Greektown Restaurant Week serves up special deals, old traditions

CHICAGO - Greektown Restaurant Week starts Saturday and runs through March 7, offering a variety of different deals on food and beverages.

The strip along South Halsted Street has the largest concentration of Greek Restaurants  in the city, many of them family-owned, for as long as 50 years.

Yianni Theoharis, owner of Meli Cafe and 9 Muses Bar and Grill says people are drawn here by the Old World traditions and delicious recipes.

 At Meli Cafe, the loukoumades, which are essentially Greek donuts served with honey and crushed walnuts, come with your meal on restaurant week if you say the magic words, Greektown Restaurant Week. 

Other offers range from free saganaki and baklava with purchase, to lamb chop entrée specials and discounted Greek wine and beer.

Dalila Youkhana, owner of Athena Restaurant, which is offering the free saganaki, said the famous flaming cheese was created right here in Chicago.

"It was actually invented at The Parthenon Restaurant down the street. It's no longer with us, but they did create the whole flaming and opa signature for Greektown," Youkhana said. "It's the best way to start any Greek meal in my opinion and it is a staple here... pair it with a delicious Greek wine and you can't wrong."

"Most of us are family-owned restaurants, which is really nice," said Youkhana. "We've passed down these traditional recipes for generations. You can just come down here and feel that hospitality and that warmth from all of us."

Featured restaurants include 9 Muses Bar & Grill, Athena Restaurant, Greek Islands Restaurant, Mr. Greek Gyros, Meli Cafe, Rye Deli & Drink, Spectrum Bar & Grill and Zeus Restaurant.

For more details, visit GreektownChicago.org.