Greek Islands Cafe, SAN DIEGO

When Liz and Jerry Bishop were dating in the 1960s, they discovered they both adored Greek food and spent hours dining in Greek restaurants. Luckily, they were living in Chicago at the time, and the cuisine’s presence in Greektown and beyond kept the couple well fed. But when they moved to San Diego in 1978, the food wasn’t as prevalent, so they decided to open their own restaurant where they could serve the meals of their beloved culinary style.

With its terra cotta roof and tables perched seaside, Greek Islands Cafe looks like it was plucked from a Mediterranean village. The building wasn’t actually brought from Greece, but the recipes were—the chef, Peggy, builds dishes using traditional recipes from relatives living in the foothills of Mount Olympus. Beyond the recipes, the Bishops have developed some traditions of their own. Those who order the cafe’s saganaki, athenian chicken, and souvlaki might have the food served by the couple’s children, Chris and Melissa, or fellow patrons who just felt like stretching their legs.