Plans for upscale Lexington Greek restaurant change. Here’s what’s coming instead
Plans for an upscale Mediterranean restaurant near Fayette Mall are shifting.
Ilias Pappas announced last summer he would open an ambitious Greek restaurant called Santorini at 3801 Mall Rd. #120, in the former Saul Good Restaurant & Pub location near Fayette Mall, just off Nicholasville Road.
But Pappas said that his plans for the space have changed.
Instead, he will bring back a larger sit-down version of his popular Athenian Grill concept similar to the restaurant he had on Locust Hill. The location opened in 2015 but closed in 2019 so Pappas could focus on other aspects of his business.
“People on a daily basis are asking me to open a place like Locust Hill — a place where they can sit down,” Pappas said.
Meanwhile, the plans for Santorini kept running into execution issues, he said.
The planned open-kitchen concept with grills and fires to do a lot of the cooking would require multiple hood systems, and the space wasn’t working for what he envisioned, he said. The search for the right space for Santorini continues, he said.
So he’s bringing the sit-down Athenian Grill to the south side of Lexington, with an expanded menu and table service as well as counter service and carryout.
“We love being on that side of town, and it will give us faster delivery with a kitchen there too,” he said.
The current Athenian Grill locations on South Ashland and downtown at the Plaza Apartments are small, with issues. South Ashland has limited parking, and the downtown location is surrounded by the construction at Phoenix Park.
This will give him a bigger kitchen and allow him to bring back lots of Greek specialties such as saganaki (flaming Greek cheese appetizer), souvlaki (Greek grilled skewers), baked feta wrapped in phyllo with sesame, grilled octopus and daily specials such as lamb shank, gemista (stuffed peppers and tomatoes) and more.
Pappas said he hopes to open the new Athenian Grill in late April. It will serve lunch and dinner.
Athenian Grill
Where: 3801 Mall Rd. #120
Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily
Online: atheniangrill.com
This story was originally published February 24, 2025 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Plans for upscale Lexington Greek restaurant change. Here’s what’s coming instead."
