“Fitzrovia is one of the most competitive food markets in London.”
By Linus Rees
A new shop selling traditional Greek pies is opening in Fitzrovia this Friday. The Little Greek Pie Company is producing healthy Greek pies made on the premises from fresh ingredients. The shop will also serve fresh Greek-inspired salads and Greek yogurts with toppings that you choose yourself.
The shop is the creation of its owner Angelo Kleftakis who has taken his mother’s love of cooking and turned it into a small business. I tasted one his creations on Wednesday afternoon. Anglo served up a vegetarian pie slice for me to try. The crust is made from spelt flour and inside is a mix of feta cheese, wild rice and spinach. It was a very tasty snack and surprisingly nicer than a lot of the pies I had tried in Athens many times. It seems Angelo has not only imported a traditional Greek recipe but has improved upon it.
Competition is Fitzrovia is very strong with many cafes, restaurants and other food outlets struggling to survive. Many people consider Fitzrovia to have become a victim of its own success as parts of the neighbourhood are overpopulated with eateries and takeaways. There’s a danger that the local economy may lose its diversity and mix of uses.
However, there is a place for destination shops in Fitzrovia and filling an empty cafe with an attractive business adds variety and value to the area. Angelo relishes the challenges that Fitzrovia presents.
“Fitzrovia is one of the most competitive food markets in London,” says Angelo. “I wanted a crowd and customer base that loves to experiment with food.”
Listen to an interview with Angelo
The Little Greek Pie Company is at 22 Cleveland Street, London W1T 4JB and opens on Friday 25 March 2011. littlegreekpie.com