Opa Greek Taverna

Opa Taverna is owned and operated by Costa Elles and Chris Tzaneteas.

The Opa story is best described in an article written by Penny Murdock for the Saint Mary's University Alumni Magazine, Maroon & White.

Saint Mary's alumni Elles and Tzaneteas had always envisioned the day they would be the owners of a Greek restaurant in downtown Halifax. And last June (June 2000), they were convinced the timing was right and that if they could offer people an authentic Greek dining experience, people would come. And they did.

They had been mulling over the idea for many years but they knew the local market wasn't ready. “The pubs were busy. The diner wasn't as sophisticated as they are today and I don't mean to insult anyone," says Tzaneteas. He explains that in today's global economy, people are doing business all over the world and are being exposed to a much more diverse cuisine" than in the past. "Today's dining customer expects a lot more. They have traveled and experienced what other cities like Toronto, Montreal and New York have to offer. They've gone to Greece. People's palettes are changing and they want more variety when they go out dining.

It was time for OPA: Located on the corners of Argyle and Blowers streets in downtown Halifax, Elles and Tzaneteas couldn't be happier with the reception Opa has received from customers. And with over 1500 customers coming through their doors every week, many of them more than once, that's a good indication of customer satisfaction. In fact to top it off readers of Coast Magazine voted Opa the best new restaurant in Halifax. Not bad for their first year in business and as owners of a restaurant in a market where there is a staggering amount of restaurants and bars for customers to choose from.

Opa signaled not only the launch of a successful restaurant but it took Eiles and Tzaneteas's friendship to a new level. Were they ever worried that charting new territory with their friendship might ruin what they had? Not for a moment they both reply without any hesitation.

"People asked us - 'are you guys sure you want to do this and risk ruining your friendship?' But that never concerned me at all," says Tzaneteas. "We've been friends for a long time and there have been many times we disagreed but at the end of the day our friendship is what matters most. Family and friends are what's important and we share this philosophy."

Calling their restaurant Opa was just one of the many decisions they eventually agreed on. Elles explains that there is no direct English translation, but that it is an expression that Greeks use when they are out for an evening with friends and having a good time.

Having a good time with friends is what their business is all about. The roots of this incredible friendship were formed at Saint Mary's where Elles and Tzaneteas first met. They are both from Toronto and came to Saint Mary's in 1980 to play varsity sports - soccer and football respectively. Former football coach Al Keith is the reason they are here in Halifax today.

Keith lured Tzaneteas to Saint Mary's, while playing high school football in Toronto. Elles's story is a bit less predictable. A year earlier, his father was posted to Halifax as minister of Halifax's Greek Church. Elles had remained in Toronto to finish high school. While Keith was in Toronto recruiting Tzaneteas, he phoned Elles after hearing from friends of his parents. "My parents were trying to convince me to follow them to Halifax at the time. So the football coach ended up recruiting me to play soccer at Saint Mary's."

But it was during their second year at Saint Mary's that Elles and Tzaneteas would become good friends. "During the first year, we pretty well kept to our own crowd football and soccer," says Elles. By second year; they were both working part-time at the Office (now the Argyle) as bartenders.

After graduating, Tzaneteas returned to Toronto where he worked as a sales representative for Sleeman's Brewery. A few years later, he received a call from a friend who gave him a reason to return to Halifax that was too good to pass up. The Office had burnt down and Tzaneteas was asked to help re-open the establishment. He was full of ideas from his time as a sales rep and only to pleased to return to Halifax. Eight years later, the Argyle is one of Halifax’s most successful establishments.

Elles had a varied career before joining Tzaneteas. He worked in a bank in Halifax; in marketing and sales for a fashion designer in Toronto and played professional soccer in Cyprus. But because he was born in Cyprus he was required to serve in the army for several years and that idea didn't appeal to him. So he returned to Halifax and enrolled training program, but the company went bankrupt before he finished and he was forced to find other work. He was eventually offered a job as a sales representative for Moosehead Breweries where he worked for 10 years.

