A beloved Greek restaurant will reopen with a new name and a new location. Pappas Restaurants will rebrand Yia Yia Mary's Mediterranean Kitchen as Yia Yia Pappas, Pappas director of marketing Christina Pappas tells CultureMap.
Slated to open in the summer of 2022, Yia Yia Pappas will occupy the former Pappadeaux space at 2410 Richmond Ave. It replaces the original location at the corner of San Felipe and the West Loop that closed last year. A satellite location in Hobby Airport also closed in 2020.
Pappas Restaurants opened Yia Yia Mary's in 2005 to honor the family's Greek heritage. From a company primarily known for its multi-unit restaurants Pappasito's and Pappadeaux, Yia Yia Mary's operated as single freestanding location. It quickly won fans for its grilled meats, gyros, and shareable plates — all served in Pappas' signature oversized portions.
"There is so much love for our Greek concept throughout the city, and we hope that everyone will enjoy dining with us at the new location close to Richmond and Kirby." Christina Pappas writes in an email.
She adds that the company will make some changes to the concept, but its goal is to preserve "everyone's favorite items." More details on the menu, design, and other aspects of the restaurant's operations will emerge closer to opening. For now, Houstonians can look forward to the day when they're once again able to order beef tenderloin souvlaki, lamb chops, and baklava.
