Theo’s Restaurant — Restaurant in Penticton

If you ever walk into a Greek restaurant, you’d also know what it’s like walking into a Greek’s home. Spackled in layers of white stucco. Interior walls appear built by Ivo Shandor from Ghostbusters as they block out Wi-Fi the moment you turn a corner. They have wine cellars in the basement. Their front lawns are fenced in for some reason. There are fountains. And I love the fact that when you pass through the doors of a Greek home, you still find yourself inexplicably outside.

So yes, Theos’ is magnificently Greek. You pass through the main doors and see one dining area without a roof and green vines snaking through the structure like it’s vital for support. Pushing further in, you find a stack of firewood topped with a saddle (for some reason) despite seeing neither a fireplace nor a horse. Past the bar sits another dining area and…wow…it looks like your outside again. There are more vines and an irregular stone floor like a road in Eastern Europe. Above, there’s a balcony from the upper level. Above it all sits a translucent skylight…so, okay then, not technically outside, but it sure does paint an illusion.

Upstairs offers the impression of entering an entirely new establishment. Weathered wooden floors and matching chairs. Every place setting already made. More hanging vines and bleached statues. Admittedly, it’s a mess; one could get lost in a place like this. It’s deceptively large with mismatched visual cues, almost as if four different people took one corner and didn’t bother to consult anyone else.

It’s Greek.

And I loved it.

For one, with exception of the obvious inclusion of souvlaki, most everything on Theo’s menu is offered without compromise or even translation. Oh sure, erudite gastronomes may recognize taramasalata or pita bread, saganaki or spanakopita, but even I popped the bubble-gum with fasoulatha, orekteka, yigantes, or daoloth, which are definitely not Cthulhu Elder gods…save for that last one; that was a test. The dishes are clearly authentic, probably handed down by first generation immigrants (if not, I’m fooled). I was so enamored with the selection that I opted for just appetizers on my first visit. Thankfully, Theos follows a beloved tradition of complimentary bread, this time with an amazing tapenade accompaniment. The menu is extensive with appetizing options just begging for larger group visits.

The next year (only a few weeks ago), I returned with said entourage, and with more choices came reassurance that Theos must be one of the greatest traditional Greek restaurants this half of the country. If there’s one claiming better, tell me now. I have tried the kotopita (sautéed chicken, feta, artichokes within a phyllo pastry), tiropita (feta and parmesan melted in a phyllo pastry), and the dako, the latter one of the strangesy Greek dishes ever ordered. Dako is a thick crusty chunk of bread soaked in red wine and garnished with garlic, tomato, feta cheese, and olive oil, which is finally topped with an oregano branch imported directly from the homeland. As part of the experience, one must peel and crush the herbs overtop. It was…interesting. The fact the bread is soggy was a bit of a shock, but the combination of toppings redeemed it.

What else can be said about Theos…I want it in my hometown. Badly. Greek restaurants are almost entirely family-run operations. They inject as much tradition as they dare into their business, making their operations a reflection of their soul, in all its raw passion and unpredictability. However, that can also lead to burnout resulting in these restaurants not lasting past a single generation. Theos bucks that trend, going on forty years. All my local Prince George Greek restaurants have closed, the last holdover managing to survive 30 years in a depreciated economy. Now I must travel to Penticton, obviously not a...

To fully appreciate something, knowing the history helps. Theo’s is a cornerstone of Penticton culture. It was the first Greek restaurant in Penticton and an introduction to a culinary adventure for many. I was fortunate to have been there within the first week of opening. I was 5 years old back then. What was this strange food I was eating. I wasn’t keen back then on trying new foods and often ordered cheeseburgers when we went for Chinese food but this for me was the beginning of what was going to become a life long love of Greek food. It was smaller place back then. But the memories of the atmosphere of the place really sticks out. The food. The decor. Theo working the room. The belly dancer. The lighting in the evening. It had magic. It became the place for family gatherings. Back then trips to Theos was looked forward to with serious anticipation for days leading up to the event. We would be dressed in our best attire and on our best behaviour. A far cry from today where you see kids in baseball caps and basically told to go play in traffic with a scooter following dinner but like it or not so much has changed in the world let alone Penticton.

