A Top 100 Greek restaurant
Tarpon Springs, Florida
Cuisine Style: Greek
Average Price: $
Overall Rating: 2/5
Dined: June 2019
Updated: August 2019
Updated: 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:
Costas Restaurant Zomato rating:
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. It was also rated in the top 100 for Greek Restaurants by the National Herald. Though the score for this visit was lower than the first it was not because of the food quality or presentation. We had another great food experience here at Costa’s, though for a lunch visit, versus dinner the first time.
Costa’s Restaurant Menu:
- Appetizers
- Spreads
- Combination Appetizers
- Soups and Salads
- Vegetarian Dishes
- Costas Specialties
- Seafood
- Sandwich Specials
- Desserts
- Lunch Menu
- Children's Menu
- Breakfast
On our first visit (click here to read) in 2017 it was like having a real taste of the Greek Islands that started with the villager’s chicken tossed in peppers, onions, and feta with a red sauce over pasta, and the pastitsio which is a fancy name for a Greek lasagna with layers of macaroni, ground beef, and cheese topped with a creamy tomato sauce. Then not forgetting the soup, Greek salad, saganaki to yell out ‘Opa!’ Then some Greek wine and baklava dessert.
We began as we do most times when dining at a Greek restaurant and that is with an ‘opa’ of flaming saganaki cheese which is a surprisingly simple Greek recipe that takes its name from the pan in which it's made: The sagani, a two-handled pan made of many different materials. The cheese used for saganaki is either graviera, kefalograviera, halloumi, kasseri, kefalotyri, or a sheep's milk feta. With this starter, my wife had a glass of greek wine while I had a beer from Mythos Brewery introduced in 1997 and part of the Carlsberg Group.
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| Costas / Saganaki |
Our entree came with a Greek lemon chicken soup also known as Avgolemono soup made with a base of egg yolks as a thickener along with a salad. The taste had a lite lemon flavor, but a strong texture from the eggs, and soft chicken making for a well-rounded soup.
After that delicious soup was finished, we shared the lunch lamb gyro with pita bread, potatoes, vegetables, and Grecian Tzatziki sauce. The lamb was thinly sliced with lite spiced marjoram and oregano flavors. Overall it was a great lunch, and with an improvement in service, the score rating would have matched the same from the first visit.
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| Costas / Lamb Gyro |
Dessert:
We did not have dessert during this visit, but 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 Costa's 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
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary”
Other Tarpon Springs restaurants and articles on Wine Dine and Play:
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Waterside Bar, w/laid-back tropical atmosphere
Tarpon Springs
|
Gourmet Grilled Cheese and a bar in Greek Country
Tarpon Springs
|
A Few Florida Favorites:
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Relaxed waterfront seafood restaurant
Tierra Verde
|
Inside the Rivergate Tower
Tampa, Florida, USA
|
Upscale locally sourced seafood eatery with ocean views
Vero Beach
|
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary by country”
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 Costa's Restaurant a 2 out of 5 stars, meaning that they were far above the average dining experience of most restaurants but compared to the first review score was 3 of 5 stars, they did not exceed my expectations, as the customer service on this visit was far below the standards received from the first visit.
Scores are detailed in the factor chart below:
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings for Costa’s Restaurant
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Max Points Possible:
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Total Points Awarded:
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Total Points deducted:
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Ambiance
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11
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11
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0
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Food quality
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11
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8
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3
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Plate presentation
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11
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8
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3
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Customer service
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13
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7
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6
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Alcohol and other beverages
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8
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7
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1
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Total regular points awarded
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54
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41
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13
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Total percentage — less the Bonus
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0.759259259259259
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“Wow” factor BONUS
|
5
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0
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0
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Total bonus percentage
|
0
| ||
Total percentage and bonus for a final star rating
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0.759259259259259
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Stars Awarded (see chart below)
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0 - 5
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2
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**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:
|
2 of 5 Stars:
76% Rating with a 0 point “wow” bonus
Exceeded my Expectations in a Dining Experience
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Costa's Wine Rating:
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2 of 10
Old World selections:
Greece
New World selections:
California
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Corkage fees:
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Costas does not list any corkage fee’s however, most American restaurants charge $25.00 per bottle
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Restaurant-style:
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Casual dining
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Cuisine Style at Costas:
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Greek
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Gluten-Free, Local, Low Carb, Pescatarian, Vegetarian Options
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Reservations:
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Not Required
Walk-Ins:
Accepted, but not guaranteed
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Dress code:
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Casual attire
It’s Florida, everybody wears flip-flops!
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Child policy:
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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!
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Costa’s Experiences:
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A place for foodies, Great outdoor dining, Good for special occasions, Hole-in-the-wall, and a Neighborhood gem.
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Payments:
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Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
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Parking:
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A Public lot, Street meter parking
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Wifi:
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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.
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Noise level:
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Low
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Smoking:
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Costa’s is a nonsmoking restaurant, WARNING with a smoking patio
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Patio or terrace:
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Yes
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Food Prices
(excludes, alcohol, taxes & 20% gratuity’s)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricey)
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major travelers, restaurant, or wine connoisseur’s**
Currency:
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Price
|
United States Dollar (USD)
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$
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Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
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£
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Canadian Dollar (CAN)
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$
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Chinese Yuan (CNY)
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¥¥¥
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European Union (EUR)
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€
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Costa’s Restaurant:
521 Athens Street
Tarpon Springs, Florida
34689, USA
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
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Maître d or host:
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+1 727-938-6890
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Website Contact:
Email Us:
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Serving hours:
Eastern Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC - 5:00)
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Mon - Sun
11:00 am - 10:00 pm
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Social Media
And
Accolades for Costas:
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****
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…
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Medieval-style British cuisine banquet plus 2-hour dinner show
London, England, UK
|
California cuisine & fine dining chain
Orlando, Florida, USA
|
French & Canadian cuisine
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada
|
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| Costas restaurant / Mythos Beer |
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| Costas restaurant / Avgolemono soup |
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
