Pita Pan

Pita Pan holds a dear place in my heart, as it was one of the very first places I ate at in Astoria prior to moving to this town. My friend Vinny (thank you bud!) introduced me to this gem back in 2009, and I have been hooked ever since.  As it became apparent that I would be moving to Astoria, I was comforted by the fact that I would be mere minutes away from the orange and green haven. Even before moving to Astoria, I once convinced a fellow Manhattan dweller to drive me to Pita Pan from Kips Bay to fulfill a craving (and thus, hooking her onto Pita Pan too).  So it is no surprise that I love this place.

The best way to describe Pita Pan would be a fast food gyro shop. It is not your traditional gyro restaurant; Pita Pan takes some liberties in their gyro offerings, liberties that I appreciate. They do not have the best gyro in Astoria (that, my friends, I will save for another post). But they do have very good gyros, ones that I find myself craving, more often than not, over the traditional gyros. Astoria is a historically Greek neighborhood, meaning you can find a place that serves gyros on practically every block, with new gyro establishments still popping up everywhere.  Traditional gyros consist of a beef-and-lamb combination of meat (slowly cooked together via vertical spit), served with tomato, onion, and tzatziki sauce, wrapped in a pita. Pita Pan offers you a choice of three meats for their filling – chicken, pork (also known as the Pita Pan gyro), and beef/lamb, as well as a choice of whole wheat or regular pita. Your gyro is then filled with red onion, tomato, thin hand-cut fries, and your choice of sauce – tzatziki, mustard, mayo, or Pita Pan sauce (a mixture of ketchup and hot sauce). Although fries in a gyro sounds like an unlikely pairing, Pita Pan makes it work, adding no more than a handful to give you a subtle, albeit unique taste.

photo courtesy of flickr

My favorite items to get at Pita Pan are the chicken gyro on whole wheat pita with extra tzatziki sauce, and the Mandarin salad. The tzatziki sauce is a must; a gyro without tzatziki is like a pizza without cheese – it just doesn’t work. Pita Pan’s tzatziki is great and full of the bold favors of the cucumber and dill. The chicken is tender and juicy, with a light crispiness on the outside (due to the spit). Their gyros are always made fresh, with the meat shaved off the spit a minute before it reaches your table. The Pita Pan gyro (with the pork) tends to be a bit fattier in taste, due to the nature of the pork itself, while the beef/lamb gyro stays true to the traditional gyro taste. One thing to note about the gyros is that they are smaller than your typical gyro, with most patrons ordering two to make a meal. This is a plus in my book, as it lets you mix and match gyro sandwiches if you please, or enjoy your gyro with something else on the varied menu. I believe Pita Pan’s gyros are perfectly filled with just the right amount of meat and toppings. Most gyros elsewhere are so overflowing with meat that it is nearly impossible to hold the gyro in your hand without everything spilling out. Although Pita Pan is known for their gyros, they do serve a myriad of other options, including souvlaki, falafel, panini, wraps, salads, burgers, and pizza.

beef/lamb gyro + chicken gyro w. extra tzatziki on whole wheat pita 

chicken souvlaki sticks, served w. tzatziki, bread, + lemon wedge

two falafel sandwiches + milkshake

Aside from the gyros, I am a huge fan of the Mandarin salad, which consists of mixed mesclun greens with sliced almonds, Mandarin oranges, and raisins, served with warm pita and balsamic vinaigrette on the side. I always ask for the salad to go, even if I am eating in, as I noticed the glass salad bowls for dining in are substantially smaller than the take-out containers, hence, more salad. Aside from being a tasty salad, I fell in love with the dressing. I bought countless bottles of balsamic vinaigrette from the supermarket to try and figure out what brand they use, until I finally just asked the woman behind the counter. Turns out, I cannot get that balsamic dressing anywhere – they make it homemade in house. She then kindly suggested that she could let me know next time they make a big batch, in which I could purchase it off them.  I have not taken her up on her offer yet, but it is nice to know it is there.

Mandarin salad w. pita

The establishment itself has a bit of a brand strategy issue going on. Aside from the orange and green color theme being splashed everywhere, there is always loud techno/house music blasting, with the occasional rap and hip-hop song interjecting the club-like ambience.  There are also three mini TVs stacked into the wall next to the counter showing an animated dancing hamburger, pictures of women dressed in club attire, and a picture of a skydiving man with copy being flashed in two different size fonts and colors. The site has a similar problem, with a music player playing the “Pita Pan Jingle”, traditional Greek instrumental music, and trance/house/rap on a constant, mind-numbing loop.

Appearances aside, Pita Pan’s food is delicious, fresh, and cheap (one gyro runs you $3 plus change). Additionally, Pita Pan is open late (up to 2AM on weekends), always clean, and the cashiers bring your food to your table and clean it up afterwards – all excellent perks. Although you may not find a gyro with fries in it on the streets of Thessaloniki, Pita Pan is well worth the interpretation.