Niko Niko's Explained

Niko Niko's
Established:1977
Current-Owner:Dimitri Fetokakis
Food-Type:Greek cuisine
Street-Address:2520 Montrose
City:Houston
State:Texas
Postcode:77006
Country:United States
Coordinates:29.7465°N -95.3922°W
Other-Locations:Market Square Park
Website:www.nikonikos.com

Niko Niko's Greek & American Café (more commonly known as Niko Niko's) is a restaurant located in Montrose District, Houston, Texas known for serving Greek cuisine. Chrisanthios Fetokakis opened the restaurant in 1977, and ownership was eventually passed on to his son, Dimitri Fetokakis.

History

According to Niko Niko's official site, Chrisanthios Fetokakis opened a walk-up window restaurant on May 1, 1977, earning $15 the first day it operated.[1] After an initial struggle to open, Fetokakis received assistance from Pete Pappas of the Pappas Restaurants franchise.[1] Eventually, Fetokakis' son Dimitri became owner of the restaurant. Dimitri considered Pappas a lifelong mentor, and was saddened by his death in 2005.[2]

In 2005, owner Dimitri Fetokakis began landscaping the median across from the restaurant as part of a commitment to Montrose Boulevard Conservancy's "beautification" project.[3] Before the Houston recycling program known as RecycleBank went into effect in 2009, Niko Niko's used polystyrene plates, bowls, and cups to serve food and drinks. Since the program's implementation, Fetokakis made the decision to switch to environmentally friendlier (though also more expensive) "enviroware" plates and degradable plastic bags.[4] Houston residents participating in the incentive program can earn points for recycling and redeem them at the restaurant.[5]

After more than 30 years of doing business from its location in Neartown, Niko Niko's expanded in 2010 by adding a kiosk in Market Square Park in Downtown Houston.[6] The 375square feet "sidewalk cafe-style operation" focuses on "to-go" foods such as gyro sandwiches, shish kababs and hummus.[6] [7]

Niko Niko's has sponsored World Gyro Eating Championships at the annual Festival of Greece.[8] In 2009, the restaurant hosted a viewing party after being featured on the Food Network's television program Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.[9] The restaurant appeared on the show again 11 years later in 2020.

In May 2014 the restaurant announced it was opening a new restaurant in an H-E-B at Farm to Market Road 518 at Texas State Highway 288 in Pearland, Texas.[10]

Reception

Houston Press has awarded Niko Niko's with the following recognitions: Best Pork Chops (2001),[11] Best Chicken Soup for the Soul (2003),[12] Best Pork Chop (2005),[13] and Best Family-Owned Restaurant (2008).[14] In a 2010 review, Amber Ambrose of the Houston Press criticized the restaurant's Athenian Mushroom Burger, but conceded that "no rain nor sleet nor snow and now no dry burger could ever keep Niko Niko's off the Houston favorites list".[15]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: History. Niko Niko's. July 9, 2010. 1–5. https://web.archive.org/web/20100730095923/http://www.nikonikos.com/en-us/193/History.aspx. July 30, 2010. dead. mdy-all.
  2. Web site: Co-founder of Pappas Restaurants dies. December 21, 2005. July 9, 2010. Nicki. Britton. Houston Chronicle. Hearst Corporation. January 9, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100109005428/http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/3538951.html. live.
  3. Web site: Plans being made for Montrose Blvd.'s revitalization. Jennifer. Friedberg. Houston Chronicle. Hearst Corporation. September 18, 2007. July 9, 2010. November 28, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211128041327/https://www.chron.com/neighborhood/heights-news/article/Plans-being-made-for-Montrose-Blvd-s-1638532.php. live.
  4. Web site: Niko the Greek bets on recycling. November 14, 2009. July 9, 2010. Rick. Casey. Houston Chronicle. Hearst Corporation. January 30, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100130084406/http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/casey/6721119.html. live.
  5. Web site: City to Reward Recyclers with Prizes. October 20, 2009. July 9, 2010. KRIV. Doug. DeLony.
  6. Web site: Niko Niko's spins gyros downtown. https://archive.today/20130118021938/http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/othercities/houston/stories/2010/04/26/tidbits1.html?b=1272254400%5E3235291&s=industry&i=sports_business. dead. January 18, 2013. April 23, 2010. July 9, 2010. Orlando Business Journal. American City Business Journals.
  7. Web site: Montrose icon Niko Niko's to expand to downtown's Market Square. Greg. Morago. April 12, 2010. July 9, 2010. Houston Chronicle. Hearst Corporation. April 15, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100415051235/http://blogs.chron.com/forkandcork/2010/04/montrose_icon_niko_nikos_to_ex_1.html. live.
  8. Web site: This guy's humble, but boy, can he eat. Ken. Hoffman. May 20, 2009. July 9, 2010. Houston Chronicle. Hearst Corporation. May 22, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20090522144508/http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/life/main/6433967.html. live.
  9. Web site: Opa! It's the Niko Niko's Viewing Party. September 30, 2009. July 9, 2010. Katharine. Shilcutt. Houston Press. Village Voice Media. October 10, 2009. https://web.archive.org/web/20091010012521/http://blogs.houstonpress.com/eating/2009/09/opa_its_the_niko_nikos_watch_p.php. live.
  10. Dunn, Molly. "Openings & Closings: Niko Niko's Heads to Pearland While Dunkin' Donuts Continues Its Houston Takeover" . Houston Press. Friday May 16, 2014. Retrieved on May 18, 2014.
  11. Web site: Best Pork Chops – 2001. Houston Press. Village Voice Media. 2001. July 9, 2010. January 23, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100123170114/http://www.houstonpress.com/bestof/2001/award/best-pork-chops-30704. live.
  12. Web site: Best Chicken Soup for the Soul – 2003. Houston Press. Village Voice Media. 2003. July 9, 2010. January 29, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100129025818/http://www.houstonpress.com/bestof/2003/award/best-chicken-soup-for-the-soul-31367/. live.
  13. Web site: Best Pork Chop – 2005. Houston Press. Village Voice Media. 2005. July 9, 2010. January 29, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100129113447/http://www.houstonpress.com/bestof/2005/award/best-pork-chop-42043/. live.
  14. Web site: Best Family-Owned Restaurant – 2008. Houston Press. Village Voice Media. 2008. July 9, 2010. September 11, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100911090356/http://www.houstonpress.com/bestof/2008/award/best-family-owned-restaurant-926213/. live.
  15. Web site: What Not to Order at Niko Niko's: Athenian Mushroom Burger. Amber. Ambrose. Houston Press. Village Voice Media. April 9, 2010. July 9, 2010. April 13, 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100413020725/http://blogs.houstonpress.com/eating/2010/04/what_not_to_order_at_niko_niko.php. live.

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