For Vancouverites longing for a trip to Greece, the adventure is now closer to home for them, especially lovers of Greek food, thanks to Loula's Taverna, which just opened in the Western Canada city.

It's the work of local restaurant veterans Yianni, Petro, Bill, and Niko Kerasiotis, Marco Mirisklavos, and John Pavlakis – the owners of Nammos Estitatorio, Sopra Sotto, and Minveras, respectively, wrote Vancouver is Awesome.

The taverna has been renovated to fill the space left by another and features Greek specialties from chef Manos Grammatikogiannis, along with contemporary cocktails for the sophisticated looking for a different flair.

The team said it was inspired by looking through old family albums to give customers a sense of Greek home cooking, featuring Mediterranean sea bass and Greek custard and cream ekmek for dessert.

“Back in the day, the dining culture in Greece was so wild and welcoming. We realized that we wanted to bring that to Vancouver and blend it with something fresh. And it was immediately clear to us that Commercial Drive was just the spot to do that in,” says co-owner Yianni Kerasiotis in a media release.