Tucked in Dallas’ palatial Crescent hotel development is a new Greek restaurant called Avra Estiatorio that’s so big, managers gave names to each of the meandering rooms.
Can’t picture it, even though Avra is one of the most high-profile restaurants to open in Dallas in 2025? Before Avra’s New York City-based owners launched a project to open one of the only high-end Greek restaurants in Dallas today, this corner of Crescent Court was a series of nondescript offices and a bank.
“We kept asking for more space,” said Nick Pashalis, one of three partners who has expanded Avra from New York to Beverly Hills, Calif., Miami and Dallas.
Space they got. Avra is about 14,000 square feet, with room for 350 people. The name means “sea breeze” in Greek, said general manager Jonathan Tsatsoulas, and the restaurant’s rooms are filled with faux greenery and neutral shades of cream and tan. A glassed-in wine cellar greets guests who walk through the front door, facing the hotel. Two more glassed-in dining rooms flank Cedar Springs Road.
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The restaurant is intended to be an upscale place to eat healthful food like Greek salad, oysters, octopus and whole fish. It opened in early September 2025.
Grilled octopus at Avra in Dallas is tossed with with vidalia onions, capers, bell peppers and red wine vinaigrette.
Shafkat Anowar / Staff Photographer
We can already picture the restaurant brimming with executives at dinnertime. Business lunches could be popular too, but Avra is not open midday yet. (Soon, Avra will serve a three-course power lunch, the GM said.)
“We fill a niche for people trying to dine in an elegant setting, eating food that is not only delicious but also good for you,” Tsatsoulas said.
Talk to the owners, as The Dallas Morning News did, and they’ll ardently list the ingredients imported from Greece, Spain and more. Co-owners Nick Pashalis and his cousin Nick Tsoulos were raised in the Greek village of Nafpaktos. Avra is inspired by the fish and vegetables they grew up eating — but, decidedly, fancier.
Greek restaurant Avra Estiatorio opened first Texas restaurant
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What kind of fish do you like? Servers will explain a dozen or more options at Avra in Dallas.
Shafkat Anowar / Staff Photographer
Diners will be encouraged to get up and look at the raw bar, which shows off fish that might be new to some Dallasites. Lavraki, tsipoura, fagri, lithrini and barbounia are among the whole fish offerings beside more familiar names like branzino, turbot, snapper and sea bass. Servers might ask how many people will be sharing the whole fish or what kind of flavor or texture each diner prefers. It’s like picking wine, but for fish.
Then diners are given three more choices: Do you want your whole fish served raw, as sashimi; charcoal grilled; or salt crusted?
We’re spending a lot of time on the whole fish, and that’s because it’s the thing to order at Avra.
“It’s an experience,” Pashalis said.
Avra Chips are thinly sliced zucchini and eggplant chips.
Shafkat Anowar / Staff Photographer
The Avra chips are also a hallmark of the restaurant. They’re made of sliced zucchini and eggplant, fried and stacked tall. Other menu items include seven options for sashimi or crudo, caviar by the ounce and several steak, lamb and chicken entrees. Seafood dishes include lobster pasta, shrimp with eggplant potato mousaka, and Chilean sea bass plaki — which means it’s baked in olive oil, tomatoes and fish broth. It’s one of Tsoulos’ favorites.
Tsatsoulas makes a promise that is hard to keep in Dallas, but possible:
“We’ve got stuff you won’t find elsewhere.”
Avra Estiatorio is at 300 Crescent Court, Dallas. Valet and self-park available. Reservations recommended. Dinner only, for now.