A fire put Yianni’s Taverna out of commission for several years, and the pandemic definitely delayed the restaurant’s return to full operation, but Yianni’s is back, as of January.
You might not recognize the interior of the restaurant—but the exterior is still that telltale stark white. And the tradition that has defined this restaurant for more than 40 years is definitely still intact.
Yianni’s is no stranger to reinvention and renaming. The restaurant began in 1975 as Gus’s Crossroads, named for Gus and Eleni Zannakis, who started the restaurant when daughter Maria and son John were young. The restaurant was renamed Yianni’s around 2008, right around when Gus was ready to retire. “We stepped in and gave it a much-needed facelift and brought the restaurant back to a true Greek taverna. We needed a new name, so named it after Gus’s father, Yianni,” says Melissa Zannakis, who married into the family many years ago.
“In Greek tradition, the first son’s name carries forward through the generations so we followed the same thought with renaming Gus’s to Yianni’s,” she says. “John and I have a son named after John’s dad, as does Maria. Gus is a nickname for Constantine. I know it sounds confusing.”
Long gone are the dark hardwood floors and the crisp white and Aegean blue that you see so often in Greek restaurants. The transformation, which was delayed, understandably, due to COVID-19, conveys a more Mediterranean feel that’s less exclusively Greek.
“Yes, we are Greek, but people don’t know a lot about Greek food. They might know feta cheese or fresh seafood but it’s more than that,” says Zannakis, who runs the restaurant along with her sister-in-law Maria Manakos. “It’s about fresh, simple ingredients that are well prepared.” And yes, seafood is part of that—Greece is surrounded by water on three sides.
To that end, the place is full of muted ocean colors, blues and greens, and the whole place imparts a very open and bright feel. Family tradition is present in the décor, too; black-and-white family photos line part of one wall. When you walk in, right on the left-hand side (and visible from the bar) you’ll find the “wall of proverbs,” too, as a unique feature.
“It’s the kind of stuff you grew up hearing your parents or grandparents say, and some of it gets lost in translation,” she says. One of the favorites? “Tell me who your friends are, and I’ll tell you who you are.”
“My kids grew up hearing that one all the time,” says Zannakis, laughing.
Executive Chef Salah Ben Attou
Never fear, though. The dishes you may have come to know and love remain, and the menu still lists everything by its Greek name (you can figure out what you’re ordering pretty easily). Those favorites that people have loved, such as the octopus, are prepared simply with Greek oregano, lentils, red wine vinegar and of course extra virgin olive oil. Saganaki—cheese flambé, lit tableside—hasn’t gone anywhere, either. It’s kasseri cheese, which is made from sheep’s milk, typically with a little bit of goat’s milk, too. Other classics such as spanakopita (spinach pie) are available. People also love the Shrimp Zorba, with tomatoes, garlic, feta and pita. And it wouldn’t be a Greek restaurant without the well-known avgolemono, or egg-lemon drop chicken soup.
Many of these items are available to go (along with the cocktails, too!), because of the pandemic. There’s also family packages and half trays of comforting basics such as moussaka, roasted chicken, Greek salad, salmon, whole roasted branzino, pastitsio (kind of like Greek lasagna) and souvlaki handhelds. “That one is fun. You make your own souvlaki—we provide all the accompaniments,” says Zannakis.
But if you want to come in and check the place out yourself, the bar is positioned toward the front of the restaurant now, and there’s a great menu full of happy hour small plates they’re calling flights. None of these dishes are available for takeout; they are small and they all come out at the same time.
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Greek potato tart with spicy aioli and micro cilantro.
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Happy hour flight featuring bouyiourdi, kasseri, octopus and crispy Brussels sprouts.
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You can choose three for $25 or three for $30 (the menus are slightly different at those two price points) among more than a dozen or so. Ideally, the best idea is to go with a couple of friends (or even one other person, depending on your comfort level these days), order a whole mess of things, pass the plates around, take what you want and put it on your separate plate, and share.
Keftedes (Greek meatballs) are super moist and flavorful, along with what they are calling tomato pie, but it’s really like nothing any resident of Pennsylvania (or anyone of Italian descent) would understand as tomato pie. It’s called bouyiourdi, but it’s tomatoes, caramelized onions and goat cheese, all baked and warm. Don’t miss the crispy Brussels sprouts, either, which are served with what executive chef Salah Ben Attou calls “the Greek version of Parm, a cheese called Kefalograviera,” and a garlic aioli. Don’t forget the skirt steak with Greek chimichurri and mashed potatoes, the bacon-wrapped dates… you’re starting to see why these flights may be the best part of the menu, right?
(For something a little sweet, the kasseri—that’s the awesome cheese that you can fry—is sliced with Asian pear and lavender-infused honey and provides a light, floral counterpoint to the heavier, more savory small plates.)
Along with the reopening is a renewed desire to bring many of the beverages of the Greek Islands to the Lehigh Valley dining public. Nikos Zissis, bar manager, has lived in Greece for many years, and is dedicated to educating people about spirits and flavors they may not be familiar with. For example, people may have heard of ouzo, an anise-based liqueur not unlike, say, Italy’s grappa, but there’s more to Greek spirits than just that. The cocktail list includes a very popular drink called Lefko, which is basically a white Negroni. It’s so crystal clear, it looks like water, but doesn’t drink like it! There’s also the Paloma, made extra special with the imported Greek grapefruit soda from a company started by friends of Zissis’s back in Greece, called Three Cents. Many of the rest of the cocktails feature Greek spirits you may not be as familiar with, such as mastiha. The best way to describe it is that it is like Greek cuisine in spirit form—there’s herbal notes, there’s earthy notes, there’s a tinge of anise. “He is a true treasure of info and a perfectionist in his art. I am totally spoiled by his fabulous cocktails,” says Zannakis.
Gus is still alive and well, but the family lost Eleni over the summer, so she wasn’t able to witness the renovation’s completion.
“My sweet mother-in-law would have a shine in her eyes with the joy and pride to see their family restaurant full of life once again. She loved people, remembered everyone by name. She was a very one-of-a-kind lady,” says Zannakis.
“She loved being with family and friends and creating an inviting space for all to gather. Melissa put it beautifully,” says Manakos.
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Pan-seared eight-ounce salmon fillet, barley glaze, pickled beech mushrooms, tomato chutney and chilled spinach.
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Yianni's Taverna
3760 Old Philadelphia Pike, Bethlehem | 610.410.9300 | yiannistaverna.com
*Please check their website and/or social media for current operating hours and procedures.
Hours
Tues.–Thurs.: 4–9 p.m. | Fri. & Sat.: 4–10 p.m. | Sun.: 11 a.m.–8 p.m. (Sunday brunch is on its way as of this writing; stay tuned.)
Parking
Lot onsite
Reservations
Recommended especially during the pandemic as indoor seating is restricted.
What to Order
If you’re into tradition, Yianni’s does well with the classics, such as whole fish, spanakopita and the famous egg drop soup, among others. They’re very well known for their octopus, too. But if you want a wider taste experience, go sit outside on the patio and order some flights. It’s impossible to be bored with the choices and you’ll really get a lovely sense of the range of Greek food. If you save room for dessert, there’s a Greek-style apple tart; imagine the flavors of apple pie put in a crispy and flaky phyllo cup, with vanilla ice cream.
