A greek family restaurant that’s been delighting customers since 1959!
A family restaurant that’s second to none, Le Grec has been delighting customers since 1959 with its diverse menu of quality, affordable dishes, served up in a quintessentially Greek setting and decor. Customers are welcomed by servers in fustanellas, the ceremonial dress of Greek soldiers, a traditional touch that delights customers of all ages and makes Le Grec an experience not to be missed in La Mauricie. Diners from all over Quebec come to the restaurant in Trois-Rivieres for its excellent Greek cuisine and to try the special “Grec” pizza, famed for its secret recipe. Le Grec’s warm and welcoming atmosphere, always a hit with families, makes it the perfect place for casual dining.
Authentically Greek for three generations
Le Grec restaurant was founded in 1959 by Catherine Xenos and Jimmy Dedopoulos. Right from day one, the owners created a family-friendly atmosphere and catered to the needs of all their guests. Masters in the art of exceeding expectations, they shared their craft with Constant Yannopoulos, Jimmy’s nephew. Taking over the business in 1995, Constant upheld their fine tradition of putting customers first. The restaurant continued to delight customers and grew to be known as a local institution. When Constant retired in 2009, he handed over the reigns to his wife, Rachelle Montour, and their children, Ioanna and Dimitris Yannopoulos. Today, this trio heads up a staff of some sixty employees devoted to customer satisfaction and Le Grec’s philosophy of fine dining and service!
Panayotis, Le Grec’s woolly mascot
The first Panayotis was an early gift to cofounder Jimmy Dedopoulos and was to be served as part of a Greek Easter feast. But Jimmy took a liking to the animal and couldn’t bring himself to slaughter it! Instead, he named it Panayotis (Peter in English) in honour of the man who had brought him the gift, and made a home for it at the restaurant. Guests came to associate Le Grec with its woolly tenant, and Payanotis became the restaurant’s official mascot. Twenty-five sheep later, Panayotis is still a fixture at the restaurant and continues to charm visitors to this very day.
Inspiring environmental initiatives
In 2012, Le Grec forged new ground with two major environmental initiatives: a geothermal system and a composter. The geothermal system uses the heat under the earth’s surface to produce clean energy. Drawn from the fields around the restaurant, this renewable energy heats and cools the building and heats the restaurant’s tap water. The second system, a tumbling composter installed behind the restaurant, turns organic matter like food scraps and cardboard into compost used by local farmers. This decreases greenhouse gas emissions from waste transport and landfill disposal and allows the restaurant to recycle over 90% of its residual materials. Le Grec also treats its own wastewater, offers charging stations for electric vehicles, has LED lighting, and recycles plastic, glass, and metal. The forward-thinking, innovative spirit of the owners is readily apparent in all these moves. A true industry pioneer, Le Grec is one of the first restaurants in Canada to have implemented such a wide range of environmentally friendly systems. With the years of thought and planning behind these initiatives, Le Grec hopes to serve as a model and inspire other restaurants to go green.