Review: Nia’s Greek Restaurant

Restaurant Owner Spyros Mouzakitis opened the first Greek restaurant in Sweetwater. We sampled 5 of their menu items, and fell in love with each of the distinct flavors introduced by appetizers with exotic names like Tzatziki Dip, a Yogurt and Cucumber Dip that makes the soft pita bread taste even better than it already does, and Souvlaki, marinated pork on a stick, in which juicy, tender meat falls off of the stick with the slightest bite (similar to “Pinchos” or pork kabobs, one of the best foods ever invented).

The Dolmades, or Stuffed Grape Leaves, are easily one of the best tasting you can find in South Florida, at a price of $2.75 which is near impossible to find in South Florida. This is a healthy and tasty appetizer with a tangy, distinct flavor you can only find in fresh grape leaves wrapped around a rice stuffing. All of their cold sides and appetizers had fresh ingredients, which is a major plus and rare to find in this part of Sweetwater. According to the owner, they are careful to always use fresh ingredients in their food.

Their menu has all of the main dishes you would expect from an authentic Greek place, with appetizers like Shrimp Saganaki, to Souvlaki and Gyros. They also serve three varieties of burgers: Hamburger, Bacon Burger and Greek Feta Burger. Although they serve pizza, we did not get a chance to try it.

One appetizer caught our eye, Greek Fries: a mountain of french fries covered with Greek feta cheese and diced tomatoes. The creamy and salty flavor of the feta cheese complemented the fries very well, but we warn you, this dish is large and serves at least two adults. The french fries, although tasty, made this dish one of the least-healthy items on the menu.

We liked the Greek salad, having the traditional lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, green peppers and a large slab of Greek feta cheese. This, along with the Tzatziki Dip and Seasoned Pita Bread would make a healthy yet satisfying lunch.

One of the biggest reasons we rated this place so highly was because of the prices and hours. Prices for menu items are very inexpensive, ranging from $1.25 for pita bread and $2.75 for Dolemades, to $8.00 for fried calamari and $9.95 for a large Greek salad. Prices go up for add-ons like gyro slices or chicken.

We love the hours, they’re open from 7:00 A.M. until Midnight Sunday through Friday, and Saturdays from 7:00 A.M. until 3:00 A.M. Sunday. This makes it one of the few places open late at night near FIU that serves fresh food not ethnically-Hispanic and priced at a budget that even a college student with a fast-food budget can afford. Being located inside of a gas station also gives it an added level of convenience not found in a place open that late.

Nia’s Greek is a casual eating establishment located in a surprising location, a Citgo gas station (one of the few gas stations in the south corridor of 107th avenue in Sweetwater nearing FIU). The location is one of the busiest points of traffic in all of Sweetwater. Walk into the location and your ears will hear exotic Greek music with a dance-worthy beat.

The owner is a friendly man with an inviting personality, Spyros Mouzakitis. A native of Corfu, an island in Greece, that emigrated to the United States in 1994, Spyros does the cooking and food prepping, greets customers and warmly engages with locals that barely speak English.

This is his second South Florida location, with the first Greek restaurant located in North Miami. “I love this country. What has happened in my life, is [because of] this country. I opened the restaurant [initially] for my construction clients,” said Mouzakitis, “Everybody likes Greek food, I said, why not open a Greek restaurant.” He is planning a third Florida location in Tampa.

“Everything is fresh.. The price is very good.. What I have in my life, it’s because of my customers.” The restaurant owner described his passion for providing a high-quality product while helping those facing poverty and hunger, something rare among restaurateurs in West Miami-Dade. “I love to help people. I come from a poor family, and I’ve never stopped remembering how we lived before. I’m trying to be honorable and help people. People come here at times and can’t pay, with nothing to eat for days, and I say, don’t worry.” Mouzakitis currently employs one FIU student and resident 109 Tower that majors in political science with future dreams of law school. He is looking to employ another person to handle the cash register duties.

Nia’s Greek is a no-frills Greek eatery with a limited seating area, great customer service, authentic Greek menu items, convenient hours and an affordable range of prices. A must try!

Rating: [yasr_overall_rating]

Name: Nia’s Greek 
Address: 10715 S.W. 6th Street, Miami, FL 33174
Phone: 786-781-4192
Prices: $1.25 – $9.95+
Accepts Major Credit Cards
Owner: Spyros Mouzakitis