olove greek kitchen review

Ever since my Italian godmother passed away, I’ve been searching for mom and pop Italian restaurants to get that same sense of home. As I’m watching new developments go up and all I want is to hang onto the foundation of what we grew up with. Y’know, those Italian restaurants where they build stone arches to resemble the Italian casa, probably with imported Italian tiles to boot. But along came a lil Greek gem…

Although Olove isn’t Italian per se, it gives you the same homey vibes. Just because it’s a family-run restaurant with understated décor don’t quickly jump to the conclusion that they’re yet another souvlaki, potatoes, and rice Greek bistro. I’m torn to share this hidden gem with you, but they have some of the most innovative modern Greek dishes at reasonable prices.

Olove Greek Kitchen interiors — Cozy interiors

Here are a few reasons why they’re different, and worth checking out:

The owner imports phyllo pastry from Greece
You will not find potatoes and rice (fillers for North Americans) on the menu
They make their moussaka from scratch when you order
You can find deconstructed Greek desserts here
They’re friendly AF – a server offered to wash my daughter’s silicone plate

*Made-from-scratch Mousaka, $21 – a Greek restaurant must-order*

We got into quite the conversation with the head chef, where she talked about how if you find potatoes as a side they’re usually not fresh. It takes at least 45 mins or more to get them to home-made realness level, so she opts not to serve them.

*Yarides Kadaif*i, $16 *– prawns deep fried in phyllo*

We were wondering why it was taking so long for an appie, the phyllo prawn appetizer, to come out. Turns out, the phyllo she ordered from Greece kept breaking for some reason, and she wanted to make sure what she served was top quality so she had to remake a few times. Impatience aside, it was well worth waiting for those prawns laced with honey drizzle.

*Goddess Bowl w Chicken, $14 – a modern (and better) update on the Greek souvlaki dish*

For our vegan and vegetarian friends, there are some nice options too! I think you might have to ask for a different dressing, but what I recommend is the Goddess Bowl with falafel. It’s like a modern souvlaki dish – healthy but not too light and leave you feeling hungry.