On a small corner of Hull lies The Greek, an authentic Grecian restaurant which brings a little taste of sunshine all the way from the Aegean coast to Hull. Greece may not immediately come to mind when you think about vegan food, you may just picture a lot of feta cheese... However, many of their traditional dishes are naturally plant-based and The Greek offers up a selection of some of their countries best vegan options.
The Location
The Greek is located on Princes Avenue, a lively, student populated part of Hull that is well known for its many restaurants and bars. With its striking grey exterior and bold Grecian lettering, it is hard to pass by without wondering what lies inside.
They were recently crowned Hull's best restaurant in this years local awards, and it is not hard to see why. Since opening in 2018, their business has blossomed and become one of the most talked about restaurants in the area, and after the success of this first restaurant they now run a second close by in Hessle. Whether you are with a groups of friends, on an intimate date night or out for a special occasion, The Greek is the ideal place to spend your time.
The Atmosphere
From the white brick walls and painted blue wood detailing, to the authentic music, this restaurant has created a perfect little Greek getaway in the heart of Hull. I was greeted with the warmest of welcomes and immediately made to feel very at home.
The staff are extremely friendly and were more than happy to go above and beyond, explaining some of the more traditional Greek dishes I did not recognise and identifying which items were suitable for vegans and which options could easily be adapted. They really help to create the perfect dining experience and it would be hard for you not to leave with a smile on your face.
Living close by, I often find myself driving past and the venue is always thriving and full of life. We ate mid Sunday afternoon and even still there were few tables empty. They have managed to create a real sense of community, never felling overly crowded, due to the laid back atmosphere and calming decor.
The Food
The Greek is the ideal spot to visit with your friends and family, their food is served in traditional Greek Meze style creating a social atmosphere which encourages conversation as you experience the flavours together. Almost all of their ingredients are imported all the way from Greece and this is reflected by their ever changing menu, containing only the finest fresh ingredients.
Many of the Grecian dishes on offer are naturally plant-based, making it an ideal spot for vegans to dine. As soon we ordered, the Meze started flowing to our table, with their cold dishes first, followed by the hot plates as soon as they were ready. It can sometimes be difficult with Meze to know how much to order, but and if you feel like didn't order enough you can keep on ordering until you simply can't eat any more.
There is a large selection of cold Meze options on offer including dips, bread and small Grecian plates. Vegan-friendly dips include a deliciously creamy houmous and a smoked aubergine dip both of which pair perfectly with their pitta bread, although I ended up eating them with a bit of everything! Their potato salad was a perfect light dish, and complemented with a refreshing citrus drizzle. Dolmades, stuffed vine leaves, are perhaps one of the most iconic of Greek dishes, and The Greek serves them beautifully, stuffed full of rice with a hint of mint shining through. You can't go to Greece and not have some olives, their Kalamanta marinated olives were the perfect accompaniment to our meal and we also sampled some of their incredible homemade olive bread which is baked fresh daily in their kitchen.
A staple in every vegans diet is falafel. I have found that falafel can be a hit or miss depending on where you eat, however The Greek have really perfected their recipe, serving flavourful falafel with the perfect crisp outside and paired perfectly with more of their houmous (I will never say no to extra houmous). Often neglected on many menus are the humble fries, but at The Greek you shouldn't miss them off your order. They are the ideal dish to pick at and I loved pairing them with their fresh dips. Combine both of these dishes and you get their amazing vegan wrap, served inside a deliciously soft pitta bread, with plenty of houmous and a little salad.
The Greek offer a handwritten specials menu depending on what seasonal ingredients are available and at the time of my visit they had two vegan options. As the name suggests, their Veggie Heaven was heaven, a large plate of baked vegetables, including potatoes, courgette and aubergine, in a rich herby tomato sauce, I couldn't get enough of it. Their Gemista, a large roasted pepper stuffed to the brim with herby tomato rice, was equally as delicious.
The perfect meal has to be paired with the perfect drink, The Greek offers a range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, including spirits, wines and beers, and staff were very knowledgeable about which of their beverages are suitable for vegans.
Thank you for reading my review of the vegan options at The Greek. I wholeheartedly recommend going out of your way to dine here and enjoy some of the finest Grecian cuisine outside of Greece.
Josie xox