Papa Cristo's

Papa Cristo's
IndustryRestaurant
FoundedOctober 1948 (1948-10)
FounderSam Chrys
DefunctMay 4, 2025 (2025-05-04)
FateClosed
Headquarters
Los Angeles, California
,
United States
OwnerChrys Chrys
Websitepapacristos.com

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]

History

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:

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]

See also

References

  1. ^ Το πάθος για το ποδόσφαιρο, το καλό φαγητό και τη ζωή ενώνει Έλληνες και Λατίνους σε συνοικία του Λος Άντζελες. Omogeneia (in Greek). Retrieved March 25, 2013.
  2. ^ a b Lurie, Joshua (November 1, 2007). "Papa Cristo's Taverna: Varied Doesn't Cover it at Greek Classic". Food GPS. Retrieved March 25, 2013.
  3. ^ a b c d e "History". Papa Cristo's. Archived from the original on March 23, 2013. Retrieved March 25, 2013.
  4. ^ "Papa Cristo's". Los Angeles Magazine. Archived from the original on February 25, 2013. Retrieved March 25, 2013.
  5. ^ Gomez, Elena (May 4, 2025). "Papa Cristo's, iconic Greek restaurant in Pico-Union, officially closes after 77 years in LA". KABC-TV. ABC Owned Television Stations. Retrieved September 13, 2025.
  6. ^ a b Virbila, Irene (June 16, 2005). "A big fat taste of Greece". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 25, 2013.
  7. ^ "Thursday night". Papa Cristo's. Archived from the original on November 22, 2011. Retrieved March 25, 2013.
  8. ^ Young, Daniel (August 18, 2004). "When the Greeks toss the demitasse; Ready to frappe? Take instant coffee, sugar and add cold water. Now shake for Grecian gold". Los Angeles Times. Papa Cristo's will mix up a frappe for you too.
  9. ^ "Wholesale". Papa Cristo's. Archived from the original on March 23, 2013. Retrieved March 25, 2013.
  10. ^ a b c Herman, Valli (February 25, 2004). "Loukaniko, meet the quesadilla; In the Byzantine Latino Quarter, Greek mainstays with an Ethiopian flair make room for Latin- influenced dishes". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 25, 2013. The taverna serves hard-to-find Greek specialties, and the catering side of the business produced the food featured in the TV series and indie hit "My Big, Fat Greek Wedding."
  11. ^ "5 Best Greek Restaurants in LA". Zagat. Retrieved March 25, 2013.
  12. ^ Monreal, Jane (September 11, 2007). "Top 7 Family Friendly Restaurants in Los Angeles". ABC. Archived from the original on April 11, 2013. Retrieved March 25, 2013.
  13. ^ "17 Great L.A. Sandwiches". Los Angeles Magazine. June 6, 2010. Retrieved March 25, 2013.
  14. ^ Baboujon; Brenner, Betty; Leslie (August 3, 2005). "20 of the most delicious deals you'll find around town". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 25, 2013.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  15. ^ "Ja Rule's Viral Gyro Commercial is Actually from a New TV Show". June 24, 2020.

34°02′51″N 118°17′59″W / 34.047433°N 118.299675°W / 34.047433; -118.299675

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