Papa Cristo's
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 | |
| Industry | Restaurant |
|---|---|
| Founded | October 1948 |
| Founder | Sam Chrys |
| Defunct | May 4, 2025 |
| Fate | Closed |
| Headquarters | , |
| Owner | Chrys Chrys |
| Website | papacristos |
Papa Cristo's was a taverna-styled Greek restaurant and market located in the Byzantine-Latino Quarter across the street from Saint Sophia's Church Greek Orthodox Church in Los Angeles, California.[1][2]
Papa Cristo's was founded in October 1948 as an importing and exporting company bringing produce from Greece.[2][3] The company, which was initially called C & K Importing, was founded by Greek immigrant Sam Chrys.[4] In 1968, Sam Chrys's son Chrys carried on the business and opened a Greek restaurant in addition to the importing business.[3] Chrys eventually traveled across many different parts of Greece in order to attain a better understanding of Greek food and its specialties. In the 1990s, the taverna was opened. The restaurant used ingredients and foods brought directly from Greece through the importing company.[3] In 1990, the restaurant established a catering service which served the Greater Los Angeles area and Orange County.[3] In 2010, Chrys Chrys' youngest daughter Annie joined the management team, becoming the third generation of the family to run the business.[3] On May 4, 2025, Papa Cristo's permanently closed after 77 years in business, due to high rent.[5]
Restaurant
The restaurant featured a "My Big Fat Greek Family-Style Dinner" every Thursday night which included various types of entertainment including live bouzouki performances and belly dancing.[6][7] Due to its popularity, the event was usually sold-out.[6]
The restaurant served many different types of Greek food and desserts including:
- Chicken and lamb Gyros
- Souvlaki
- Loukaniko
- Falafel
- Tsipoura
- Kefta
- Oktapodakia (Grilled Octopus)
- Loukoumades
- Taramosalata (Greek caviar)
- Gigandes plaki
Market
The market included 3,000 imported goods from Greece such as frappé coffee, olive oil, various ouzo's spanakopita, feta and kasseri cheeses and tiropita.[8][9] The market also featured dozens of selections of imported Greek wine such as Retsina and Muscat from the island of Samos.[10] The market also featured many Ethiopian foods and products.[10]
Reception
In 2011, Papa Cristo's was awarded Best Greek Restaurant in Los Angeles by Zagat.[11]
It was considered one of the top 7 family styled restaurants in Los Angeles by ABC 7 news in 2007.[12]
In 2010, Los Angeles Magazine featured Papa Cristo's Roasted Lamb and Feta sandwich as one of the top 17 great sandwiches in Los Angeles.[13]
The food appearing in the 2002 film My Big Fat Greek Wedding and the 2003 CBS TV series My Big Fat Greek Life was provided by Papa Cristo's.[10]
Papa Cristo's was featured in the Los Angeles Times as one of "the most delicious deals you'll find around town."[14]
In June 2020, rapper Ja Rule made a commercial for Papa Cristo's as part of the TBS reality show Celebrity Show-Off. The commercial went viral on social media and helped to bring more business to the restaurant so it wouldn't fall victim to the COVID-19 pandemic.[15]
