The St. Paul Greek Orthodox Church in North Royalton has hosted this major fundraiser for over…read moretwenty years, and it is run like a well-(olive)oiled machine. Their large, air-conditioned main hall seats hundreds, while a massive outside tent offers covered festival space in their parking lot. A makeshift midway runs between the two, lined with food, clothing, jewelry and artwork vendors.
We chose to dine in the main hall, which was set up cafeteria-style, with two separate service lines. The menu included a nice variety of Greek specialties, such as seasoned, roasted chicken, braised lamb shank, gyros, fish, moussaka, stuffed grape leaves and Grecian seasoned meatballs, accompanied by an a la carte selection of side dishes and beverages. Greek beers and wines were also available. The dessert area offers quick boxed baklava, but take time to walk through and linger over the divine selection of over a dozen varieties of sticky, fruity, chocolaty, honey-nutty homemade Greek pastries. Their volunteers are more than happy to help you make your selections.
This is the real deal, if you appreciate authentic Hellenic cuisine and culture. Both indoor and outdoor areas featured live bands during the evening, with a large group of young adults engaged in a lively line dance outside.
Parking is tight, but they have an overflow lot nearby with shuttle service all evening. Major credit cards accepted in the main dining hall, along with most of the vendors. Delicious food, awesome desserts, great entertainment and a fabulous venue combined to make for a wonderfully pleasant evening.