LODI, NJ – Michael Tolos found himself out of work at a New York restaurant in 2020 when COVID-19 lockdowns were closing a lot of eateries but as the Greek saying goes, “all obstacles are for good,” and it was for him.

Sometimes, to be comfortable, you must be uncomfortable,” he said, so when that door closed behind him and opened when he started Jersey Gyros in Lodi, New Jersey, bringing a distinctive Greek touch to the menus.

“I always had this vision in the back of my head of opening my own restaurant,” he told Best of NJ, and while the name says gyros there’s a wide array of Greek favorites, his family taking part in the venture of 100 percent authentic recipes.

His mother other makes the desserts from scratch; as well as menu items such as spanakopita and stuffed grape leaves. “We implemented the concept of make less more often,” he said. “We use that concept so everything can always be fresh.”

There’s everything from spicy feta to hummus, eggplant and mint yogurt. “I brought my culinary touch to certain things,” he said. Like the gyros.