If you’re looking for a Mediterranean escape minus the price tag for an international getaway, then try the next best thing by taking a step inside Meli Estiatorio and get whisked away to Greece, if only for a meal.
The Greek restaurant, located at 98-31 Metropolitan Ave. in Forest Hills, feels like stepping from the city streets to a relaxing vacation once guests walk into the expansive space with white brick walls and vibrant pink flowers that cascade from the ceiling throughout the restaurant. The space focuses on a range of Greek dishes made with imported ingredients and pasta dishes, two favorite cuisines of the restaurant’s owner, Dimitrios Tsoumas, who goes by Jimmy.
“It’s Mediterranean, Greek, a lot of seafood, but we’ve infused it with pastas and dishes that you don’t normally see in a Greek seafood restaurant,” said Tsoumas. “It’s always been a passion, and these are two of my favorite cuisines, so this was the concept I had in mind.”
The venue, which opened at the beginning of the year, took over the space where Alberto’s, an Italian restaurant, had been for over 40 years before closing permanently after the owners retired. The space, once known for authentic Northern Italian cuisine, still offers handmade pasta dishes, thanks to the pasta machine that had been left behind by the former owners, including dishes like corn and tomato gnocchi, with basil and parmesan cheese and linguini and clams, to name just a few.
Tsoumas worked with his chef and his team to bring an upscale and elegant experience with an expansive bar area with cozy chairs and tables with white wicker chairs for a perfect meet-up space for a range of occasions, from date night to an evening out with friends, or a special occasion.
Tsoumas, a Queens resident, has been a partner in restaurants before, along with other business ventures in the film industry, but Meli was the first time he ventured out on his own in the restaurant realm to share his vision with the community. The space, which is filled with soft lighting along with a skylight in the center of the space, has a tranquil vibe during the day, followed by a more intimate mood during the evenings. In the Fall, the space plans to have weekend brunch along with a live DJ during weekend evenings, to bring a fun and lively atmosphere to the restaurant.
“We have happy hour every day and weekly specials,” said Tsoumas. “Around mid-October, we want to re-tune the menu, and every season we change the menu a little bit, so there’s always an updated menu so people have something new to try.”
To start, guests can share appetizers like piklia, which is an assortment of traditional spreads with warm pita bread. Another must-try starter is their Meli chips, made with thinly sliced zucchini and eggplant chips with tzatziki sauce, or the calamari, which comes fried or grilled. The venue also has an array of salads, from traditional Greek with farm fresh vegetables, or try the Taverna, a delicious salad made with chickpeas, yellow pepper, kalamata olives, tomatoes, cucumber, pita chips and halloumi.
Next, visitors can peruse their selection of entrees, including the filet mignon, NY strip steak. and lamb chops, as well as a range of whole grilled fish. The lavraki or “branzini,” as well as the tsipoura, are imported from Greece, along with other seafood dishes, like the black sea bass, imported from the Carolinas. When it comes to pasta dishes, they have a selection with dishes like pasta alla chitarra, lobster pasta, tagliatelle and more.
“The fish is from the Mediterranean; we get it imported here, as well as a lot of the things we use, like the cheese, which is all imported,” said Tsoumas.
Their happy hour, which is from 4 to 7 p.m. on weekdays, offers the perfect opportunity to try some of their signature cocktails, from the Melitini, made with Stoli Elit, lychee St. Germain, and lime and garnished with flower petals, to the Meli does it better, made with Woodford bourbon, aperol, St. Germain, pineapple and honey. For those looking to take the non-alcoholic route, they also offer mocktails, like lychee lemonade and the Hibiscus Tonic, to name a few.
“I think what sets us apart from other Greek restaurants is that we have a lot more pasta dishes,” said Tsoumas. “Our chef, Anthony, has a lot of expertise and experience, and he helped put this all together.”
Meli Estiatorio is open Tuesday-Friday, from 1- 10 p.m., Saturday, from noon-11 p.m., and Sunday, from noon to 10 p.m. To learn more, follow them at @meliestiatorio
