Wine Dine and Play: Costas Restaurant

Costas Restaurant

Costas is a Greek Restaurant new the Sponge Docks in Tarpon Springs, Florida rated in the top 100 of best Greek Restaurants in the USA



June 2019 review  /  October 2017 review


Real Taste Of The Greek Islands
Tarpon Springs, Florida USA
Cuisine Style: Greek
Average Price: $$
Overall Rating: 3/5
Dined in October 2017
Revised: August 2019

By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
**A full article and index glossary of restaurants, wines, recipes and travel for 
Wine Dine and Play are in the pages section above, or by following these links:


Costa's Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato 









If you want to enjoy an authentic taste of the Greek Islands versus a lot of the other Greek restaurants out there, then at Costas Restaurant, located near the Tarpon Springs Sponge Docks is your place to find it. Their fresh seafood ranges from calamari, octopus, and a wide variety of fish, plus the Greek classics you are familiar with; Gyros, souvlaki, lamb, and of course stuffed grape leaves. They are open seven days a week, plus all day free parking so you can shop then dine or vice versa. A recent accolade to Costas which also adds more to their authenticity was being voted in the top 100 Greek Restaurants by the National Herald

Costa’s Menu:
    • Appetizers
    • Spreads
    • Combination Appetizers
    • Soups and Salads
    • Vegetarian Dishes
    • Costas Specialties
    • Seafood
    • Sandwich Specials
    • Desserts
    • Lunch Menu
    • Children's Menu
    • Breakfast
My wife found a Groupon for Costas prefix menu for two which came with either a bottle of wine or pitcher of beer, the choice of one appetizer, a Greek salad for two, then two entrees, and finally ending with a dessert shared for two. We started with a bottle of the Apelia Roditis, a dry un-oaked rosé, delicate with a lingering finish. Rhoditis is a pink-skinned Greek wine grape traditionally grown in the Peloponnese region of Greece. with the Apelia winery from Corinth. 

The menu was extremely large offering a great variety of classics and rare items, but as we had the Groupon we had to stick to that prefix menu being offered, which itself had lots of options to choose from.  From the appetizers, we had the choice of either homemade spanakopita, dolmades, tzatziki, skordalia, Feta Cheese with Kalamata Olives & pepperoncini, fried zucchini or eggplant with skordalia, and last but not least the item we chose was the flaming saganaki cheese - Can you say OPA!? 

The Opa! lighting of the saganaki cheese at the Costas Restaurant in Tarpon Springs, Florida
Costas Restaurant / Saganaki lighting
The Greek salad course is a very typical Greek style salad with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, olives, feta cheese, and peppers with the addition of being served over a scoop of homemade potato salad and topped with anchovies plus a homemade greek dressing. We also added a cup of Greek soup as an addition to the prefix menu.

The Greek Salad at Costas Restaurant in Tarpon Springs, Florida
Costas Restaurant / Greek Salad
For entrees, they had eleven selections to choose from to which my wife had the villager’s chicken with peppers, onions, and feta in red sauce over pasta.  The chicken was perfectly cooked and seasoned, coming with a large sum that had to be taken home.

A grek chicken dish at Costas restaurant called villagers, in Tarpon Springs, Florida
Costas Restaurant / Villager's Chicken
My entree selection was the pastitsio a fancy name for a Greek Lasagna with layers of macaroni, ground beef & cheese topped with a creamy tomato sauce.  

A pastitsio or a Greek lasagna at Costas restaurant near the Sponge Docks in Tarpon Springs, Florida
Costas Restaurant / Pastitsio Greek Lasagna

Dessert:
As part of the prefix we enjoyed the baklava with pistachio, filo dough, and sweetened with honey. Also, check out some of these wonderful selections from Wine Dine and Play: 




Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.


Other noteworthy Greek Cuisine articles and restaurants similar to Costas Restaurant:
Greek is a 4000-year-old style of Mediterranean cuisine and makes wide use of vegetables, olive oil, grains, fish, wine, and meat. Other important ingredients include olives, cheese, eggplant, zucchini, lemon juice, vegetables, herbs, bread, and yogurt. The most commonly used grain is wheat; common dessert ingredients include nuts, honey, fruits, and phyllo pastry.

