Papa Cristo's is a taverna styled Greek restaurant and market located in the Byzantine-Latino Quarter across the street from Saint Sophia's Church Greek Orthodox Church in Los Angeles, California.[1][2]
 | |
| Industry | Restaurant |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1948 |
| Founder | Sam Chrys |
| Headquarters | , |
| Owner | Chrys Chrys |
| Website | papacristos |
History
Papa Cristo's was founded in October 1948 as an importing and exporting company bringing produce from Greece.[2][3] The company, which was initially called C & K Importing, was founded by Greek immigrant Sam Chrys.[4] In 1968, Sam Chrys's son Chrys carried on the business and opened a Greek restaurant in addition to the importing business.[3] Chrys eventually traveled across many different parts of Greece in order to attain a better understanding of Greek food and its specialties. In the 1990s, the taverna was opened. The restaurant uses ingredients and foods brought directly from Greece through the importing company.[3] In 1990 the restaurant established a catering service which serves the Great Los Angeles area and Orange County.[3] In 2010 Chrys Chrys' youngest daughter Annie joined the management becoming the third generation of the family to run the business.[3]
Restaurant
The restaurant features a "My Big Fat Greek Family-Style Dinner" every Thursday night which includes various types of entertainment including live bouzouki performances and belly dancing.[5][6] Due to its popularity, the event is usually sold-out.[5]
The restaurant serves many different types of Greek food and desserts including:
- Chicken and lamb Gyros
- Souvlaki
- Loukaniko
- Falafel
- Tsipoura
- Kefta
- Oktapodakia (Grilled Octopus)
- Loukoumades
- Taramosalata (Greek caviar)
- Gigandes plaki
Market
The market includes 3,000 imported goods from Greece such as frappé coffee, olive oil, various ouzo's spanakopita, feta and kasseri cheeses and tiropita.[7][8] The market also features dozens of selections of imported Greek wine such as Retsina and Muscat from the island of Samos.[9] The market also features many Ethiopian foods and products.[9]
Reception
In 2011 Papa Cristo's was awarded Best Greek Restaurant in Los Angeles by Zagat.[10]
It was considered one of the top 7 family styled restaurants in Los Angeles by ABC 7 news in 2007.[11]
In 2010 Los Angeles Magazine featured Papa Cristo's Roasted Lamb and Feta sandwich as one of the top 17 great sandwiches in Los Angeles.[12]
The food appearing in the 2002 film My Big Fat Greek Wedding and the 2003 CBS TV series My Big Fat Greek Life was provided by Papa Cristo's.[9]
Papa Cristo's was featured in the Los Angeles Times as one of "the most delicious deals you'll find around town."[13]
In June 2020, rapper Ja Rule made a commercial for Papa Cristo's as part of the TBS reality show Celebrity Show-Off. The commercial went viral on social media and helped to bring more business to the restaurant so it wouldn't fall victim to the COVID-19 pandemic. [14]