich Knowles is now the owner/CEO of Innovative Dining, a boutique-style catering company. Former owners were Jeremy Hammond-Chambers and Danny Gibbons. Knowles is chef and owner of enRich Bistro a restaurant and catering service in Bradenton. The Knowles family has roots in the area going back five generations.
For more information about Innovative Dining visit www.innovative-dining.com.
▪ Ford’s Garage plans to open a 300-seat restaurant in University Town Center this summer. The Herald first reported that Ford’s Garage was planning to open a restaurant in the Bradenton-Sarasota area in May 2019.
“Ford’s Garage will give you the vibe of being in a 1920’s service station to include vintage Ford vehicles, gas pumps and fixtures,” the company says on its website, https://www.fordsgarageusa.com/. The company now has 14 restaurants, all but one in the state of Florida.
The restaurant is under construction on the west side of Cattlemen Road, north of University Town Center’s southernmost roundabout.
▪ Manatee County’s newest Starbucks opened recently at 6285 U.S. 301 North in Ellenton.
▪ Manatee County’s newest Wendy’s recently opened at 4201 53rd Ave. E, Bradenton.
This story was originally published March 5, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
