A popular Greek grab-and-go spot is opening a second location

The first location of Agora opened on Queen West in 2018, steps from Trinity Bellwoods Park, and quickly earned a reputation as a must-stop shop for picnic-lunch staples. Now, after curbing cravings for puffy pita, charred kebabs and decadent dips for eight years, the Greek grab-and-go market is opening another location.

From the owners of Mamakas and Bar Koukla, Agora Yorkville will feature the brand’s popular dishes served in a newly renovated space with a charming back patio.

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It was a tragic turn of events that led to this second location. During the pandemic, the team had started a barbecue-inspired pop-up on Scollard Street. “It was going really well, but there was a fire across the street,” says Mamakas Food Group owner Thanos Tripi. “I think there were six buildings that burnt down right across from us. It really affected us and many others.”

Rather than stick with the barbecue concept, Tripi says the team saw this as an opportunity to open another Agora. The market, he adds, was always intended to be a quick-service restaurant with multiple locations.

Completely rebuilt and remodelled, the new spot will have 40 seats including several in the backyard, a space Tripi affectionately calls the secret garden. “With Queen Street, we have the park, which is like unlimited seats,” he says. “We wanted to replicate the concept in Yorkville, but we don’t have a park here, so we needed seating. This is the model that we’re hoping to expand across the city.”

The menu features a familiar array of Mamakas hits. “We’re known for delicious Greek food: our grilled chicken, Mamakas dips. We’ll have prepared foods to take home and heat up: pastitsio, salads, ready-to-go tiropita and other dishes that we’ll come up with throughout the year,” says Tripi.

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“We’re going to have a very robust coffee program that we don’t have at Queen Street,” he adds. The idea is for guests to pair espresso-based drinks with the team’s fresh-baked pita, sourdough and Greek-style pastries. Greek sodas, wine and beer will carry diners through the rest of the day. “We’re looking to open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, finishing by 9 p.m.,” says Tripi.

Along with Agora Yorkville, which is slated to open at the end of the summer, the team is also expanding Mamakas, with a Summerville location expected to begin welcoming guests next year. “These are two projects that we’re approaching very carefully,” says Tripi. “We’re pretty confident that these will support the neighbourhoods around them. We work really hard at consistency and quality, and we’re pretty uncompromising about those.”