Let me tell you a family story. The first restaurant that I ever remember visiting was the Parthenon in Chicago’s Greektown. I was four years old, and apparently (I don’t recall this part) demanded that the server bring me an entire plate of olives. For years thereafter, into my teenage era, the server, who still worked at the iconic restaurant, would bring me olives during my yearly visit, and I would be endlessly teased by my family.

In some ways, that memory (and the whole ethos of abundance that exemplified the bygone restaurant) is emblematic of the spirit of Greektown, or at least of Greektown in years past: an endless party with great hospitality, tons of food, and a certain Chicago spirit that can’t quite be described. Ithaki Estiatorio aims to bring some of that feeling back to the neighborhood. The new Greek spot has taken over the very location that served me all of those olives over the years and hopes to bring a new energy to one of Chicago’s most storied neighborhoods.

The restaurant, from Forte Hospitality (Sapori Trattoria and Butcher and the Bear), is led by Kosti Demos, John Lawson, Greg Poulos, and chef Saul Ramos. Demos’s family previously owned Costa’s, a name that any Greektown regular will remember, and he’s passionate about the area. “We always felt Greektown shouldn’t be forgotten, it would be a shame for it to disappear,” he says. “There’s an Italian restaurant on every corner — I don’t know why Greek cuisine can’t get the same treatment.”

That being said, Ithaki Estiatorio isn’t trying to be like every other Greek spot in town. Demos notes that a lot of Chicago’s Greek food hasn’t evolved from the Greek-American cuisine of the 1960s, and it doesn’t reflect the current state of food in Greece. Instead of huge portions of lamb shanks and moussaka, Ithaki Estiatorio has a wood-burning grill, a large selection of whole fresh fish, and subtle takes on more familiar dishes. The seafood tower, practically an obligatory dish for a Chicago restaurant opening in 2025, is served with a green olive mignonette and prawns poached in oregano broth. Watermelon carpaccio is soaked in feta brine for an extra tang.

Seafood in particular has been a huge hit so far. Diners can choose from fresh whole snapper, sole, and branzino on display, picking their own just like at a Greek restaurant by the water. The entire space has a “by the water” feel with lush plants, blond wood, and big windows that will make this place a welcome taste of summer, especially in about five months. The wine list is almost entirely Greek, which means diners can enjoy real bargains from a region that hasn’t yet gotten the love that it deserves.

Just because Ithaki Estiatorio showcases the new doesn’t mean that it doesn’t have a sense of history. “Flaming saganaki is everywhere now; but in Greece it’s not a thing,” explains Demos. “The Parthenon created it, so we had to bring it back.” Unsurprisingly, it’s a best seller, and a former Parthenon server even showed the staff how they used to (famously and dangerously) light five plates on fire simultaneously. “People have a lot of great memories of Greektown, and a lot of great memories at this restaurant,” says Demos. “They are coming in and getting all those memories back. The ability to create new memories at a new space in Greektown is really exciting.”