Spartan's Grill brings taste of Greece to Valley Stream

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There’s a new restaurant in town bringing the traditional fare of Greece to Valley Stream. Spartan’s Grill, located at 123 Rockaway Avenue, marked its grand opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Saturday, May 29.

The restaurant, which is named for co-owner Dino Vasilogiorgis’ ancestral home in Greece, features a menu that includes an array of Greek dishes such as moussaka, falafel, pita yeero, pastitsio, souvlaki, and spanakopita. The dine-in, take-out eatery also offers delivery options and catering. Having quietly opened the doors of Spartan’s Grill two weeks before making the official announcement, the restaurant’s owners remarked that the menu has been receiving favorable reactions from the community.

“We’ve had overwhelming support and appreciation from the community on the food,” co-owner John Miller said, adding that he is looking forward to serving the residents of Valley Stream.

“We’ve been getting great feedback from everybody. Everybody’s been happy with the food we’re putting out,” Vasilogiorgis said of the menu, emphasizing that the dishes are authentic. “Everything is fresh every day.”   

Vasilogiorgis said that his family has owned restaurants in Greece and he is eager to share the culinary traditions of his heritage with Valley Stream. He and Miller had contemplated opening a restaurant for quite some time, he said. Although Covid-19 stalled the construction process, they were able to overcome the pandemic-related challenges and open the doors of Spartan’s Grill two years after plans were first underway.    

“It’s great any time a new business opens on Rockaway,” the village’s Director of Community and Economic Development, Tom McAleer said, noting the new variety of food Spartan’s Grill brings to the avenue. 

Vasilogiorgis and Miller said they hope that Spartan’s Grill provides the Village of Valley Stream with more than food — they also want their establishment to foster “a sense of community.” Miller said that the restaurant plans to be active in the village by working with Valley Stream schools and supporting local teams in any way they can.

“We want to embed ourselves in the community,” Miller stated, adding that he’d like to see the restaurant participate in school fundraisers and provide donations. “We can all work together as a community.”