32 Community News
The Recorder · October 8, 2015
Greek treasures found near the sea
Photos by Leigh Cort/Special to The Recorder
Inside Georgie’s Diner
Leigh Cort
Special to The Recorder
George Chryssaidis loves life in
historic St. Augustine, where he knows
everyone, similar to his hometown
of Frixa, a small
Greek village with
a parallel heart
and soul. Local
residents and visitors to the ‘ancient
city’ feel as if they
know George too,
who is always
present at his three
restaurants from
Leigh Cort
early morning til
Table Talk
the city lights [email protected]
gin to dim.
Since 2001, his
first venture, Athena Café, exudes the
simple heritage of Greece, featuring
hand-painted murals that cover three
walls and depict the Greek countryside; a place where hundreds of years
and generations of family culture
found joy in tending their olive groves.
The restaurant’s casual ambience on
Cathedral Place is so comfortable that
early each morning the ‘big boys of St.
Augustine’ meet for breakfast and conversation, sometimes solving the city’s
issues while carrying on a tradition of
fellowship in ‘George’s house’.
Who can resist Athena Café’s authen-
French Toast at Georgie’s Diner
tic homemade Moussaka — layers of
meat, eggplant, tomato and Béchamel
sauce, baked to perfection. Classically
crafted Spanikopita — freshly chopped
spinach and Feta cheese in a golden
brown puffed pastry served with Greek
Salad — can’t be found anywhere else
in St. Augustine. Souvlaki, warm Pita
bread with Tzatziki sauce, open-faced
Gyro sandwiches and a lengthy menu
of pastas, steaks, chops, kebobs, fresh
seafood and luscious Baklava — everything is prepared here and made to
order. It’s one of the City’s most popular breakfast spots served until 2 p.m.
lunch until 4 p.m. and dinner until…
By 2006, George was ready for his
second city adventure. A stylized red
and silver 1950s-era diner was waiting for ‘Georgie’. Many locals recall
when the Greyhound Bus Station
was headquartered on Malaga Street
where Georgie’s Diner now serves oldfashioned breakfast, lunch and dinner
daily. Cozy diner booths inside and
canopied seating outside keep guests
happy whether stopping in for a quick
bite, power lunch or late night supper.
TABLE TALK continues on Page 34