Mykonos Street Grill

Chef Aki Hatzistamatis was born into the restaurant business. From age 12, he worked in his father’s restaurant Mykonos Greek Restaurant on Centre Street North until it closed in 2011. Aki worked his way through various positions in the family-run restaurant, eventually ending up in the kitchen learning the family recipes. Business partner and wife Ebony Gooden is a Black deaf artist, filmmaker and activist, committed to making their eatery a space that is accessible to the deaf community, while educating other eateries on doing the same. Together, the pair opened Mykonos Street Grill last year in Fresh & Local Market & Kitchens, formerly Avenida Food Hall, with a limited menu testing out tried and true family favourites from former restaurant days. Aki does the prep, cooking and recipe development while Ebony runs the front counter, does the marketing and assists where needed. Opening during a pandemic is not for the faint of heart, and this dynamic duo manage to keep costs down by shopping smart for ingredients and keeping the menu small while focusing on day-to-day operations.