Dallas Business Journal - July 2004, by Sandra Zaragoza

Ziziki's makes plans for Greek coffee concept

    After 10 years of creating Greek and Italian cuisine, the owners of Ziziki's at Travis Walk have decided to take a coffee break.

    To celebrate the restaurant's 10th anniversary, Ziziki's owners Costa and Mary Arabatzis are expanding their Knox-Henderson neighborhood bistro by adding a chef's table with a 20-person seating capacity and a coffee bar.

    The 600-square-foot dining area and coffee bar, which will be open in the next eight weeks, can be rented out for private events. A second Ziziki's is located at The Shops of Spanish Village in North Dallas.

    The idea for a Greek-inspired coffee bar percolated from Mary Arabatzis, said Costa, adding that the restaurant was seeing an increase in requests for cappuccinos and other coffee drinks.

     Ziziki's Coffee Bar will prepare its coffee in a traditional method employed in Greece, the Middle East and Turkey, he said. In these countries, the coffee beans are finely ground for a stronger taste, he said.

    The couple has been working with a coffee industry expert to tweak the concept, which they also plan to launch as a new Euro-style coffee house and eatery that will serve Greek dishes as well as wine and beer.

    "We are really excited (about the coffee bar) and this is our way of experimenting with the concept," Costa Arabatzis said.

    In the next six months, the Arabatzis plan to open a free-standing Greek coffeehouse and are currently scouting locations. The coffee bar/eatery will range in size from 1,200 to 2,000 square feet.