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ORANGE — Orange is getting a taste of Greece with an upcoming new restaurant, Barry’s Greek Grill.

Owner Barry Nikshiqi isn’t new to the restaurant scene; you can find him at Greek Gyro at 3640 FM 365 in Port Arthur. This spot is 100 percent family owned and operated by him, his brother, mother and father.

“We always wanted to expand the business, but COVID backed up my plans,” Nikshiqi said. “I was looking for something around here but did not want to go too far.”

So he looked to Orange.

“I think it’s the perfect area to bring something new to town,” he said.

The Orange location is be at 1720 Lutcher Drive. While the full menu isn’t set yet, Nikshiqi said there would be some of the favorites offered in the Port Arthur location, such as a variety of salads, kabobs, sandwiches, plus more items that will be unique to the Orange location.

Nikshiqi’s family has been in the restaurant business for a number of years and are owners of popular eateries in the area; Tuscany Italian restaurant in Port Arthur, Bruno’s Italian Kitchen in Beaumont and Eddie’s Gyros and Pizza in Lumberton.

Nikshiqi said he is hoping to open the Orange location in December should all the permitting go well.

“It would be the perfect time to open, right before the holidays,” he said.

Background

Greek Gyro in Port Arthur opened June 2019 and offers a mix of classic Greek delicacies with Mediterranean cuisine to provide a multitude of flavor and variety.

Co-owners Nikshiqi and his father Sal migrated to the United States from Albania several years prior finding the area lacking in their favorite homeland foods.

They quickly set to solve that issue.

“When we first came here we were looking for a restaurant to conveniently open,” Nikshiqi said in the 2019 interview with Port Arthur Newsmedia. “I saw there was no Greek or gyros around here, so we decided to try one.”

Nikshiqi’s extended family owns Tuscany Italian Restaurant in Port Arthur, where he began getting requests for their native food.

“In Europe, there are too many places selling wonderful gyros,” he said. “A lot of people asked us over (at Tuscany) where they could try gyros. I said I was going to open one day and as soon as I put the sign out on the front lawn everyone was excited.”

A gyro is a mixture of lamb and beef over pita bread, topped with thinly cut tomatoes, onions and tzaziki sauce. The sauce, which ties the mixture together, consists of Greek yogurt, cucumbers, garlic and lemon juice.

“A lot of people are skeptic because of the lamb,” he said. “But the meat that we use is high quality and is well spiced. It’s really good. I’ve had so many people come in and I make them try the meat. They always love it after they give it a try.”

Besides the traditional gyro with lamb, the restaurant also serves Greek salads, chicken gyro, Greek nachos, traditional hummus, vegetarian falafel and other Greek dishes.