Souvlaki Was His Destiny

To speak with George Pentsos, owner of Souvlaki George restaurant, is to encounter a man driven by passion for his food and his community.  His eyes light up when he discusses his love of the restaurant business and his customers, and conversation is frequently punctuated by his waving and greeting passers-by.  Indeed, it appears that he personally knows virtually everyone who walks by the restaurant.

For Pentsos, the restaurant business is a higher calling.  “It is a reflection of my beginning as I came to Canada” he says.  Having already worked in the hotel business in his native Greece, he decided to attend hotel and restaurant school at Lasalle College.  He quickly rose from a busboy to waiter, and then to restaurant owner.

“Whether you believe it or not, invisible forces guided me to find my destiny.  Myself, all I do is thank people for allowing me to share my service and my love for everyone.”  Pentsos outlines a series of events which led him to open the restaurant, noting that he ate at his restaurant under its previous owner.  The waitress who served him that fateful night then met his wife, and brought them all together.  

Upon buying the restaurant, Pentsos changed the menu from one that served breakfast and snack food to an exclusively Greek menu.  Pentsos is a purist, noting he foregoes financial gain by refusing to serve “silly” pizza.  “I wanted to categorize myself as Souvlaki George, so while pizza might improve things financially, I would not be well-known as Souvlaki George!”

Business the first year was tough, but luckily the restaurant already had some built-in clientele from its previous incarnation.  “It was essential for us to survive.  Later on customers brought friends over, who then spoke to neighbors, and slowly the restaurant moved in the right direction”.

This year, the restaurant celebrates its 22nd anniversary.  Pentsos is proud that it is one of only three NDG restaurants that has remained under the same ownership so long.  “We have three categories of clientele” he says.  He estimates that 30% of the customers are students from nearby Loyola campus, 20% are from the Association of the Blind across the street, and 50% are local residents of every type.

The restaurant also runs a delivery service, which Pentsos says is essential to its success.  The restaurant delivers hundreds of souvlakis every week.

Souvlaki George’s love for NDG has recently led him to make a second bid for office as the city councillor of the Loyola district (he is running under the Parti-Montreal banner).  Inspired to further his work with the local community, if elected, he vows to bring the same personal touch to politics as he does his restaurant.

And what a personal touch!  Jessica Elkaim, 27, recalls ordering souvlaki one cold winter’s night.  “I called the restaurant because they had forgotten our drinks”.  Within minutes, her doorbell rang.  “There was Souvlaki George, with a bag full of Pepsis and baclava for me!”.  Needless to say, Souvlaki George gets her vote.