A friend asked me recently why Harrogate seems to be my second home when dining out. The answer was easy – the town offers a wide array of dining experiences. What’s more, the current cost of living crisis does not appear to have hit the Yorkshire spa town, with a new Greek restaurant – Pitta Star – opening in February.
Pitta Star in Harrogate
Situated on a corner of Bower Road, the restaurant and bar stand out like a beacon in the early spring sunshine – much like the Acropolis does on top of the hill in Athens, which seems quite an apt description as the owners of Pitta Star come from there, bringing with them over 20 years of experience working in traditional Greek restaurants.
Although this restaurant is small, the welcome is big and friendly. The freshness of the place, with its new tables, chairs and decoration made it feel as if it had received a spring clean. The building previously housed the Fabulous 50’s Diner until its closure after three years.
A Greek restaurant with something for everyone
The menu is a copious one, ranging from starters including calamarito falafel and Greek salads to mains of gyros, pitta wraps and traditional dishes such beef moussaka, lamb kleftiko and beef stifado. My lamb kebab wrap served with tzatziki, tomatoes, onions, and chips was not as greasy as you might think, with the combination of the fillings adding a real zest to the wrap. A pleasing touch was the dish being served on a warm plate.
My early evening dining slot meant that the restaurant was quiet upon my arrival. Thankfully, other diners soon started to arrive. As the restaurant becomes more established and the word gets out about how good and reasonably priced the food is, more customers should follow.
The dessert menu reads like one of those in places you come across on holiday where all the locals eat. Choices range from baklava –homemade Greek dessert with layers of filo pastry and walnut – to English choices like strawberry cake and cookies cake. Why you would go to a Greek restaurant and order something that you could eat at home is beyond me. It seems a bit of a waste. The option of galaktoboureko –a Greek dessert made with filo pastry filled with creamy custard – seemed a good one.
If you can imagine a moister version of an English custard vanilla slice, you would have a good idea of what this calorie-busting delight is like. A strong Americano coffee rounded off a good quality, filling meal complemented by friendly service.
Access for all
There are four steps to negotiate when entering the restaurant, which are quite shallow. There is a seating area outside on the flat, with tables and chairs, which is easily accessible for all.
Conclusion
I enjoyed this clean and inviting restaurant which offers something different in Harrogate. Hopefully the restaurant, which also provides a takeaway service, will become established over the coming months and become part of the fabric of the Harrogate dining scene.
Lamb pitta wrap £8.85, galaktoboureko £5.55, coffee £2.95
Pitta Star, 15A Bower Road, Harrogate HG1 1BE.
