As an actor Peter Vouras has appeared in Spider-Man 2 and on television, but when the cameras are rolling in Connecticut Thursday he will be playing himself: owner of an acclaimed restaurant.
Vouras’ fast/casual Greek restaurant, Freskos in Hamden, will be featured in an episode of America’s Best Restaurants, a show that highlights independently owned restaurant gems throughout the country.
Austin Turner, director of operations for America’s Best Restaurants show, said Freskos was nominated by someone in the community and passed the “strenuous vetting process,” which includes a look at Google reviews, social media presence, the state of the website.
“We want to find the Cheers of the world and give them the attention they deserve,” Turner said, referring to the legendary sitcom.
There are two ways restaurants get chosen, he said. It’s either through a nomination or a team that goes around the country looking for special restaurants.
Vouras was an actor with an agent for many years, on the Silver Screen, television, plays and as a stand-up comedian, which he still does. He’s lived in New York City and Los Angeles.
As an aspiring actor he often worked in restaurants and, as a Greek, he knew food and hospitality culture.
In 2016 he opened Freskos at 2323 Whitney Ave. in Hamden, offering Greek classics, some from his grandmother’s recipes.
Now the restaurant has taken center stage in his life.
Reviews online talk about how his food is fresh, delicious and authentic. Vouras also gets lots of compliments for being a personable, with an onsite restaurateur.
One online reviewer wrote of Vouras, “The owner even treated us to an order of baklava which was so unexpected and made our day. ”
After selling a coffee shop he owned in Shelton for a seven years, Vouras decided there was need for healthy, fresh, alternative fast food. The opportunity and a great location came along.
The small eatery where customers order at the counter seats about 16 inside and another 16 outside.
“It’s in my lineage. Both my grandfather’s owned restaurants,” in Hartford and Meriden, he said. “I love the idea of being able to provide this for people.”
He fondly recalls the family gathering at his grandmother’s for Sunday dinner and even uses some of her cooking secrets.
” A Greek could cook shoe leather and make it taste good,” he said
But there’s no need for shoe leather at Freskos, only fresh food. Fresko means fresh in Greek.
His biggest seller are gyros, the lamb cooked on a spit and shaved off. He said they are one of the few restaurants that also serve a plant-based gyro.
The chicken and shrimp for souvlaki are marinated in extra virgin olive oil with lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper.
All sandwiches are served on a warm pita with tomatoes, red onion, tzatziki sauce and fresh dill.
In addition to regular Greek salad that have Horiatiki, known in Greece as “village salad.” The dish has all the vegetables except lettuce, extra virgin olive oil, lemon.
They also carry pita pizzas made without red sauce.
Another customer favorite is avgolemono soup, the lemon/chicken recipe from his grandmother.
“It’s a bit of a learning curve,” Vouras said. “We’ve perfected the recipes. One of the things that’s most important is consistency.”
Freskos also has a popular food truck.
Vouras said his eatery has won awards for both their cuisine and for “Filotimo” or helping.
“It’s an ethic if helping others and humanity at large. Paying it forward,” Vouras said, noting they have held benefits for Ukraine, fires in Greece and other disasters.
“It’s our way of giving back for all that we have,” he said.
Vouras said Greek is “such a proud and incredibly rich heritage” to have.
As an example of how Greeks are, Vouras said he went to Greece a few years ago with his family and they rented a car.
Suddenly near the inn, they noticed the car was scary low on gas and in danger of running out.
The innkeeper got his mother to come over with a liter of gas, Vouras said.
“They’re so hospitable,” he said of Greeks. “They even take you into their house and make you food. That’s how we are here, everyone’s welcome.”
The camera crews are scheduled to film June 6 from 2 to 5 p.m. and all are welcome to come down, Vouras said. He will be running at least one special.
As for acting, Vouras keeps an eye out for interesting opportunities, but no longer has a manager or agent.
“Once an actor always an actor,” he said.
He still does stand-up and was headed recently for a gig in New York City.
“I enjoy doing stand-up,” he said. “It’s very therapeutic and you can still have fun.”
He went to Fairfield University for economics and after that took acting classes in NYC.
In Spider-Man 2 he was in two scenes and played a stage manager with a speaking part in 2004.
He also appeared in Pawn in 2013 and Law & Order: Criminal Intent in 2001. He’s also performed on stage many times. He also writes music and plays several instruments.
“My idea if fame and fortune is fleeting. My priority is to make Freskos incredible,” Vouras said. “I’m just very grateful to be able to do what I’m doing.”
Vouras said his favorite part of the restaurant business is seeing customers and interacting with them.
“I’m honored to feed them and to feed them great food,” he said. “I’m providing an incredible experience they may not have at another place. ”
Turner, of the America’s Best Restaurants , said the episode will air in six to eight weeks, but there is no date yet.
The episode will air on America’s Best Restaurants YouTube page, Facebook page, Freskos social media and will live in America’s Best Restaurants collection.
The show has been on the road since 2021 and they’ve done more than 1,300 episodes at independently owned restaurants
