Turlock has a new spot for gyros and souvlaki. Nick the Greek opened a fast-casual restaurant at 2870 W. Monte Vista Ave. in the Monte Vista Crossings shopping center, marking the chain's fourth location in Stanislaus County and its ninth across the Central Valley.
The restaurant, which held its grand opening on Aug. 27, is owned and operated by franchisee Jerry Ajlouny along with Zaid Smair, according to smb.irontontribune.com. Ajlouny's path to ownership started small: he said he began as a cashier and grew through franchising, eventually joining the Nick the Greek system in 2017 before taking on the Turlock shop, as reported by the Turlock Journal. He now owns Nick the Greek locations in Modesto, Riverbank, Livermore and Castro Valley, and per the same account, he's considering purchasing additional locations.
Smair, who operates the Turlock restaurant, met Ajlouny when both were living in Texas, per the Turlock Journal. Smair holds a degree in computer animation and previously worked for Mercedes-Benz and Apple before joining the Greek street-food business. He said the Turlock location will become known for excellent customer service, while Ajlouny said the restaurant aims to engage customers, explain the menu and meet their needs.
What's on the Menu
The Turlock restaurant serves gyros, souvlaki, rice bowls, salads, fries and desserts, with gyro meats cooked on a traditional vertical rotisserie and charbroiled souvlaki skewers, according to qsrmagazine.com. Diners can choose from gyro varieties including beef/lamb, beefteki, chicken, falafel, pork belly, steak, burger and veggie, all wrapped in made-fresh-daily pita bread, per the Turlock Journal. The menu also includes Gyro Box, Athenian, Spartan and Olympus party combos for group orders.
For dessert, the shop offers baklava, frozen yogurt and loukoumades, the Turlock Journal notes. The Turlock restaurant is open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., according to the same Iron Ton Tribune report.
A Central Valley Growth Streak
Turlock's new restaurant fits into a broader Central Valley rollout. Nick the Greek opened in Riverbank in 2023, Ceres in 2024 and Modesto in 2025, per the Turlock Journal, following the Modesto location's initial announcement for Wood Colony Plaza at 3900 Pelandale Ave. as reported by modbee.com back in October 2024. The chain also opened a Tracy restaurant at 2970 W. Grant Line Road, its second San Joaquin County location, and a second Stockton restaurant following a 2025 debut in that city, according to franchising.com.
Nick the Greek was founded by three cousins named Big Nick, Little Nick and Baby Nick Tsigaris, opening its first restaurant in San Jose in 2014, per the Turlock Journal. The chain's origins carry some conflicting detail: the Turlock Journal states the brand was founded in 2012, while the Iron Ton Tribune account says it was established in 2014. Franchising began in 2019, and YTG Enterprises acquired the company in late 2022, according to the Iron Ton Tribune.
Surpassing 100 Locations
The Turlock opening comes as Nick the Greek has passed a major milestone. The chain surpassed 100 restaurants during the first half of 2026, opening eight new locations by midyear, according to qsrmagazine.com. Year-to-date same-store sales climbed 18.2%, driven by a 14.8% rise in transactions and 3.0% average check growth, with double-digit same-store sales growth every month and a peak of 25.4% in March, the outlet reported.
The chain has nearly doubled its store count since 2023, per qsrmagazine.com, and this year it introduced Pistachio Cream Froyo, Greek Donuts, Spanakopita and Halloumi Fries to menus. California accounts for about 70 percent of Nick the Greek franchises, according to the Turlock Journal. Beyond California, the brand's footprint reaches Arizona, Nevada, Kansas, Missouri, Tennessee and Texas, with qsrmagazine.com also listing Utah among eight operating states — a detail the Turlock Journal's roundup of locations did not include.
Locally, the new restaurant arrives alongside other Mediterranean openings near California State University, Stanislaus, with Turlock adding three separate Mediterranean concepts within a short drive of the campus, according to amythomasrealty.com.
