A new taverna has taken over the Austin Boulevard space that once housed Aura Modern Mediterranean, and on a recent weekday night it was already packed. Yalos Greek Taverna, now open at 4338 Austin Blvd. in Island Park, is serving up whipped fish roe dip, twice-baked barley rusk salads, and a raw bar stocked with fish imported from Greece that arrive daily — a full pivot away from the broader Mediterranean fusion menu that came before it.
The restaurant is the latest venture from restaurateur Panagiotis Kambitsis, who according to Newsday also owns Pappa Gallo, Mojo and Sugarberry Bakery Cafe, all clustered nearby in Rockville Centre. Kambitsis told the outlet that the fish at Yalos arrive daily, and described the concept simply: “Greek is Greek.” The shift represents a deliberate move toward authentic, single-origin Greek seafood, a departure from Aura's wider Greek-and-Italian fusion approach at the same address, per the same account.
A Raw Bar Featuring Fish From Greece
Yalos's raw bar centers on lavraki, or European sea bass, and tsipoura, gilt-head sea bream — both cornerstone species in traditional Greek coastal cooking that are imported from Greece and arrive each day, the article notes. Kambitsis has said the sourcing lets South Shore diners skip the drive to the North Shore or to Astoria, Queens, destinations he previously traveled to himself for authentic Greek seafood, per the same account.
The menu also leans into shareable spreads. Pikilia, a $22 platter offering six options built around three core spreads, appears alongside taramosalata — whipped fish roe blended with lemon and olive oil — as well as skordalia, melitzanosalata and the classic village salad, horiatiki.
The Rural Roots of a $21 Salad
One of the menu's signature dishes, dakos, traces back to a traditional Greek recipe used by rural farmers who rehydrated twice-baked barley rusks with olive oil and tomatoes as a way to preserve bread over long stretches of time, according to Newsday reporter Andi Berlin. At Yalos, the $21 version tops that rehydrated barley rusk with fresh tomatoes, feta and capers, echoing the original farmhouse formula.
The dining room itself has an upscale, club-like feel, with a spacious layout and a mural depicting a Greek seaside resort town on one wall. Kambitsis is importing tables and other furniture directly from Greece to complete the look, and the restaurant has kept on many of the servers who worked under Aura's previous ownership.
Wine List and Pastries Round Out the Concept
Yalos pours from a wine list nearly 40 bottles deep, entirely Greek, with prices ranging from $55 up to a 2004 Terroir Nemea Agiorgitiko at $210. Dessert duties fall to Sugarberry Bakery Cafe, the Rockville Centre bakery under Kambitsis's ownership that supplies Yalos with rotating Greek pastries; Sugarberry operates seven days a week until midnight at 312 Sunrise Highway.
Yalos is the newest venture from Kambitsis. He opened Mojo RVC at 300 Sunrise Highway in Rockville Centre in 2022, a Latin American fusion and nightlife spot that followed an earlier 2019 debut in Forest Hills, Queens, according to Greater Long Island. In 2023 he opened Pappa Gallo, an upscale Peruvian restaurant and lounge at 273 Sunrise Highway, with Emmanuel Piqueras as executive chef, as reported by Newsday. Realtors said in November that Kambitsis had also leased an 1,800-square-foot space across from the Lynbrook LIRR station for a forthcoming café called Coffee Lobby, according to Patch.
According to the New York State Comptroller, taxable restaurant sales had returned to pre-pandemic levels as of the sales tax year ending 2023, offering broader context for the local opening.
Long History on a Busy Restaurant Row
The Address Before Yalos Before Yalos, the address at 4338 Austin Blvd. was home to Aura Modern Mediterranean.
Kambitsis's ties to the South Shore go back further than his restaurant openings. During the early days of COVID-19 dining restrictions in March 2020, he organized meal and coffee donations from his bakeries and eateries to emergency room staff and first responders in Rockville Centre and Oceanside, personally delivering food to workers at Mercy Medical Center and Mount Sinai South Nassau, according to the LI Herald.
Yalos Greek Taverna is open from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and from 4 p.m. to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. The restaurant can be reached at 516-208-7535 or through its website, yalostaverna.com.
