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A new quick-service Greek restaurant will make its way to Boston as it executes a large-scale nationwide expansion. The Simple Greek has more than 50 new restaurants set to open in the next few months, delivering piles and piles of Mediterranean cuisine to metro areas all over the country.
Mike Ference and Kathleen Kamouyerou-Ference founded the original concept just outside Pittsburgh in 2004, and they later partnered with entrepreneur Marcus Lemonis to further develop an expansion plan. With that came rebranding, and now the Ferences are poised to see some massive growth.
The Simple Greek has five existing locations: three in Pennsylvania, one in Illinois, and one in Texas. The chain’s expansion will see new restaurants in 15 states around the country, per a release. The first Massachusetts locations, according to the chain’s website, will be in Boston proper and Westborough, and there will also be one in Providence, Rhode Island and one in Nashua, New Hampshire. Stay tuned for addresses and more information.
The restaurant operates with a counter-service system, where customers can build their own rice, lentil, and/or salad bowls or pita-based dishes by choosing ingredients from an assembly line of protein choices, toppings, and sauces. There is also a yogurt bar, featuring ingredients like honey, walnuts, figs, chocolate, spicy harissa, and much more.
Boston will also be getting more fast-casual Greek food courtesy of Gre.co, slated to open on Newbury Street later this month, owned by Committee’s Demetri Tsolakis. Plus, Saloniki is expanding to Cambridge, also potentially opening this month.
Beyond the borders of Greek cuisine, the Boston area has also been seeing the expansion of fast-casual concepts in the wider Mediterranean space: Texas-based VERTS Mediterranean Grill opened in November in Boston’s Financial District, Kendall Square’s Aceituna Grill is expanding to Boston’s Seaport District this winter, and Tahaza Hummus Kitchen opened a little over a year ago in East Cambridge.
• The Simple Greek QSR and Entrepreneur Marcus Lemonis Announce 20 New U.S. Markets [ML.com]
• The Simple Greek [Official Site]
