The corner 21st and Race Streets has become a beacon for fast casual Greek cuisine. Pete’s Famous Pizza owner Peter Kada has expanded on his latest venture since taking over the 40 year old pizza shop. Pete’s Famous Pizza was established in 1980 by Kada’s grandparents, Pete and Effie Amptazis, who immigrated to the United States from Greece in 1969. His new restaurant, Moustaki derives its name from the Greek word for “mustache”. The restaurant is serving up a variety of meats carved, marinated, cooked, sliced, and grilled in house. Their menu is filled with the traditional Gyro, Souvlaki, Dips, and Sides made in the Greek way. Enjoy or Kali Orexi!
Kada’s wife has designed the space and transformed it from a drab pizza shop into a beautiful open space with touches of white and blue, like those found in the Greek flag. Yes you heard us right, Moustaki is also serving up artisan square pizzas! We tried the very popular Tinos Pizza topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella, homemade Greek Sausage, fire roasted red peppers, and goat cheese. These Greek pork sausages are a special blend made in South Philly exclusively for Moustaki customers.
We love that Moustaki is true to its Greek roots and even offers customers a mini lesson in understanding Greek words like Gyro, Souvlaki, Bifteki, Loukaniko, and many more. “Mezedes” include hot and cold appetizers, some of our favorites include the Meze Sampler which gives the option of choosing 3 different dips served with pita and cucumber slices. This appetizer is great for sharing with a large group. We love that Moustaki makes thier Tzatziki the authentic way with Greek yogurt, garlic and spices instead of using sour cream like many other restaurants. The Hummus is always a classic dip and the Fiery Feta Dip or Terokafteri is very popular also!
If you’ve worked up an appetite we’d also recommend you get an order of Gyro Fries. This heaping dish starts with a base of waffle fries (so similar in width to a tortilla chip but with a whole lot more strength) topped with pork gyro meat, tzatiki, cherry tomatoes, and red onion. The dish itself could easily be your entree and then some. Moustaki is also serving up a wonderful Avgolemono Soup which is a lemony chicken and rice soup- perfect for warming up in the cold. Plus this soup and Spanikopita are yia-yia’s (grandma’s) recipe!
The main event is undoubtedly the Gyros, available with chicken or pork these sandwiches are wrapped up in a fluffy white or wheat pita with your choice of Moustaki Mustard Sauce, Tzatiki, or Fiery Feta Spread along with tomatoes, red onion, and waffle fries! Served as an entree platters customers can build their own gyro and offered 2 sides of either waffle fries, lemon potatoes, roasted vegetables, or rice pilaf. Those few up to the challenge may indulge in the Spartan Warrior Sandwich which is a massive gyro loaded with pork, chicken, pepperoni, feta cheese, tomatoes, onion, waffle fries, tzatiki and olives all (somehow) fit inside a pita.
Salads and skewers are also offered for those looking for a healthy option or to enjoy some grilled lamb (commonly mistaken as being the main protein in gyros). Opa-fy! any sandwich by adding a side. And you best save room for dessert because in addition to Baklava, Moustaki is serving the most delicious Loukoumades which can only be described as fried Greek dough puffs coated in honey and topped with crushed walnuts or drizzled with nutella (and the portion is great for sharing!) Of course, they’re also serving a Sweet-za, a Nutella and marshmallow pizza which we’re dying to go back for.
So make sure you check out Moustaki the next time you’re craving some great Greek food! They also offer a catering menu and they deliver to a majority of the city sharing drivers and coverage with Pete’s Famous Pizza located at 21st and Appletree streets and 24th Street and Fairmount Avenue.
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