Greek Restaurant Planned for Rite Aid Shopping Center

Pastries by Nancy in the Rite Aid shopping center atop Lake Avenue has been open 20 years but soon the space hopes to be serving up a lot more than baked goods and wedding cakes.

Owner Shawn Shakhmalian is Armenian but lived with Greeks and loves Greek food, so for him it was only natural to add a Greek restaurant to the bakery.

“This community needs something unique like that,” Shakhmalian told Patch, adding that there is not a good Greek restaurant in the area. 

The restaurant will not serve every Greek dish but have traditional items like kebabs, moussaka and dolmas and begin serving breakfast and lunch.

Shakhmalian said he will also use his Armenian heritage to “implement some things that are missing in Greek food.”

For instance, Armenian barbeque is much better than Greek barbeque, Shakhmalian opined. He is currently interviewing chefs.

Some American food will also be served for those guests who may come with a party and not be familiar with Greek food.

The new eatery will not require expanding the current bakery building but Shakhmalian plans to have an outdoor area with tables. 

If all goes well and the tables outside and inside are frequently full, the restaurant will expand into what is now the wedding cake consultation area in the back.

Outdoor live music is also a hope for the future.

To add a bit of Greek flair, a Greek scene will be painted on a wall and tables may be set with blue and white hues.

Shakhmalian hopes to have the Greek eatery open in about two months.

Check back on Patch for updates to this story.

What do you think of a new Greek restaurant opening at the Pastries by Nancy Space in the Rite Aid shopping center? What kind of eateries would you like in Altadena?