When it comes to culture, many long for something concrete. Because America is such a melting pot of identities, I’ve noticed that food from our ancestors is often what we hold onto most tightly. At Spiro’s, that longing is evident. The menu is Greek, but there’s also a section labeled “not so Greek.” Walking in, that tension is clear: a desire to connect to Greek roots, yet a lingering sense of distance from them.
On the ferry side of Coronado Island, Spiro’s Mediterranean Cuisine carries a story that goes back to Spiro Chaconas’s grandmother, Athena, who immigrated through Ellis Island in 1925 with, like many of our ancestors, a beacon of hope. The family came from a mountain village near Sparta. From that lineage, a casual, trickle-down Greek restaurant found its place tucked into Coronado Island.
The menu includes Greek dishes like spanakopita, pita sandwiches, and gyro plates, while the “Not so Greek” section lists a cheeseburger and fries, along with fish tacos and crispy calamari, to name a few…