Having moved from Penticton, any following visits required at least one visit to Theo's. The place expanded and it still kept its charm. There was a period where Theos lost some of its charm. It did not have the same atmosphere as it had. I thought it was because I got older and saw things from a different light. But the reality was there was no more belly dancer and Theo no longer worked the room with his charm knowing he was serving memories for many. The lack of Theo disappointed my aunt greatly as Theo the schmoozer he was often gave her a bottle of wine. Still we would return there when ever in town to toast the memories.

And then it happened. Theo sold to his former manager Gregory. Gregory understands and has a high respect for the history of this place. He understood the importance of atmosphere in dinning and sought to return that experience that once was many years ago. Gregory works the room simular to the way Theo did many years ago to ensure customer experience is met and I can happily say he has rekindled that vibe it once had. Not fully but it’s well on its way and hopefully can serve many memories as they’ve done for me.

Now food recommendations, I usually recommend a platter for two for the best experience in Greek cuisine. Not up to that adventure then you can never go wrong with anything lamb with Greek food and moussaka is never a bad choice. However one thing that is a must and frankly I don’t think you should be given a choice but the calamari is required. I think it should come with the bread. Theo's has retained its support of local wine producers and you will not be short on suitable pairings. And if you have room, the baklava blew my socks off as a 5 year old and continues to amaze today.

Penticton has lost lots of its staples over the years. The corner store where I bought my hockey cards. My go kart track. Water slides. The Elite. The Penmar. Drive in. My arcade. But one thing that I’m truly grateful is Theo’s is in the same place and hopefully serving similar memories that were served to me all these years ago. Thank you Gregory and staff and keep the dream alive.

Long...

So very disappointed; I have been to Theo's several times in the past 25years, and it used to be a must-do everytime we went to Penticton. While the ambience has remained consistent and the service is good, the food is just a pale immitation of what it used to be. The calamari used to be amazingly flavourfull baby squid. Now it is plain breaded squid rings, bland and chewy . The Greek platter for 2 used to an excellent selection & sampler. Now, the potatoes are just a bland baked potato, not the amazing Greek potatoes they used to be. The rice is just plain white rice, the lamb chops bland - in general the overall flavor is just... Gone. I unfortunately have had my last meal at Theo's. Gone from the best Greek I have ever had, now to some of the worst. Very sad. Since there is no 'reply' option when a business owners replies to an initial review (which to the owner's credit, he really does put a lot of effort into replies, which is great) here is what I see. There is a pattern of this owner questioning the integrity of a review, suggesting, if not positive, that perhaps I may not have eaten here. I take umbrage with this. I review a lot of places on Google maps, and I do it honestly. I rely on reviews when I travel, and I think most people do as well. I have rarely been steered wrong by Google maps reviews, all over the world. So I will say for sure I have eaten here many, many times, and this review is indeed based on a real experience. It is, however, just my opinion and there are vastly more positive reviews here than negative, so I don't worry that this will harm this business. I have no desire to see that happen. But there is another pattern - people who remember Theo's as it was, and it is no longer that. This is true. If you come here for the first time, you may well enjoy it, and that is fine. But to those of us who remember, this is not what it used to be. Sure, say that your lamb chops made to order. In my experience, that means asking how you would like them prepared (well done, medium, rare etc.) I was definitely not asked this. Sure, marinade and flour toss your calamari all you like. If the flavor is bland to me, it's bland and chewy to me, end of story. Yes that potato may have been expertly steamed. I didn't like it, I prefer the crispy and savory potato wedges that used to be part of this platter. But that is just my opinion.

But here's the point - if an owner is so proud as to brook no crtiscism, and go so far as to suggest that negative reviews may not even be based on actually eating there - then why pay so much time and attention to these reviews in the first place? Maybe all the positive reviews are fake too? I doubt it. If you've not had really amazing Greek food before, well you just don't know what you're missing. It's not...