Paidakia, known as Greek lamb chops, at Barbayani in Los Altos. Courtesy Barbayani.
The blue-and-white decor paired with Greek fare like moussaka and souvlaki give diners at Barbayani, a new Greek taverna in Los Altos, the experience of the Greek isles on the Peninsula. Opened Sept. 30 by co-owners Dino Tekdemir and Allen Isik, Barbayani takes over the 388 Main St. location from the former Peruvian-inspired restaurant and lounge Flora.
“The lighting, the decor, the food, the dishes combine all together to feel like you’re in Greece,” said Tekdemir. “We brought Greece here to downtown Los Altos.”
Tekdemir says some favorite dishes include octapodi (octopus), lavraki marina (an open-faced branzino) and paidakia (lamb chops). Barbayani has both a lunch and dinner menu, with dessert offerings including sweets like baklava and yogurti. The restaurant also serves several different cocktails and an extensive wine list, with many wines from Greece. For the holidays, Barbayani is offering a Christmas menu and also plans to have something special for New Year’s Eve.
The space, designed by Isik, features white walls with balconies, doors and small Grecian sculptures in lighted niches. It accommodates 65 people indoors, 60 at an outdoor patio and 25 in a private dining area.
Tekdemir had been hoping to open a restaurant in Los Altos for some time, especially after his Greek restaurant in downtown San Jose, Nemea Greek Taverna, struggled after the pandemic to bring back customers, who were mainly office workers.
“Los Altos is the place I was always keeping my eye on,” Tekdemir said. “It’s a very strong neighborhood, nice community and great area.”
Barbayani is now Tekdemir’s fourth restaurant, joining the Turkish Anatolian Kitchen in Palo Alto and the Austrian Naschmarkt restaurants in Palo Alto and Campbell. Isik, who is also the executive chef, previously helmed Nemea Greek Taverna as well as restaurants in Istanbul where he’s from. He doesn’t just stay in the kitchen — guests can often find him in the dining room, making sure everyone is getting the right meal and enjoying their experience.
So far, Barbayani has been a hit. In October, they were seeing 100 people a day, according to Isik, and reservations usually fill up on weekends. They already have loyal customers who come in a few times a week.
“We got very strong support from the community and everyone’s happy that we’re there,” Tekdemir said.
Barbayani, 388 Main St., Los Altos; 650-405-6087, Instagram: @barbayanitaverna.
