Pine Barrens, New York

Athens Gyro & Grill

John Mantzopoulos, chef-owner of Athens Gyro & Grill, recently did a major remodeling job of his two-year-old restaurant. "It's more an ancient décor," he said, adding that he wanted to get away from the traditional blue and white color scheme that has become something of a Greek restaurant cliché.

He characterized his food as "simplified neo-Greek," meaning it is "infused" with other influences. Sometime, he uses Spanish spices, other times, Middle Eastern.

Mantzopoulos prides himself on the freshness of ingredients. In summer, he uses local tomatoes; in winter, hothouse. Fish – some of it grilled whole – is local and seasonal – flounder and fluke, blackfish, calamari and striped bass. Wine, he said, is either local or Greek, although he hopes to add some Israeli wines in the future.

Come the warmer weather, diners can take their meal on the deck in back. That's about as close to the Mediterranean as it gets in Riverhead.

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