f097/1239073638-plakalogo.jpgI can think of exactly two Greek restaurants in Ballard—Taki’s Mad Greek (which is absolutely delicious) and Georgia’s Greek Restaurant (which is supposedly delicious). And as delicious as they are (or supposedly are, in GG’s case) both restaurants are all the way up on 85th, which is far, far away from Downtown Ballard if you’re traveling by foot.

When dining out in Downtown Ballard you have your choice of just about anything. Great pizza, Mexian, Puerto Rican, Vietnamese, even messy, tasty East Coast-style sandwiches. But there’s nowhere to get some frickin’ Falafel and tsatziki. Until now! Plaka Estiatorio is opening this week at 20th Ave NW and Market.

They don’t have a menu posted on their website yet, but according to the board in the window, they’re opening this Wednesday, March April 8th, and will be serving lunch from 11 am-3 pm and dinner from 5-10 pm. And they promise to bring “authentic Greek food to Ballard.”

Finally!

Megan Seling is The Stranger's managing editor. She also writes about snacks and music at snackanddestroy.com. 

25 replies on “Greek Food (Finally) Comes to Downtown Ballard”

  1. I gotta chime in here. First, Georgia’s food sucks. They have good music on occasion, but the food is truly awful. Don’t know how they stay in business. However, Yanni’s Greek Restaurant, on Greenwood Ave. around NW 72nd st., is extraordinary. A little ways up the hill, but well worth it. Carry on.

  3. @1 I’ve never been to Georgia’s–they just have some good reviews in our reader reviews so someone must like ’em. I will have to try Yanni’s, though, thanks for the tip! I don’t mind making that walk up the hill–especially in this weather. Makes pigging out on dinner feel less… shameful.

  4. @2 That’s what I was wondering too! I think Greek falls broadly into Mediterranean and falafel falls into Med. So maybe you could say is by inheritance.

  6. I’ll have to concur with Gurldoggie @1 … Georgia’s sometimes has good weekend music and bellydancing, but the food is not good. At all.

    Luckily, Greenwood is chock full of good Mediterranean food options …

    There’s Olive You on Greenwood just north of 85th. If you can get past the stupid name, the food and atmosphere are fantastic. Or, if you’re on a budget, go diagonally across the intersection to Mr. Gyros. Finally, just a couple of doors down from Mr. Gyros is Kouzina, which I’ve never been to, but has great reviews.

  7. I LOVE, and I mean walk on glass for 400 yards to get there LOVE, Georgia’s. Really good food, unpretentious restaurant. I, well, love it.

  8. Also in Greenwood is Gorgeous George’s, which was quite excellent the time I went. Also, I like the font of their window sign (someone tell me what that is!).

    I’m stoked about Plaka. Hurray!

  9. the answer is that falafel is not “greek food”, i was just being seattle passive aggressive by asking a rhetorical question rather than just stating the plainly obvious. FALAFEL IS NOT EVEN CLOSE TO “GREEK FOOD”

  10. @9 I’m the worst person ever. Mediterranean. Greek. Falafel. Delicious fried balls of ground up chickpeas. There’s nowhere to get any of that in downtown Ballard and the point is there will be starting tomorrow.

    Also: Taki’s has great falafel. And they’re a Greek restaurant. So it seems a bit overzealous to say falafel is “NOT EVEN CLOSE TO “GREEK FOOD” when many Greek restaurants serve it.

  11. @10,

    I agree. Falafel isn’t really traditional greek food, but lots of gyro shops serve falafel, and lots of falafel stands sell gyros. It has been around in the mediterranean and mideast since Jesus knows when. I think the real argument about falafel is if it is arab or jewish food.

  12. Agreeing with Mahtli69 @6. Even if you don’t like Georgia’s, Greenwood really is the Mecca for Mediterranean food. I’ll put Mr. Gyros up against any other “cheap eats” place in all of Seattle. And I love Olive You and the quirky, classy, little Kouzina too.

    But for God’s sake, Megan Seling, for you to say that Georgia’s is in Ballard–you sound like some reporter who flew in from the East Coast and never bothered to double-check with the locals as to what’s where. And it would be embarrassing enough even if that were the case…

  14. Another pro-Georgia. I’ve been eating there since the (current) dining room was an auto repair shop and there were only 2 (1?) tables.

    I’ve been a vegetarian all that time but the food I’ve had there, I’ve liked a lot.

    Interesting the opinions are so polar.

  19. To dacoach and Megan Seling @ 9 and 10:

    Falafel is not “traditional” Greek food, no. But I’m pretty sure it’s been around in Greece AT LEAST since the 1922 (might want to check me on that date) population swap between Greece and Turkey, which made all Greeks living in Turkey move to Greece and all Turks living in Greece move to Turkey. The population swap was based on religion (Greek Orthodoxy or Islam), though, *not* language or culture, which means that a lot of Turkish words and a lot of Turkish foods made the transition over to Greece as well.

    Or, given that Greece was under Turkish rule for something like four hundred years, maybe Greeks started eating falafel during that period. Whatever. Falafel is as Greek as pizza is American.

    By the way, I don’t even like falafel — but I am PSYCHED about Plaka Estiatorio.

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  24. First, to all the Georgia lovers (and I used to be one,) you might need to rethink your position. The consistency of the quality of the food coming out of that restaurant is ALL over the road. They may have up days, but anymore it seems to be average or mediocre and I havve been there 4 times in the last 6 months. Never tried My Gyros until recently, those guys ROCK! Truly a great value and excellent food. If you want real Greek food (with not a gyro in sight) try Panos Kleftiko on lower Queen Anne. Pricey but worth it. To those who love Yanni’s, you seeem to forget one thing, while the food is great, the service is truly awful and enough thast I won’t be back. And last but not least, when in doubt, my favorite go-to place is always Nikos in Magnolia.

  25. Hi, my name is Professor Nikos Pappadimos, Yes I am Greek, and I was born in Greece. I now reside in Illinois where it is one of the few places where they sell authentic Greek food in the restaurants. And the winning
    answer to the truth goes to #9. Fallafel and Hummus “are not at all Greek” and do not exist in Greece. If you
    notice, the states that don’t have large Greek communities are the ones who put Greek on the sign but mix
    different cuisines. The closet cuisines to Greek are as follows: Italy being #1, then: Romanian, Serbian. Roman
    cuisine derived from Greek cuisine. And just so you know the Turks originated from China, and Chinese food isn’t anything like Greek food. Remember the Ottomans obsorbed dishes from where ever they conquered. Yes
    Middle Eastern food has Greek influence, but it is completely different. Just like Vietnamese has French influence
    in it, but is not at all the same as French. Please before making comments, do some research from reliable sources, or just go to Greece and see for yourself. Greeks make Pastitsio and Italians make Lasanga. And both
    Greeks and Italians make Carbonara. Also the Macoroni with Mizithra and butters is Greek in origin, although
    many think it is Italian. Again please do your research first before making assumptions.

    Thank You, Professor Pappadimos

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