The weather may be cold and bleak, but bringing a ray of sunshine to Exeter during the dreary month of January and beyond is the established owner of a local Greek food truck.
George Gerolimatos, who has been serving tasty food from his trusty truck called Polly Nostimos since 2015, has now found premises in the city centre to open a restaurant and launch a Greek lunch club.
Polly’s Little Greek Kitchen opened in Market Street, next to pet shop Exeter Exotics, just before Christmas. Its official grand opening will take place next Saturday, January 11, from 11.30am. Promotional offers on the day will include free souvlaki wraps for the first 10 customers, and complementary hot drinks throughout the day.
George Gerolimatos has opened Polly’s Little Greek Kitchen in Market Street, Exeter
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To give its food an authentic taste, much of it is sourced from Greece such as its soft pitta breads and oil. However, its fresh ingredients, including chicken, dairy produce and coffee are sourced locally.
Its menu includes a range of souvlaki wraps to cater for all dietary requirements and Hero Boxes which consist of a souvlaki wrap, a portion of lemon roasted potatoes with crumbled feta cheese, and Greek salad.
A Hero Box served at Polly’s Little Greek Kitchen in Exeter
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George said: “I want to offer people a real taste of Greece while also supporting local businesses. The idea is to give people something a bit different for lunch that is healthy, happy holiday food.
“There are not many independent places in Exeter that provide something different at lunchtimes.”
Initially, the restaurant will only open at lunchtimes every week from Thursday to Saturday, but the aim is to evolve into hosting monthly Greek nights.
Inside Polly’s Little Greek Kitchen in Market Street, Exeter
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George said: “I have lots of new ideas for this year. As we find our feet, we will expand what we offer.
“I have been looking for a kitchen for quite a while in the city where I can do the food prep for the truck and open as a restaurant.”
The food truck, which caters for private events and functions such as weddings, as well as festivals and regular events, will continue to run alongside the restaurant where customers can enjoy its food delivered by Deliveroo.
The Polly Nostimos food truck
(Image: Submitted)
George is half Greek. After graduating from university he lived in Greece for 15 years and then returned to Devon in 2015.
George recalled: “I didn’t want to leave Greece behind so I was trying to find a way of combining my love of Greece with Devon. My wife Natasha, a yoga teacher, is from Vancouver, so I also wanted to try and replicate the food scene there. “It was important to me from the start that it had to be done properly. There is no point pretending to be Greek if you can find what you’re doing in a supermarket.
“I have tried to be as authentically Greek as possible. The English translation of poly nostimo is ‘very tasty’ and that’s exactly what my food is.”