FINANCIAL DISTRICT — A longtime neighborhood deli is getting an "authentic" Greek overhaul.
New Greek restaurant Melina is readying to launch in the former home of Cafe Bravo, a 19-year-old sandwich and salad shop at 11 Hanover St. that shuttered last month.
It's a complete makeover, but the business is staying in the family, Melina co-owner Ari Mihalatos, 37, told DNAinfo New York.
Mihalatos's uncles ran Cafe Bravo, and now he and his cousins are taking over, but going in a new direction.
Mihalatos, a native of Bayside, Queens, said they wanted to "move away from deli food and try something different" — but it's cuisine that's quite familiar to him.
The homey, 40-table eatery will serve up "authentic' Greek food, reminiscent of the food Mihalatos and his cousins grew up eating, he said.
Mihalatos, whose family hails from Greek island Kefalonia, will feature a large selection of grilled seafood on his menu, along with a variety of classics including moussakas — something of a Greek lasagna, but with potatoes and eggplant instead of pasta in between layers of spiced meat.
To add to the "authenticity," they've hired a chef from Greece to helm Melina.
Pricing hasn't been set, but Mihalatos said they aim to be an upscale restaurant with a neighborhood feel.
"We want to bring great food to a neighborhood my family has worked in for years," said Mihalatos. "We love this area and hope people will really enjoy what we have to offer."
CB1's financial district committee gave their support to Melina's application for liquor license. The restaurant, slated to open sometime in January, will serve lunch and dinner and close at midnight daily.
