Fresh, authentic Greek food in the heart of Chichester – why Sussex is loving eating out at Apla Souvlaki

Grilled food, whether meat, fish or vegetables, is taken to the next level in Greece, where the smell of freshly cooking food sizzling on hot metal pervades the air, alongside the sound of crickets and the smell of wild thyme from the mountains.

For a taste of Greece, Apla Souvlaki is a recently opened 35-seater restaurant in Southgate, Chichester, which is already receiving rave reviews with a 4.5 rating on Trip Advisor.

Meet the family

It’s a big step for the couple behind the venture, Viktor and his wife Voula, who came to the UK from their native Athens, for a change of scene and to make a new life for themselves and their children, after spending more than two decades in the media industry.

“Voula is the chef,” says Viktor. “She was a fantastic cook at home so, during lockdown we left our jobs at Amazon and we thought let’s try doing some traditional Greek food to go. We like a challenge and we wanted an adventure!”

Three and a half years ago they began serving street food – pitta breads bursting with fresh salad and perfectly grilled meats, cheese and vegetables – from a trailer in Bognor Regis. This was the first Apla Souvlaki, which they will run in tandem with the restaurant which opened a few months ago.

Simple, delicious tastes

Apla translates as ‘simple’ and souvlaki is a popular take away, street-food dish found across mainland Greece and the islands.

Viktor says 98 per cent of the ingredients – apart from the vegetables – come from Greece including the bread, wine, beer and meat.

Souvlaki kebabs are beautifully seasoned chicken (and sometimes vegetables) grilled on skewers and served in soft, warm, bread with salad, zingy tzatziki and often a few chips too.

The food is where simple quality ingredients meet traditional cooking methods – and the result is mouthwatering food!

“What we offer is a small menu, because when you are doing a small number of dishes continually you are ensuring it is perfectly cooked every time. We believe simple things are the best – that means simple, but quality, ingredients.”

On the menu you’ll find three different salads, delicious bread stuffed with grilled meat or cheese, freshly fried chips, authentic cheeses and a changing dish of the day, such as traditional moussaka.

There are also sumptuous sweet treats for desert including cakes and pasties soaked in sweet honey syrup like baklava.

Reviews

One family who visited in April this year wrote on Trip Advisor: “As a lover of Greek food and just visiting Chichester for the day, this was a real bonus. We had chicken and pork skewers with the aubergine dip and pitta bread. The food was beautifully cooked and delicious. Generous helpings and enough bread to do justice to the aubergine. Warm hospitality, beautifully clean, good food and charming staff. Epharisto! We will come back.”

They gave it five out of five – as did another family who said: “Great service, food was superb, very clean. The mixed kebabs were excellent, the wraps the children had were awesome. We got some complimentary cakes for pudding and they were great also. Been here five times now and it’s been great on every visit.”

Whilst another five-star review said it was a great experience from start to finish, going on to write: “It was very tasty food with a unique blend on the chips and sauce. We ordered a bottle of wine to which came from a small family run business in Athens. It actually was a great bottle of wine and I would re purchase if I could. It made me happy to see someone promoting other small businesses and making another dream happen.”

Regular customers at the Bognor food trailer have also been regular visitors to the restaurant and Viktor says it’s always a delight to see familiar faces as well as welcoming new ones to this family-run diner.

Find out more

To find out more about the restaurant and takeaway services visit the website here and enjoy your meal – or kalí órexi, as they say in Greece!