By Mike Cohen
In 1971, Christos Kalogrias and Nick Katroumanis opened a small café and snack bar on St. Viateur. It was all 600 square feet with nothing more than a souvlaki, Greek salad and coffee on the menu. They named it Arahova, after a picturesque village on the side of a mountain, located about 12 kilometers from Delphi on the road to Athens.
Thirty years ago, Christos sold his interests in the location to Nick and St. Viateur remained a successful franchise. He proceeded to open new restaurants, eventually bringing son George and daughters Tina and Bia into the business. Today, there are 13 Arahovas and counting, plus a commercial division which has some of the brand’s main products in grocery stores.
Recently, with the backing of Christos and his children, Andre Michael purchased the iconic St. Viateur location. The transaction brought tears to the eyes of Christos, who at the age of 85 has decided to take an active role in the place where it all started 54 years ago. He will even bring back some of his old recipes.
Director of Operations Spiro Korzis was on hand with George, Christos, his wife Angie and daughters Bia and Tina when my friend Steve and I dropped by for lunch. There were great specials on the menu that day. I went for the lamb souvlaki plate, with fries, a salad and a drink. Steve opted for the chicken gyro pita. There are great options here at good prices, from souvlaki sticks to the vegetarian option. There are also selections for children and, of course, the complete dinner menu, which I will return to sample. The Arahova menu includes a variety of appetizers, pitas and sticks, plates, items from the grill like steaks and lamb chops and the sea and larger offerings to share. It is always a treat.
For Christos, this is a bucket list item he never previously thought was possible. Son George had a twinkle in his eye as he saw Christos make his way through the kitchen. “It has been 30 years since he sold his interests to Nick and the family,” he recalled. “What a special opportunity this is.”
Looking back, Christos said that this location was tiny. Over time, he and Nick expanded by purchasing the leases of the neighboring butcher, barbershop, laundry spot and a Jewish grocery store. It was kept in tip-top condition. There are 180 seats and a takeout counter. George was proud to introduce to his son, also named Christos, who at 17 has signed on to work at the St. Viateur location. He hopes to one day follow in the footsteps of his grandparents, dad and aunts.
This development follows the openings of new locations in Kirkland and the Latin Quarter. Coming next is Toronto by the fall, Sorel in 2026, with St. Hyacinthe on the planning board as well. George said that anyone seeking to open a franchise should reach out to him directly.
This restaurant is located at 256, rue Saint-Viateur O. Call 514- 274 7828 or log on to https://arahova-souvlaki.ca/. It is open seven days a week.