If you have a longing for some healthy Mediterranean eats at a local restaurant here in North Vancouver consider checking out Kostas Restaurant, they have a diverse menu and lots of items to choose from. Mike Sarbakhteh is the head chef and has over 30 years experience cooking and designing menus for this type of cuisine, originally being from Greece. Which means the dining experience is on point.
The corporate culture at this restaurant is such that they use local seasonal ingredients and suppliers to ensure the highest level of quality while also supporting the community we all love here on the North Shore and across Metro Vancouver. The venue is available for corporate and private events as well. Checkout what we discussed below to learn more about the restaurant and their story. And if you are out and about for a walk in Central Lonsdale head over and enjoy their patio.
How did you get started with Kostas Mediterranean Restaurant and what do you like about operating in North Vancouver?
We started about 30 years ago in Parkgate Village near Deep Cove. After about 23 years we were shut down due to an expanding business next door. After many years of looking for the right place we came across this building and had it renovated to our liking. Thus, Kostas was reborn on Lonsdale Avenue near Victoria Park. We love operating in North Vancouver because despite our many years of being closed we still have dozens of regulars from the original Kostas come and visit.
What are your most popular food or drink items and your inspiration(s) in creating them?
Most popular dishes have to be the Arni Psito (Roast Lamb) and the Chicken Souvlaki. They are classic Greek meals and often times on a busy weekend we tend to sell out. If you are coming with a group we suggest making a reservation and we also do takeout and delivery.
What do you currently offer for ongoing day to day specials or happy hour promotions?
We are working on having a takeout delivery discount through our new website, which you can checkout below. We are still working towards having our online ordering system set up, so this will be available in a few weeks. Stay tuned! Plus you can order with Uber Eats, Doordash and similar.
Before operating your Mediterraneanrestaurant what were you doing for work or a career?
Our head chef and owner Mike worked in kitchens back in Greece over 30 years ago and ever since we haven’t be able to get him out of the kitchen. He was born to cook and has been doing it his whole life.
Outside of operating your local restaurant what do you get up to for activities in your personal time?
When he can sneak out of the restaurant for awhile, Mike enjoys playing soccer with some friends on a local beer league. He also enjoys coming up with creative new dishes for his family to try before possibly adding them to the menu.
Lastly, is there anything else you might want our readers to know about you or Kostas Mediterranean Restaurant?
We are so grateful to have a community like North Vancouver, where we can really feel at home. All of our produce and meat supports local farms and grocery stores to make sure we can offer the freshest food from the most beautiful city and province in the world. We are looking forward to meeting you and wowing you with our authentic cuisine and drinks.