Elles and Tzaneteas remained good friends over the years and patiently waited for the day they would open their first Greek restaurant in Halifax.

"We were visiting Toronto all the time and one of the things we used to do was visit all the Greek restaurants while we were there. We'd go and have a great meal and then come back to Halifax and say it’s too bad we can't get something like that here," says Elles. In late 1999, they felt the time had come.

"The biggest challenge was putting there business proposal that the that the banks would accept and then lend us the money," says Tzaneteas. "Gone are the days in this industry where you could open up by putting up a few tables and chairs and selling somebody a draft. People are now looking for a complete dining experience - the atmosphere, the food and the entertainment are all part of the package. We were confident we could do it."

They credit their business courses from Saint Mary's with teaching them how to put together an effective business plan. "The banks don't like lending money to this industry because for every 10 restaurants that open, eight of them close after a year. It's unfortunate that many people have this romantic notion of owning their own restaurant because you have to be prepared for everything else that goes into making it a success like the marketing and promotions, the management, and the accounting," says Tzaneteas. They say that Peter Fitzner, BA'90, of the Scotiabank was instrumental in helping them get the financing they needed to go ahead.

Elles and Tzaneteas both agreed that if they were going to make a go of it, then they had to think big. Space formally occupied by the Graduate had become available and could seat well over 100 customers comfortably."

While the space is large, they divided it into different areas creating several separate dining spaces. A large olive tree is the centerpiece of the restaurant. The uneven marble floors enhance the rustic outdoorsy feel. Blue and yellow paint is used to brighten several areas while large windows provide ample natural light in the main dining area. Working with the original character of the old building, they wanted to create an atmosphere that made you feel like you were dining in Greece.

“We were both passionate about this and I truly believe that under those circumstances it is difficult to fail,” says Tzaneteas. “I think it is a Greek thing – our entrepreneurial spirit is in our blood. I knew one day this was going to happen.”

But of course as with any new business, there have been a lot of personal sacrifices made. "You've got to be hands on to make it work as an independent restaurateur” says Tzaneteas. "We are not like a chain that has all sorts of management and support, we have to be here to watch our operation. Customers want to be taken care of. They want the personal touch. It's not a turn-key operation."

They say that Greek cuisine is often misunderstood. "It's not just donairs and souvlaki," says Elles. In fact, donairs are a Halifax creation. Real Greek food is about making meals out of what's available from the land. They explain that lamb is popular in Greece because the heat makes it difficult to raise cattle. Seafood, chicken, goat and quail are also part of the Greek diet.

"Our food is not spicy, as in hot, as people often I think, but it is full of herbs like oregano, basil and rosemary," says Tzaneteas. "One thing we have a lot of In Greece Is olive oil and of course it is also very beneficial to your health. We use only extra virgin olive oil in our cooking. There is a very Mediterranean feel to our food. And of course desserts are big."

Opa has been popular with Halifax's Greek community, which according to Elles and Tzaneteas is the biggest compliment they could receive. But because the local Greek community is relatively small (about 1200), they knew they would need to design the restaurant with the non-Greek customer in mind. So they are gradually adding new Items to their menu as the customers become more acquainted with the Greek cuisine.

And because Halifax is a relatively small market with lots of choices of where to eat, they needed to ensure that they had repeat business. "We have to see people back again and again and again. You can't get complacent and keep the menu and the wine lists the same. You have to be creative with your dishes and have lots of specials. People who have been here once will return looking for something more and we have to make sure we satisfy the customer," says Tzaneteas.

This past September, Elles took a short break from the restaurant to get married. "The joke is that I now have a wife and a husband (Tzaneteas)." Elles’s wife Beth is an OR nurse and they both have hectic schedules but they make sure they find time for each other.

Elles and Tzaneteas say they need to learn to walk first and then run, but they are already looking at some other business possibilities. "We're fine tuning this establishment and if we are going to grow we need to spend less and less time at each of our establishments, so we need to make sure we have good management programs in place, " says Tzaneteas. "This experience has shown us that Halifax diners want more and if you give it to them - good service and good food in a nice atmosphere, they are willing to try new things."