The award-winning, independent Greek street food group, The Athenian has announced plans for international expansion by the end of 2021 and throughout 2022.
The move will see The Athenian rolling out two new sites in Madrid, followed by four sites in Dubai and Abu Dhabi by the end of 2021. Next year will see a further four sites open in the UAE, and one more in Barcelona.
There are also plans afoot on the brand’s home turf too; a planned UK expansion will lead to the group doubling in size within the next year. They will operate from 18 units by December 2021, then expand to a total of 26 UK sites, including a series of brand-new bricks and mortar restaurants by the end of 2022.
Born in 2014 as a street-food stall, Tim Vasilakis launched The Athenian to fill a gap in the market and change how people think about (and eat) Greek cuisine. No-one was making authentic gyros and souvlaki, and most establishments were leaning on well-trodden, outdated tourist stereotypes.
The Athenian places huge impetus on responsibly sourced, fresh ingredients which are handmade into gyros and souvlaki with the authentic spirit of modern Athens in every bite.
The menu at the new locations will remain the same and the UAE sites will be completely halal, but still using core Greek ingredients from trusted suppliers. Dishes will include their signature souvlaki and gyros made with chicken, ground lamb and beef, or halloumi and are served in either a handmade pita or in a box, with a host of homemade dips such as tzatziki, tyrokafteri, special Athenian sauce and a new gyros sauce.
Alongside the regular menu, there will also be the full plant-based menu, which Vasilakis and the team have been refining diligently over the past year. The Athenian’s brand-new vegan gyros (made to an updated recipe) will be on offer, alongside plant-based halloumi and sides of oregano fries, tomato croquettes, courgette fritters and plant-based halloumi fries.
Vasilakis said, “We’ve been looking to start The Athenian’s international journey for some time, so launching in the UAE and Europe is a huge move for us – and a super-exciting one. I can’t wait to bring our food to people in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Madrid and Barcelona and give them an authentic taste of Greece, made The Athenian way.”