Melina
Greek restaurant · North Bethesda ·
Modern Greek eatery with veggie-forward dishes & specialties
Modern Greek eatery with veggie-forward dishes & specialties
"As a surge of Greek restaurants continue to open in D.C., Cava group’s contemporary ode to the idyllic Mediterranean country continues to impress Pike & Rose diners four years in. Aris Tsekouras helms its open kitchen after years cooking in upscale eateries in Greece, bringing a passion for homemade breads and tangy cheeses. A year-round bounty of fresh vegetables are celebrated on the table, as is slow-roasted lamb neck kleftiko, cheese pie, grilled octopus, beef tartare, stone crab bucatini, and portobello mushroom souvlaki. The team expanded in the complex this spring with the opening of dimly lit Mediterranean steakhouse Bouboulina. Vibe check: A stucco interior framed with wooden beams feels like a Grecian getaway." - Tierney Plumb
"At Melina, the cozy Old Fashioned is smoked tableside with Basil Hayden bourbon whiskey, thyme pomegranate brandy, and orange bitters. Another options is the Bouboulina, which features Ilegal Joven mezcal, roasted beets, lime, honey, and fennel." - Vinciane Ngomsi
"As a surge of Greek restaurants continue to open in D.C., Cava group’s contemporary ode to the idyllic Mediterranean country continues to impress Pike & Rose diners two years in. Aris Tsekouras helms the kitchen after years cooking in upscale kitchens in Greece, bringing a passion for homemade breads and tangy cheeses. A year-round bounty of fresh vegetables are celebrated on the table, as seen in a gem-hued beet salad accompanied by yogurt, pickled blackberries, smoked walnuts, carob, and basil. Other lunch and dinner highlights include slow-roasted lamb neck kleftiko, cheese pie, grilled octopus, beef tartare, stone crab bucatini, and portobello mushroom souvlaki. Kick off weekend brunch with a crowd-pleasing mezze plate of smoked salmon, soft-boiled organic eggs, sourdough Koulouri bread, tarama cream, and smoked trout roe." - Tierney Plumb, Eater Staff
"Named after the daughter of Cava co-founder and chef Dimitri Moshovitis, Melina’s modern Greek menu showcases salads, meze, skewers, fresh tuna crudo, and mains like braised short rib with creamy orzo, thyme, and mizithra cheese. The Pike & Rose complex, also home to the team’s French brasserie Julii, will add an American steakhouse sibling called Bouboulina next year." - Tim Ebner
"Arriving Monday, November 22 at North Bethesda’s Pike & Rose, Melina is the highly anticipated contemporary Greek restaurant from the ever-expanding Cava group. Aris Tsekouras helms the kitchen after years cooking in upscale kitchens in Greece and brings a passion for baking fresh bread; Greece’s mild climate and bounty of fresh vegetables are celebrated on the menu, with vegetables often taking center stage. I saw roasted gem-hued beets served alongside yogurt, pickled blackberries, smoked walnuts, carob, and basil; simple fingerling potatoes fried to a light crisp then paired with tzatziki, feta cream, thyme, and cured egg yolk; and heirloom carrots roasted to deepen their sweetness and served with smoked Manouri cheese, spiced granola, and pickled raisins. Vegetables also lead the maitake mushroom “souvlaki” with smoked graviera cream, hazelnuts, cured egg yolk, and truffle balsamic dressing. Meat and seafood receive similar attention: tender slow-roasted lamb neck is boosted by salty, nutty Kefalograviera cheese plus roasted peppers, grapes, tomatoes, parsley, and pickled onions and is served with pita baked at the restaurant, while a visually striking beef tartare comes with lemony avgolemono foam, cabbage, wild fennel, and egg yolk. The restaurant is named for co-owner Dimitri Moshovitis’s daughter—Melina, which echoes the Greek word for “honey”—and that ingredient appears throughout the cocktails, including the Honey Bee Blossom (vanilla vodka, peach cranberry, honey syrup, bee pollen, and citrus) and the Bouboulina (smoky mezcal, roasted beets, lime, honey syrup, and fennel). The light-drenched, 3,593-square-foot space features floor-to-ceiling windows and a Koroneiki olive tree as the main focal point, seats 80 with an additional 10 at the bar, is located on the ground level at Pike & Rose, and will be open Sunday–Thursday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday." - Stephanie Carter