Alpine Restaurant, serving up some of the best Greek, Italian and American dishes south of the turnpike, is notable for its incredible reputation that spans several generations.
A typical Greek diner? No. Here at Alpine, you are family; go there enough and they are sure to know your name.
Teddy Delis knows a thing or two about good business, having been in the industry since he was a teenager. He arrived in Canada from Greece in 1971 when he was only 16 years old.
He began washing dishes in a restaurant in Montreal for a couple of years before making his way to New York to be with his sister. He was 19 when he and his brother decided to open their own restaurant, called Sierra Coffee Shop. It was a small luncheonette that the family maintained for approximately 26 years.
After a couple of years, Teddy tried his hand at Italian food, briefly working at Queens Pizza (now called Cinelli’s Pizzeria on Hempstead Turnpike) before temporarily returning to Greece.
Upon returning from Greece, with his new wife Helen by his side, he opened Metro Restaurant in Lynbrook in 1979. He sold that restaurant, which is now Lynbrook Eats (245 Merrick Road).
Teddy said Alpine opened in 1996. He recalls Stop 20 Diner, King Umberto’s and until recently, Carmella’s and Lantern Diner, as some of the restaurants that have been in the neighborhood as long as he has been.
“Running a diner has become very expensive, especially for a family business,” Teddy said.
It is certainly a tough industry that, aside from its normal challenges, had really been put through a test during the COVID pandemic and for many restaurant owners, are still recovering from that economic topsy turvy. Teddy Delis, along with his wife and his son Jimmy, have been serving it up the family way at its present location in Franklin Square for more than 38 years. And currently, it is exactly what we crave the most, that personal touch, the familiar feeling, over an amazing, hearty hometown meal.
You cannot go wrong with any one of the appetizers on the menu, although, if you have a good appetite, the shared platter for two could possibly be a meal all on its own, with a sampling of stuffed mushrooms, baked clams and spinach pie. Pair that with a soup or salad and you might as well doggy bag the rest of your meal. One thing to mention about the stuffed clams, Alpine’s stuffed clams have a hearty portion of clams in the stuffing, the one ingredient that seems to be missing in other’s stuffed clams lately.
Some of the most popular entrée items on Alpine’s menu are the Greek Chicken, Lemon Chicken, Chicken Pot Pie and the Stuffed Cabbage.
An occasional delight happens to be the Broiled Calf Liver topped with sautéed onions and bacon. Bacon makes everything one level better than it already is, of course.
Alpine is popular for its homemade bread pudding, homemade rice pudding, baklava and warm apple strudel.
There is a typical kids’ menu available, especially the all-time favorites like chicken fingers, pasta and hamburgers.
There is ample street parking and municipal lot parking directly across the street.
Alpine is open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Sundays through Thursdays) and from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Enjoy dine-in, take-out or delivery service.
Alpine Restaurant is located at 11 Franklin Ave. in Franklin Square, just one block south from Hempstead Turnpike at Phoebe Street. The restaurant has a newly renovated party room that seats 50 people. Party packages starting at $35 per person (plus tax and gratuity). Reservation are not taken for the dining room.
Visit www.alpinerestaurant.net or call 516-354-5770 to check out the menu or book an event.
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