
First Take: In the world of Mediterranean eats, you’ve got a variety of countries to choose from. But for many of us when you think Mediterranean, you think Greek. And thankfully, long-time Greek restaurant favorite Taverna Agora, recently moved to downtown Raleigh bringing excellent Medi fare to the area. Plus a lot more, read on my friend!

Located right next to Second Empire, the first thing you’ll notice about the new Taverna Agora is the space. Covered patio up front, large bar area, two main dining rooms and then stairs leading up to a beautiful roof-top patio! There’s tons of room to stretch out here even if the place doesn’t look that big from the front. The place is bustling since they just opened up and are still in the process of training staff for the front of the house.

I grab a seat at the bar and hang loose, Taverna Agora has a small list of NC beers so I order up a Deep River watermelon ale. The menu at Taverna Agora is medium sized with the usual Greek favorites: salads, grape leaves, gyros, tzatziki sauce and more.

I go with a pork souvlaki pita with fries at a very reasonable $9. And the sandwich is great, charred pork cubes in a nicely toasted pita with plenty of fresh veggies and sauce! The fries are also fantastic, well fried with skin-on and a slight spicy rub.

After lunch I pop up the stairs to check out Taverna Agora’s amazing patio! Turquoise and white motif, hanging flower baskets and ceiling fans, it’s got a great, bright feel. And perfect for a leisurely lunch or quick drink. They’ve done a fantastic job here with the design and decor for their large space.

So so far, so good Taverna Agora! I never made it to your N. Glenwood location but I’m pretty certain I’ll be popping in from time to time into this lovely spot. Because you can’t go wrong with deliciously healthy Greek fare with cool ambiance. Definitely check out the new Taverna Agora on Hillsborough Street, I’m pretty sure you’ll love it.