By Andrea Photopoulos

Maheras wanted patrons to feel that once they stepped foot into his restaurant, they were traveling thousands of miles to a taverna in Greece. Now, ten years later Mezes (www.mezessf.com) is one of the most popular Greek restaurants in the Bay. Named “Best Greek Meal” for 2009 & 2010 in San Francisco's Chronicle, Mezes brings it all to the table. Excellent service, atmosphere, live music, a specialty wine list, and we can not forget the most important thing...the FOOD! Yum!

I'll admit I was looking forward to experiencing Mezes first hand after learning so much about it and by the end of the night I was sad to leave for I realized there is much more to this place than good food. Even on a foggy August night, the city of San Francisco was full of life and excitement. As you walk into Mezes you are greeted with smiling faces and warm hellos. The menu had something for everyone, catering to vegetarians, gluten-free, and meat lovers. Whether you are feeling like a nice fresh horiatiki salata or a traditional souvlaki plate you will not be disappointed with the taste. For dinner I chose and thoroughly enjoyed stuffed calamari, dolmathes, bifteki, garides saganaki, and then for dessert galaktoboureko and ravani. How did I eat all that? Well, Mezes, which means “small plate” or appetizer in Greek, specializes in tapa style gourmet with the idea of sharing and socializing with fellow diners. My fellow diners just happened to include two young men who moved to San Francisco from Greece for school and are now working in the Bay. Nikos Sarilakis a 27 year old Online Marketing Manager for Sustainable Life Media found his way to Mezes with some friends and felt right at home. Stating Mezes was a place of comfort in a new life with no family or friends close by. Alexandros Trimis was my other fellow diner who is also 27 years old and moved to California two years ago to study at Stanford. Currently, Alex is working in Menlo Park as a Project Manager for oDesk, but he lives in the city and loves coming to Mezes monthly especially when there is live Greek music. After chatting it up with Alex and Nikos I quickly realized that Mezes was more than just a restaurant, but a meeting grounds for young Greeks who have come to the States, like an international hangout, a place to connect and make friends ...a home away from home ...a community.

Community has always been an important factor in the Maheras vision for Mezes and the restaurant has not only acted as a social network for native Greeks but has been proactive in helping many local causes. Mezes has hosted multiple receptions for a number of organizations and causes, such as “Fire Victims of Athenians” and “SF Education Fund” with all the proceeds benefiting each one. Many great things are happening on little Chestnut Street in the Marina District and we have not even heard the music. Patron, Katerina Prongos, a Greek American, is thrilled that a new session of live Greek music is starting up again and she claims the music is so powerful and passionate it draws her to singing on stage. Stating the music is “A real flavor of being Greek, it's great, like an energy force you feel from the music that is unexplainable.” Working at Coldwell Banker only three blocks away Katerina along with a group of co-workers have been regulars at Mezes for years, especially on live music nights. Every last Thursday of the month, Mezes will be having live music and the neat part is all the musicians are from Greece. Either visiting San Francisco for business or pleasure, whatever the reason being these Greeks find their way to Mezes prepared with a program to captivate and take the audience deeper into Greek culture. “A musical message from Greece, presented as it would be at the local Athenian bouzouki says,” Jimmy Consos, head of marketing and customer service at Mezes who also happens to be a fabulous bouzouki player. Jimmy is a regular musician for this program and arranges all the magic. He shared that they play a “classical mix of Greek pieces, 50's and 60's Greek cinema, and modern Athenian Style.” However you look at it, from any angle, whether food, community, or music, Mezes has a great deal to offer and is definitely a must for your next visit to the Bay. A cozy San Francisco restaurant nestled in the heart of the Marina District, but do not be fooled by the typically tinier urban size, this little restaurant is pulsing with life and excitement coming all the way from it's heartland in Greece.