Greek from Greece (GFG) Café Cuisine has opened its first two Pennsylvania locations. A new GFG Café at 107 N. 33rd Street in Philadelphia is the concept’s first franchised location, and a new GFG Café at 115 W. State Street in Kennett Square is one of more than 40 corporate locations in development this year.
Located near Drexel University, the Philadelphia location will be operated by GFG’s first franchisee, Dimitri Gouliaberis. Dimitri’s father immigrated from Northern Greece to the U.S. in 1972 and opened a restaurant to create an escape from the office, a place to grab a quick bite, and a place where you could end your day laughing and eating with friends. Dimitri is continuing his father’s legacy with a GFG Café Cuisine franchise.
“Dimitri shares our love for Greek food, our passion for exceptional ingredient quality and our dedication to creating a welcoming, comfortable atmosphere for each guest,” says Georgios (George) Drosos, CEO of GFG Café Cuisine. “We are thrilled to bring authentic Greek flavors, served with our signature Greek hospitality, to diners across the Philadelphia area.”
The Kennett Square restaurant operators, Chris and Maria Kotanidis, are successful entrepreneurs with 30 years of experience in the restaurant and hospitality industry. Their extensive knowledge of the industry positions the location for exceptional achievement.
Drosos and a group of successful businessmen with high levels of industry experience and knowledge opened the first GFG Café Cuisine in 2017 to long lines and delighted customers. Nine other locations soon followed throughout Manhattan and New Jersey, and a new location in Tampa, Florida, opened in December 2019. Additional locations planned for the rest of 2021 will increase GFG Café Cuisine’s footprint to more than 45 stores, making them the dominant brand in Greek Cuisine. With more deals in the pipeline, GFG projects over 100 units will either be open or in progress by the end of the year.
“GFG is growing at lightning-speed, and expanding into Pennsylvania is a strategic move as the brand gains popularity across the East Coast,” says Dan Rowe, CEO of Fransmart, GFG’s franchising partner. “With a flexible design that’s perfect for low-cost conversions, GFG has created the perfect opportunity for franchisees with a passion for Greek cuisine at an accessible price-point.”
