Loukoumades Are Taking Over Boston

Within the last few months, Boston has seen an influx of fast-casual Mediterranean and Greek food: There are now two Saloniki restaurants, two locations of Texas-based Verts Mediterranean Grill, one Gre.co, two Aceitunas, and countless more that are putting quick-service Mediterranean dishes front and center.

There’s a sweet byproduct to this exploding dining scene: Starting with Saloniki and growing with the addition of Gre.co in Back Bay, Boston’s Greek doughnut accessibility levels have skyrocketed as the restaurants started churning out light and crispy fried balls of dough called loukoumades. These Greek-style doughnuts are bite-sized and hard to resist, and now another Greek restaurant in Somerville is getting in on the fun. Opa Greek Yeeros will add loukoumades to the menu starting tomorrow.

Here are a few places doughnut lovers can find these Greek treats around the city.

Saloniki
4 Kilmarnock St., Fenway, Boston and 181 Massachusetts Ave., Central Square, Cambridge

Saloniki celebrated its first birthday this week, and Jody Adams, Eric Papachristos, and Jonathan Mendez recently followed up the success of their Fenway restaurant with a second location in Cambridge’s Central Square. Alongside its pita roll-ups, plates, and salads, Saloniki serves its own version of loukoumades, which come with either Nutella or honey. The doughnuts are available at both Saloniki locations for $4.

Ken Rivard for Saloniki

Gre.co
225 Newbury St., Back Bay, Boston

Gre.co has five different versions of its loukoumades, including one that comes topped with praline, Oreo cookies, and powdered sugar. The classic doughnuts are topped with Greek honey, walnuts, and cinnamon, and other toppings include dark chocolate, hazelnut, caramel, pistachios, and more. Gre.co’s loukoumades go for $5-6 and are served in a small cardboard box. (Gre.co’s big sister in the Seaport District, Committee, also serves loukoumades, but it’s a more savory version with manouri, kasseri, and feta cheeses and a Greek honey-vyssino (sour cherry) glaze.)

Rachel Leah Blumenthal/Eater

Opa Greek Yeeros
378 Highland Ave., Davis Square, Somerville

This Davis Square restaurant specializes in gyros and will soon add another Greek treat to its menu: Starting Friday, March 17, Opa Greek Yeeros will offer loukoumades. In honor of the occasion, the restaurant is hosting a special event starting at 11 a.m. and has affectionately dubbed it “Free Frappe Friday.” Opa will be peddling loukoumades along with (free) NesCafe frappes until 9 p.m.

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In addition to these new fast-casual loukoumades purveyors, a few full-service Boston-area classics also serve them. Look for honey-topped loukoumades at Daddy Jones in Somerville’s Magoun Square ($6), ricotta loukoumades at Sarma in Somerville’s Winter Hill ($5), and ginger loukoumades with candied walnuts and golden raisins at Doretta Taverna & Raw Bar in Back Bay ($10).