Lunch, Anyone? Esperia Grill

Esperia Grill offers authentic Greek and Mediterranean cuisine. Photos by Esther Ro (COM ’15)

If you’re looking for authentic Greek cuisine, but can’t afford plane fare, you’re in luck. Esperia Grill, just up the street in Brighton Center, is as close to the real thing as you’re likely to find.

The restaurant is a family-run operation. Owners Tim and Georgia Athanasiadis ran Center House of Pizza on Washington Street for 20 years before deciding to switch to a new menu in 2006. They reopened at the same location as Esperia Grill and today offer an extensive menu filled with classic Greek dishes like avgolemono, egg and lemon soup, and moussaka. The restaurant has been acclaimed by the likes of Boston Magazine, the Improper Bostonian, and the Boston Globe and is a favorite of several local politicians. The late longtime Boston mayor Thomas Menino (Hon.’01) cited Esperia as one of his favorite restaurants on Twitter. A signed photograph of Menino hangs on the restaurant’s “wall of fame,” which also has pictures of Michael Dukakis, former Massachusetts governor, Bill Galvin, secretary of the commonwealth, and Joseph P. Kennedy II, a former congressman.

Esperia offers a wide range of cold and hot appetizers for those seeking smaller portions. Standouts are the fried feta with honey ($7.95), the keftedes, Greek-style meatballs, ($7.95), and homemade tzatziki ($4.95), the traditional sauce of yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, olive oil, and assorted herbs. Other popular offerings: chicken, pork, and veggie gyros ($7.95); various Mediterranean-inspired paninis ($7.95); chicken, beef, and lamb kabobs (prices vary); and rotisserie chicken ($9.95 for a leg and thigh, $10.95 for a breast and wing, $13.95 for a half chicken).

During a recent visit, we started with a small piece of spinach pie ($4.95). This Greek delicacy, a creamy mixture of spinach and feta cheese in paper-thin, crispy filo dough, was big enough to share or could serve as a light meal for one. The filo dough was delectably airy and flaky, complementing the smoothness of the spinach and the zestiness of the feta. We also ordered the grape leaves ($4.95), which were chilled and stuffed with a delicious mixture of rice, spices, herbs, olive oil, and lemon—a light, tasty, and satisfying treat. With eight rolls to an order, this too was a great dish to share.

We went with two tried-and-true Greek classics for our entrées: the moussaka ($12.95), a casserole of ground beef, potatoes, and eggplant topped with béchamel sauce, and the pastichio ($12.95), a noodle casserole with macaroni, ground beef, and béchamel. Esperia’s take on moussaka didn’t disappoint. The béchamel sauce was dense and creamy, a good base for the sweet eggplant, savory ground beef, and seasoned potato. The pastichio’s thick, fluffy layering of béchamel sauce, well-seasoned ground beef, and al dente noodles was addictive, filling without being heavy—the ultimate comfort food.

We were impressed by Esperia’s generous portion sizes and low prices. The moussaka and the pastichio, both listed as lunch specials, came with a Greek salad and a choice of a hot side dish. The salad was surprisingly large and very tasty: a mélange of fresh lettuce, green peppers, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, and olives, topped with finely crumbled feta cheese and a creamy and flavorful homemade Greek dressing. For our hot side dishes, we chose the Greek-style roasted potatoes and the butternut squash puree. Smothered in herbs and spices and drizzled with olive oil, the potatoes had a pleasantly subtle kick. The butternut squash was sweet and delightfully smooth.

We perused the dessert menu, but were too full to try anything. But there’s plenty to tempt the sweet lover, and we intend to return to try either the baklava ($3.95), filo dough drizzled with nuts and honey, the galaktoboureko ($3.95), a pastry filled with semolina custard, or Esperia’s Greek yogurt with honey and walnuts ($6.95).

Esperia Grill, 344 Washington St., Brighton, is open 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, closed Sunday; phone: 617-254-8337. View the menu here. Esperia accepts all major credit cards; free parking is available in a lot in front. Take an MBTA 57 bus outbound to the Washington St. at Waldo Terrace stop.

This is part of a weekly series featuring Boston lunch spots of interest to the BU community. If you have any suggestions for places we should feature, leave them in the Comment section below.

Samantha Pickette can be reached at pickette@bu.edu.

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