"A new Greek fine dining restaurant, Simi Estiatorio, is heading to downtown Austin, bringing Mediterranean seafood flown in daily. The restaurant will be located at 601 Congress Avenue, taking over the space of long-closed pizza restaurant Due Forni in the Littlefield Building, opening in early 2020. Simi will focus mostly on seafood, with a menu that includes grilled octopus, seafood orzo, and whole fish. The restaurant will also have a full bar, as well as over 200 kinds of wine, with an emphasis on Greek and American. The restaurant will open with dinner service, adding lunch and brunch later. For the large, 5,000 square-foot interior, expect a lot of white: whitewashed walls, white upholstery, and bleached-wood accents. The restaurant interior will hold 150 people, with room for an additional 60 on the patio, which will open later in the spring. The name is a reference to an island in Greece, and estiatorio is Greek for “restaurant.” The owner/operator of Simi is George Theodosiou, who worked in New York at steakhouse standbys Peter Luger Steak House and The Old Homestead as well as the Avra Group, which is behind Greek restaurant Avra Estiatorio." - Erin Russell
