Ovelia, a Hellenic restaurant in Astoria, NY, offers a taste of modern Greek lifestyle and philosophy via its food, cocktails, sounds and environment.

Noveau Greek Cuisine- From Athens to Astoria. At Ovelia, Chef Peter Giannakas  just loves  entertaining the palates of Astoria residents and foodies from all over the city with his  delicious  take on traditional Greek food  as well as his  out of the box innovations.

     When she first gets a look at Chef Peter's not so typical dishes, your Yia Yia might just wear a thoughtful frown on her stern face, not quite sure just what she is getting into. But, once she tastes Chef's Kreatopita or Strapatsada omelet, Yia Yia will have a big smile on her face. 

Ovelia offers bored foodies a menu that is chock full of magic. Most chefs like to boast that, when you eat at their restaurant, you are enjoying signature dishes that you can't get anywhere else. Now, that's a matter of opinion, more often than not. But not here at Ovelia. Chef Peter does an outstanding version of both pasticio and mousaka. There's just the right amount of béchamel in  both of the  dishes. Chef does his own thing with the seasoning and ingredients. The Peter Giannakas touch pervades everything that is served at Ovelia. This is food with a lot of personality.

One of their most popular appetizers are the fried feta cubes. Especially during happy Hour. The kitchen has to go into over drive to keep up with the demand. These small chunks of feta are crusted with sesame and then drizzled with imported Greek honey. On a perfectly whimsical note, Chef Peter also offers the Greek version of a corn dog. However, instead of the usual frankfurter, you are treated to corn battered loukaniko sausage, made in-house from an old family recipe.

On most menus, burgers and sandwiches can be a bit of an afterthought. At Ovelia, they excel when it comes to elevating the art of preparing and presenting a sandwich. Take the grilled cheese waffle, a very popular brunch item. Sandwiched between gluten free waffles is a feast consisting of white cheddar, manouri, mozzarella, and kefalograviera cheese, along with dill, scallions and sautéed kale. The Saganaki burger consists of a veal patty, cucumber ribbons, fried Kefaloograviera cheese and an addicting yogurt-tahini spread on Turkish pide bread.

In the mood for something sweet? Then indulge in Chef's whole wheat Tiganites. These are Greek-style pancakes, complete with all of the bells and whistles like cinnamon, sugar, walnuts and, of course, Greek honey. Once you taste this stack, it's really hard to go back to the usual All-American pancakes.

They have a nice little, perhaps under rated, coffee bar at Ovelia. Yes, you can get your Greek coffee, cappuccino, Frappe and macchiato here. But why not try Ovelia's signature Frap-beer? This drink is a luscious blend of founder's porter with Nescafe Frappe and vanilla syrup. They redecorated awhile back and Ovelia looks better than ever. During the warmer, nice weather, enjoy your meal outside, at their sidewalk café. Just close your eyes, feel the warm breeze and imagine that you are in Greece!

Ovelia offers a taste of modern Greek lifestyle and philosophy via its food, cocktails, sounds and environment. Peter Giannakas, scientist turned chef stays true to the core roots of Greek cuisine twisting fresh flavors into new classics.

The traditional fare executed by Ioannis and Evangelia Giannakas brings 55 years of experience to the kitchen's flames. Designed by Chris Giannakas, Ovelia's decor marries organic elements with modern innovations suggesting a dining experience that is refreshingly familiar.