Settling in the Three Rivers City of Pittsburgh after a detour to New York on their way from Athens, brother-and-sister Tassos and Jo Fragkou and longtime friend Ellie Kousouli – Tassos’ wife – have seen their business sprout.
They call it the aptly-named Anthos Greek Bakery and Café, which is opening in the Castle Shannon area, said Next Pittsburgh, noting it’s a lot like its owners.
“It’s bright and open and welcoming to everybody,” said Kousouli – an offshoot of Anthos Foods which opened in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic as an online marketplace to share artisan Greek products like olive oil and honey.
Jo Fragkou married Devin Atchley, an American baker she met in New York and they all up and moved to Pittsburgh because the Fragkous had friends there. Kousouli’s father ran a food service operation in the 1960’s.
Besides traditional Greek pastries and other baked goods, Anthos will serve coffee from Brooklyn-based Devoción, specializing in roasting Colombian beans within 10 days, the only shop in the area selling it.
Sounds like a perfect match with baklava, or maybe galaktoboureko, and sitting with friends enjoying Greek-style hospitality.