Acropolis Greek Taverna Modern café-tavern chain with Greek eats; reviewed in St. Petersburg, Florida
Riverside Cafe An American & Greek Cafe on the banks of the Manatee River in Palmetto, Florida
Romano’s Greek and Italian Restaurant Casual Greek and Mediterranean dining in Brandon, Florida


See the whole list by visiting “The Wine, Dine, and Play Article Glossary”


Other Tarpon Springs restaurants and articles on Wine Dine and Play:

Waterside Bar, w/laid-back tropical atmosphere
Tarpon Springs
Gourmet Grilled Cheese and a bar in Greek Country
Tarpon Springs


A Few Florida Favorites:

Rustic New American Fare
St. Petersburg
 A top 20 on Wine, Dine, and Play
Old-world classic Italian & Mediterranean
New Smyrna Beach
Old School Rustic Tuscan
Gulfport















Final notes, review basics, observations and more pictures:
Most reviews are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsible, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience to the best of the writer's knowledge, even if it includes metaphors the restaurant may not like to read about. My ratings are by the stars I award (from 0 to 5). The rating is calculated on a point accumulation of six separate factors based on individual experience. They include wine and other beverage selections, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambiance, food quality, and wow factor. To see more details of this rating list, read this article:

Overall from this experience, and the score factors outlined in the ‘about page’ section, based on my individual experience and rating, I give Costas Restaurant a 3 out of 5 stars, meaning that they exceeded my expectations and were far above the average dining experience of most restaurants.
Scores are detailed in the factor chart below:

Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings
Max Points Possible:
Total Points Awarded:
Total Points deducted:
Ambiance
10
9
1
Food quality
9.5
7.5
2
Plate presentation
9
7
2
Customer service
8
6
2
Alcohol and other beverages
9
5
3
Total regular points awarded
45.5
34.5
10
Total percentage — less the Bonus

0.758241758241758

“Wow” factor BONUS
5
2
0
Total bonus percentage

0.043956043956044

Total percentage and bonus for a final star rating

0.802197802197802

Stars Awarded (see chart below)
             0 - 5
3

**A full break down and explanation of the observations and point disbursement is available in the linked article above. To receive a detailed copy of your score, feel free to contact me at any time and I will provide it to you.**

***

Overall Star Rating:
3 of 5 Stars: 
80% Rating with a 2 point “wow” bonus
An Extraordinary Dining Experience


Wine rating:
2 of 10
Old World selections: 
Greece

New World selections: 
California
Corkage fee’s:
This Restaurant does not list any corkage fee’s however, most American restaurants charge 
$25.00 per bottle
Restaurant style:
Casual dining
Cuisine style:
Greek
Allergen or dietary accommodations: 
Gluten-Free, Local, Low Carb, Pescatarian, Vegetarian Options
Reservations:
Not Required
Walk-Ins:
Accepted, but not guaranteed
Dress code:
Casual attire
It’s Florida, everybody wears flip-flops!
Child policy:


The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a kids menu or cater to them; however, for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended that kids not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette. 
If not then:
Hire a Babysitter! 
Experiences:
Place for foodies, Great outdoor dining, Good for special occasions, Hole-in-the-wall, and a Neighborhood Gem.
Payments:
Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
Parking:
A Public lot, Street meter parking
Wifi
The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
Noise level:
Low
Smoking:
Nonsmoking restaurant, WARNING with a smoking patio
Patio or terrace:
Yes




Food Prices 
(excludes, alcohol, taxes & 20% gratuity’s)

$£€¥ -                Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 -          51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 -          Over 100.00 (pricy)
$£€¥ x 4 -          Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 -          Over 400.00 (very expensive)


**Currencies reflect the world’s major travelers, restaurant, or wine connoisseur’s**

Currency:
Price
United States Dollar (USD)
$$
Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
££
Canadian Dollar (CAN)
$$
Chinese Yuan (CNY)  
¥¥¥¥
European Union (EUR)
€€

 Alcohol prices:

$40.00 USD



Costas Restaurant:

521 Athens Street 
Tarpon Springs, Florida 
34689, USA



Contact Information: 
Restaurant website:
Maître d or host:
+1 727-938-6890
Email:


Website Contact:
Serving hours:
Eastern Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC - 5:00)
Mon-Sun
11:00 am - 10:00 pm

Social Media 
Accolades:
Facebook link                





****
The worlds best restaurants is a subjective list of who is writing it and changes on a regular basis. The Wine Dine and Play best experiences are based on my highest rated stared restaurants, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. From cafés, chains, mom + pops, hole in the walls, to fine dining including a few Michelin spots. Visit the Top 100 page to see the entire list.


A few to tease you with…

An innovative and eclectic tasting menu
 Ripponlea, Australia

Innovative East Meets West Menu
Cape Town, South Africa
Haute French Restaurant
 Paris, France
(Now L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon)





Other Pictures:
Apelia Rhoditis Greek wine at Costas restaurant in Tarpon Springs, Florida
Costas Restaurant / Rhoditis


A Greek lemon chicken soup at the Costas Restaurant in Tarpon Springs, Florida
Costas Restaurant / Greek Soup


Who is John Galt?


TTFN







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