Saloniki Is Expanding Across the River to Cambridge

In March 2016, Saloniki burst onto the Fenway scene with fast-casual Greek pitas, rice bowls, salads, and more. The project comes from Trade and Porto co-owners Jody Adams and Eric Papachristos, along with Trade opening manager Jonathan Mendez, and the name is a reference to Papachristos’ hometown of Thessaloniki in Greece.

Saloniki’s menu focuses on a customizable mix of proteins, toppings, and sauces that can go in a pita, on brown rice, or in a salad. Try, for example, the rice with spicy lamb meatballs, tzatziki, and a preserved lemon topping. (In fact, get that preserved lemon topping on anything and everything.)

The concept seems tailor-made for multiple locations, and indeed, the team was already hinting at expansion just a couple months in. And now it’s happening. The second Saloniki, set to open this November, will be located at 181 Massachusetts Ave. in Cambridge’s Central Square, at the base of the Novartis building, and it will be designed to accommodate online order pick-ups. Online ordering will launch this fall via Saloniki's website and a yet-to-be-released mobile app.

While that’s all in the works, the original location debuted a new dessert last week — loukomades, fried dough balls that are similar to doughnut holes. There are two types available at the restaurant — honey-glazed and Nutella — and there’s the option to add crumbled baklava filling sprinkled on top.

Ken Rivard for Saloniki

Loukomades at Saloniki

Also on the sweet side of Saloniki’s menu: Greek yogurt with either lemon curd, honey, or fig jam (get the lemon curd) and baklava crisps with honey, pistachios, walnuts, and sesame.

Another new menu item is the loukaniko, a Greek pork sausage with orange peel, fennel seeds, and white wine. Available in Saloniki's customizable bowls, salads, and pitas, it's also part of the new Big Papi sandwich (grilled loukaniko, roasted red pepper-sesame, feta cheese, Greek fries, spicy pickled slaw, tomatoes, and onions).

Stay tuned for more details about Saloniki’s upcoming second location.

Ken Rivard

Big Papi sandwich at Saloniki

• Saloniki Coverage on Eater [EBOS]