Food News

Saloniki will open two new fast-casual Greek locations in Boston

The first new location will open on Newbury Street, followed by the second on Beacon Hill.

By Linda Laban

February 26, 2022

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Saloniki, the locally-owned, fast-casual Greek eateries with three locations in Boston and Cambridge, will add two more outlets this spring.

“We were bored and had a lot of pent-up energy,” joked co-owner Eric Papachristos of the double expansion coming almost back-to-back in mid-April to the end of April, he estimated. “They will open one to two weeks apart. The staff is getting trained and ready.” 

“But really,” he continued, “we had such good momentum in our pre-pandemic expansion. We had intended to keep that up, but February 2020 put everything on pause. Within the ebbs and flows of the pandemic, we picked up the plan to open the spaces.”

The first new location will open on Newbury Street, followed by the second on Beacon Hill.

“Back when I was in college, the Newbury location used to be Steve’s Greek, so I feel this is serendipitous or whatever you want to call it,” Papachristos said. “We saw the space and thought, that’s for us. Newbury is great for outdoor dining and it’s one of the most beautiful streets to walk down.” 

Saloniki Newbury will have a take-out window, “great for getting some fro-yo or a quick bite. That part of Newbury is more laidback, with lots of students. It’s perfect for us,” he said.

The second new spot, at the corner of Beacon and Tremont streets, is near Papachristos’ alma mater, Suffolk University, and his current neighborhood.

“I live in Downtown Crossing,” said Papachristos. “It’s an area I see coming back now with office workers and students returning.”

In 2016, restaurateurs Papachristos and Jonathan Mendez, and chef Jody Adams opened the first Saloniki in Fenway. Adams and Papachristos also helm Trade in the Seaport and Porto in Back Bay. Papachristos heads his own solo project, The Venetian, in Weymouth. 

Both new locations, about 1,500 square feet each, have 30 seats apiece. The decor will be clean, bright with pops of turquoise and lots of plant greenery, similar to the latest Saloniki in Harvard Square, which opened in 2018, said Papachristos.

“Harvard Square is warmer with softer seating. We find that location has people sitting there longer and that’s great. We want to encourage that,” he added. 

But the new restaurants will not follow Harvard Square in having a full bar serving wine, beer, and spirits — in fact, they won’t serve any alcohol at all.

“It’s tough to have a bar in a fast-casual restaurant — we have a little bar at Fenway and at MIT. Harvard got the big bar. But no alcohol at the new ones. It just doesn’t work,” he said.

Food-wise, menus will be consistent throughout the locations — mostly meat-based plates and stuffed pitas, with zucchini-feta fritters and Impossible burgers adding vegetarian options, including Impossible moussaka.

“We want to have a good cross-section of spaces throughout the city,” said Papachristos. “We aim to be dynamic with a bit of something for everyone.”

Saloniki will be open daily, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., at 1 Beacon St. and 316 Newbury St., Boston.