Ardie S.
Yelp
If you've been looking for the intersection of Greek and Austin weird, this is the place.
Santorini is set in a small strip-mall-of-sorts at an inconspicuous location on far North Lamar. From the road, you have to be searching for it or will pass it up, and Google Maps isn't particularly helpful in this regard.
The quirky non-identical architecture of each of the tenant buildings lends to a homespun look and adds to the weird vibe. Let's put it this way: you know you're not among the skyscrapers that typify modern-day Austin anymore.
We went to Santorini Cafe for the first time after a nearby movie at AMC Tech Ridge. It was mid-afternoon, so there were only a couple of tables occupied with those waiting for to-go orders and finishing meals. To be honest, it didn't have that lively, bustling feel to it. Only one friendly gentleman behind the counter waiting for us to make up our minds.
And there was a bit of a debate in eating here. The building seems shaped like an arrow pointing at the parking lot, so there's a central area for ordering and some seating, and two wings with more tables. Several of the tables were not bussed, and it didn't appear to be a "they just left" thing. After all, no one likes looking at food someone else left behind on a plate. Despite appearance and the initial misgivings it caused, we forged ahead.
So glad we did! We each ordered vegetarian plates (OK, this is when we were pretending we were on a diet, obviously) because it allowed us to sample a variety of their Greek food at a fixed price without ordering a la carte. It took us a bit to order because we asked many questions and were unfamiliar with Greek fare. They were patient, and so were we.
It took a little while to prepare, but, again, we were there at a lull in their business day. Everything we sampled was fresh and delicious. For our wait and first patronage, we were provided a sample serving of their dessert, which was a fried dough concoction much like a beignet but with a sweet sauce instead of powdered sugar.
Would I go back? Sure, if I was in the area and hankering for Greek food