Greek Food Restaurants in Arizona that will make you say, “Opa!”

This is by far my favorite Greek food restaurant in Arizona, and I intend to fully tell you why. First of all—the place is owned and operated by a local Greek family, and you can frequently hear them chatting to each other in Greek as they run their daily business affairs; it does not get more genuine than this. They have several locations strewn conveniently throughout the valley—which makes dining here easy no matter where you are coming from in AZ. Their restaurants are laid out perfectly.

A large, pillared doorway greets hungry visitors and once inside you will find a little taste of Greece everywhere. From the ancient replicas of famous sculptures to the blue and gold tablecloths on the tables—all the way down to the marble covered bar top—this place screams Greek very loudly. All of this aside, the service is simply put, impeccable! They pride themselves on five-star customer service and it certainly shows from how you are greeted fondly and warmly upon entering—to how fast you are seated. If it is somebody’s birthday you can order the birthday song—which they sing in Greek—as a parade of servers and the managers gather around the table to sing happy birthday.

The food is amazing. They offer the traditional Greek fare as well as some American food for those who are not in the mood. I recommend getting the Big Fat Greek Platter—this has a little bit of everything Greek and will run you about $60. However, it is meant to serve four people, which is a great deal! Also, do not forget to order the flaming cheese—it will blow your freaking mind! Rating based upon personal experience: * five stars. This place has it all, from the service, to the food, to the prices—you name it and they have got it down pat!

Located in central Phoenix, this restaurant is semi-hidden but is very authentic. Owned and operated by a local family that hails from Greece, they do offer some very original recipes. I dined here a few weeks ago and was impressed on their vast wine selection and their many great import Greek beers. The falafel was impressive as well, but they did fry it too long for my tastes. The pita was soft and warm, but you could taste preservatives in it, which tells me that they do not make it themselves.

The place is very small and dark inside, and quiet too—which makes for an ideal dating or romantic atmosphere. The interior reminds one of the many pictures of Greece that I have seen—you know those small Greek restaurants that feel really homely? This place is just like that. When here you will feel as if you just took a vacation to Greece and are at a local restaurant getting a bite to eat; which is the whole point I suppose.

I do have a rant about their lamb—it was over salted and far too dry for my tastes, even with a glass of red wine to wash it down. Two can eat here for about $50 with tip which is decent I guess. Rating based upon personal experience: * three stars for high prices, lack of fresh bread and overcooked, dry meats, which lead me to say this is place is okay—at best.

Other Great Places to eat:

When you decide to dine at Zorba’s, you have decided to experience some great Greek food. This place is one of the most popular Greek restaurants in Tempe, so make sure that you have a reservation, or be prepared to wait for a while. I made that mistake last time I came here and ended up waiting about an hour to get in. Once inside you will be greeted by very friendly servers and hosts/hostesses—who will make sure that you are seated as quickly as possible.

Their service is pretty good, but the place gets so packed that sometimes it just takes a while because there are far too many people there. They have excellent food, great falafel, great humus and great Sharma—but they need some work on their rice pilaf and their pita—which was too dry last time I was there. Also, they need to make sure to vacuum the place more often, I could see pieces of food and crumbs scattered all over the floor. That banter aside, this place is a damn good restaurant.

They offer a wide selection of Greek import beers and wines, and their menu features a whole slew of authentic dishes. I recommend the lamb and falafel and pita to start—make sure that you try their salad as well, it is enticing. Steer clear of their soups, they need some serious work. The prices are a little steep due to the popularity of this place. But if you are mindful of drinks two can easily dine here for about $60, which is not too bad.

If you are looking for a romantic meal, this is not place—way too loud to hear anything. But, if you are hungry for great Greek food in Tempe, look no further. Rating based upon personal experience: **** four stars for great food, great prices, great service, bad soup and needs to be cleaned more often.

This place is one of the better known Greek food establishments in Arizona and with more than eight locations, it is no surprise. You will find a different taste of Greece when you dine here. The locations are well-kept and offer friendly service and the standard seating—there is nothing Greek fancy about the interior of this place—but the food will make your mouth water.

They boast some of the best falafel and the best humus in the state—contrived from a 100-year-old secret family recipe. Their humus is so famous here that they actually now sell pints of it to anxious customers. They also bake their pita fresh everyday which makes it taste oh so much better; and yes you can buy bagged, fresh pita here. Be prepared to wait for a table at this restaurant as the popularity overwhelms it; especially on the weekends.

You will find mostly a 20’s something crowd in here, as Pita Jungle is a big college town attraction. The one thing that you will be sure to notice is how great their prices are. Typically two people can dine here for about $25 with tip—depending on how many drinks that you order. I do not recommend this place for a quiet romantic dinner.

However if you are just strolling through town and want to enjoy some great Mediterranean food, Pita Jungle will easily fit the bill; and not cause you to go broke in the process. Rating based upon personal experience: **** four stars for cleanliness, great prices and food, but their interior and exterior could use some fixing up. Other than that this place is a surefire winner.

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