Oakton residents craving gyros, spanakopita and more will have to get familiar with a new eatery in 2025.
After closing on Dec. 21, the neighborhood’s SouvlakiBar at 2930 Chain Bridge Road, Suite 111, is in the process of rebranding due to a partnership with a fellow chain of Greek restaurants.
Housed in the Oakton Shopping Center, the restaurant is expected to reopen in January as The Big Greek Cafe, Director of Operations Nikos Kontos told FFXnow.
Each of SouvlakiBar’s four Northern Virginia locations, including ones in Alexandria, Sterling and Leesburg, will come under The Big Greek Cafe umbrella as part of the move, giving the Maryland-based cafe a presence on the south side of the Potomac River.
SouvlakiBar, which launched in 2016, offered many traditional Greek dishes. That part is not expected to change under The Big Greek Cafe, though updates will be made to bring the location’s menu in line with other Big Greek Cafe locations.
The merger with The Big Greek Cafe will ultimately allow for “a more extensive selection” of food options, according to a statement on the former SouvlakiBar website.
The Big Greek Cafe proclaims that its cuisine is “just like yia yia used to make,” using the Greek term for grandmother. The menu is led by Big Greek Bowls that feature rice, veggies, hummus, house-made tzatziki and pita, plus a choice of protein. Customers can also choose six different salads and a variety of sandwiches, as well as moussaka, pastichio and other traditional offerings.
When it opens, The Big Greek Cafe will ultimately retain SouvlakiBar’s title as the only specifically Greek dining option in Oakton, though the Mediterranean food truck Yalla Pita opened a brick-and-mortar restaurant in nearby Hunter Mill Plaza in August.
Greek eateries can also be found in nearby neighborhoods, like Vienna’s Plaka Grill and Our Mother Eugenia in Merrifield’s Mosaic District.
At Oakton Shopping Center, The Big Greek Cafe joins the likes of Famous Dave’s BBQ, Taco Rock and Hunan Tasty, among other dining options.
