Our Story
The story of AVRA starts in the coastal Greek village of Nafpaktos, where our cofounder Nick Tsoulos was born and brought up. Nick, his father and uncles would regularly fish for local seafood such as fagri, dorado, octopus and red mullet.
They feasted on what they caught over long and relaxed family dinners. “We would either grill the fish over charcoals or slice it thin and drizzle it with olive oil from our family farm, lemon and salt,” recalls Tsoulos. “Along with the fish, we ate salads made with produce from our garden, spinach pies and other hot dishes that my grandmother cooked. The adults also drank plenty of great local wine.”
Tsoulos never forgot these beloved culinary traditions when his family immigrated to Astoria, in Queens, New York. After opening several restaurants, including a Greek taverna on Manhattan’s Upper East Side in 1990 called Trata, he was inspired to create a spot where he could bring a taste of Nafpaktos to New York. “There was nothing like it out here—simple Greek dishes made with the best ingredients and incredibly fresh seafood,” he says.
AVRA brings that vision to fruition. In collaboration with Marc Packer and Nick Pashalis, the first location opened in 2000 on East 48th Street in Midtown East. After 16 years of continued success and a loyal following, a second AVRA debuted on East 60th Street and instantly became a go-to for titans of industry and celebrities.
As AVRA has grown, so has the vision of creating an experience that captures the beauty and spirit of Greece beyond the plate. Our restaurants are designed to help bring that vision to life, creating interiors that are warm, elegant, light and airy, and distinctly Mediterranean. Drawing inspiration from the natural beauty of the Greek landscape, AVRA’s spaces incorporate natural materials, lush greenery, stone, wood and light to create an atmosphere that feels both sophisticated and effortlessly relaxed.
Each AVRA is designed to feel like a destination—a place where the architecture, design, food, and hospitality come together to transport guests to the Greek coast. The result is an environment that reflects the same spirit of the long, leisurely meals and gatherings that inspired Nick’s earliest memories of Greece.
Today, the AVRA Hospitality Group footprint spans Beverly Hills, Miami, Dallas, Boston, and New York—including Rockefeller Center and 33rd & 9th. As we mark our 26th anniversary this year, AVRA is the restaurant our guests come to enjoy beautifully prepared Mediterranean cuisine, exceptional hospitality, beautiful surroundings and a great time.