Blu Kouzina: Greek Cuisine on St Armands Circle

 

My favourite restaurant on St Armands Circle is Blu Kouzina, a truly wonderful Greek taverna run by co-owners Chef Effie and Dennis Tsakiris, "founded from our family’s love of sharing our native Greek and Mediterranean cuisine with family and friends,” says Dennis. “We want our guests to feel like they are in Greece, but most importantly, we want them to feel like they are entering an extension of our family home." The interior, drawn from the traditional blue and white palette of a beach taverna, is detailed with whitewashed furniture and nautical accents. Serving traditional and modern Greek dishes and using the freshest seasonal ingredients, the menu features Moussaka, Souvlaki, and Roast Lemon Chicken in addition to lighter tapas-style dishes like spanakopita, zucchini fritters and dolmades and entrées including fresh grilled Greek sardines, octopus and a selection of grilled whole fish. By marrying the owners passion for the food of their native Greece, and their warm welcoming hospitality and personalized service, Blu Kouzina is like a bold breeze off the Aegean Sea — a little gem on Sarasotas's culinary scene.

The nautical themed entrance wall of Blu Kouzina

The blue and white Greek taverna-style interior with whitewashed furniture

Warm homemade rolls 

Olive oil made from Chef Effie and Dennis Tsakris's family-owned estate 

in Messinia with over 3000 olive trees

2022 white wine from Santorini recommended by our server from the extensive Greek wine list

Santorini's volcanic soils and windswept vineyards combine to create 

lovely white wines like this one

Cold and refreshing Theoni natural spring water bottled straight at the Goura Spring 

in the Agrafa mountains in Greece 

Blu Kouzina open kitchen

Saganaki topped with sweet fig jam, served golden and crunchy with a gooey Kefalotiri Pisto 

melted cheese interior, and served piping hot

Keftedes made with ground beef and served with tzatziki

Kolokithokefitedes: Zucchini Fritters

Lamb chops with Greek lemon-roasted potatoes and flash fries julienned vegetables

Whole grilled Branzino

Traditional Greek Orange Cake with Baklava

Co-owners of Blu Kouzina Chef Effie and Dennis Tsakiris

blukouzina.com/us