Travel to Greece by trying King Gyros in Whitehall
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The namesake king gyro and fries from King Gyros in Whitehall. Photos: Alissa Widman Neese/Axios
Plenty of you have eaten gyros, but you haven't experienced one until you've tried the king of them all.
Catch up quick: Owner Yianni Chalkias grew up in Greece and opened King Gyros 34 years ago.
- The fast-casual Whitehall staple has lots of fans, including the Mayor of Flavortown, who featured its dolmades (stuffed grape leaves) on an episode of "Diners, Drive-ins and "Dives" last year.
What I ate: A heaping classic gyro ($9) on a fluffy pita with fries ($4). It comes with tomato, onion and lettuce, and I added feta, cucumbers and olives ($3) — and promptly grabbed a pile of napkins.
- The "famous gyro sauce" lived up to the hype.
- I almost ordered loaded fries, but I'm glad I held back. They were crispy, seasoned and fresh, perfect just on their own.
Best bites: You can't leave before trying a handmade dessert, like the chocolate-dipped baklava ($6) with syrupy-sweet layers of flaky philo dough.
The vibes: The building, a former Taco Bell transformed into a miniature Greek temple, is just as remarkable as the food.
- It's adorned inside and out with beautiful, intricate murals depicting flowers, grape vines and scenes of Greece.
- Plus: It's got a drive-thru!
Stop by: 10:30am-10pm Monday-Friday and 11am-10pm Saturday. 400 S. Hamilton Road.
🌎 Worthy of your time: This trip was part of our Eating Around the World series. See the other international foods we've mapped so far.
