542 Robson Street, Vancouver – Opens Daily at 11:00am

This summer, Harry Kambolis expanded his Nu Greek brand with two food carts that dished out thousands of chicken and lamb souvlaki in pillowy pita bread to hungry downtown denizens. Never to sit still, or rest on the laurels that flank the stylized Nu logo, Kambolis has opened a souvlaki shop, smack dab on Robson Street. Nestled between the now-iconic Japadog and Beard Papa’s cream puffery, Nu Greek’s soft-opening this week was met with line-ups streaming down Robson Strasse. “It’s nice to have a ceiling,” Kambolis grins.

The menu is slightly larger than its street cart siblings: salmon and octopus (!) souvlaki are available here; guests can also pick up bracingly crisp Greek salads and veggie sticks for a little health on-the-go. “We are committed to nourishing our guests with fresh food made from scratch, sourced from local farmers and producers we know by name, presented in a way that considers the earth,” says Kambolis. He can frequently be seen greeting lunchtime customers and working the cash register.

From 1984 to 2005, Kambolis’ uncle owned and operated The Souvlaki Place on Denman Street. The casual eatery served souvlaki and other traditional Greek fare and was a fixture at English Bay. The budding restaurateur spent his summers perched over the grill, dreaming of one day franchising the eatery. “But then, fine dining got in the way,” chuckles Kambolis, who would eventually open tony Raincity Grill one door down, in 1992. “Nu Greek Robson is very much an homage to my uncle,” smiles Kambolis.