The demand for authentic Greek cuisine is real, and Apóla Greek Grill plans on filling that need throughout Southern California and into the West Coast as it rapidly expands in 2022 and beyond.
Apóla announced its first franchise location will be opening in Riverside later this fall and plans on increasing its footprint with either one brick-and-mortar restaurant and potentially up to two ghost kitchen locations before the end of 2022. The possible additions would more than double Apóla’s presence in the growing SoCal market and cement the emerging fast-casual brand’s belief that a record jump in sales through the first part of the year is based on its quality food and friendly service.
“The biggest win for us was not just surviving Covid-19, but coming back stronger than before,” says Co-Founder Stefano Kosmides. “Substantial growth continues in 2022 while we’re also constantly fine tuning our overall operations to lower expenses, improving procedures for our team members and making sure we keep treating our guests like family. This has helped us not only maintain a loyal following but also grow our customer base.”
Apóla has earned a devoted following as the home to the ‘Most Authentic Greek Gyro you can get without buying a plane ticket!’ and for the familiar vibe it shares with its guests. The excellent food and service Apóla consistently delivers helped position the brand for substantial future growth.
The Apóla team anticipates opening three or four restaurants in 2023 and five or more in 2024, with the focus staying on Southern California but potentially reaching more parts of the state, as well as Nevada and Arizona. A new Apóla in Los Angeles County opening before the end of the year is being discussed as are the ghost kitchen options in the area.
Apóla’s fans flock in for the Authentic Greek Gyro – with pork, Roma tomatoes, red onions, tzatziki, and a handful of French fries wrapped in a warm pita. But customizable gyros and halal-certified meats as well as new offerings like Greek street fries and a meatless gyro provide something for everyone. Traditionalists will also find staples like dolmas, falafel, avgolemono soup and Greek salad are also on the menu.