Great Greek restaurant opens Waukesha/Brookfield location, the first in Wisconsin
A newcomer Greek restaurant — whose business sign along Moreland Boulevard has tantalizingly stood for months — has finally ended the long wait for Mediterranean food-craving patrons.
The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill has opened, and will hold its grand opening Monday, May 12, at 21481 E. Moreland Blvd. in the Town of Brookfield (but mere feet outside of the City of Waukesha) in a two-restaurant strip mall adjacent to Walgreens just west of Kossow Road.
The franchise location has been long in coming. A finished sign on the building was erected in late 2024, followed by a marquee sign, but with no hint of an opening date. But with a Facebook announcement April 21, the business began welcoming customers with a mix of promotions and menu introductions during a soft-open period.
"We're still learning, but I think we're going to be alright," Ayan Khurram, the store's general manager, said May 1 as a small crowd gathered for an early dinner rush.
Menu items include Greek specialty appetizers such as dolmades, tzatziki and melitzanosalata; standard a la carte items such as gyros and Greek salads; entrée plates, including a souvlaki or gyros; desserts, including baklava; and a children's menu. A full menu, available also for online orders, is available on the local restaurant's website.
Khurram said the chain takes extra care to offer a quality taste, especially for their spiced gyro meat. "We're really proud of this," he said, adding that the pitas are supplied by restaurant supplier Sysco using Great Greek's recipe.
The business is open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
According to the corporate website, Nick Della Penna, a real estate investor and Trent Jones, a three-decade restaurant veteran, were next-door neighbors in a Las Vegas neighborhood who drew inspiration from a local Greek establishment for sale. In 2016, they set up the first Great Greek Mediterranean Grill, quickly expanding to three locations.
A franchising partnership with United Franchise Group soon followed. As of the end of 2024, the chain had dozens of locations spread over 18 states. The Town of Brookfield location, listed as Waukesha East by the company, is the first in Wisconsin. More may be coming under the same franchisee.
"They're opening five of these here in Wisconsin," Khurram said.
Contact reporter Jim Riccioli at james.riccioli@jrn.com.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Great Greek Mediterranean Grill opens in Waukesha, Brookfield area
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