Casual Mediterranean restaurants are ever-present in Baton Rouge, but Zorba’s Greek Bistro stands out amongst the several that I’ve tried.
The local longtime favorite offers fresh and inspired Greek fare in a cozy dining room with simple decor. Zorba’s might be known for its low-lit, fine-dining atmosphere at dinner, but it serves up a lively lunch from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
The lunch menu is a paired-down version of the hearty dinner menu. All the classics are there—hummus, tzatziki, souvlaki, gyro and chicken shawarma sandwiches—but the meals come in smaller portions for about half the price of dinner items.
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After sampling gyro and falafel all over town, and hearing that Zorba’s is the go-to place for authentic Greek cuisine, I decided it was time to try something new. I ordered the combination souvlaki, hardly having any idea what that meant. To my (pleasant) surprise, the server set down a heaping plate of chicken, gyro and tenderloin beef with grilled vegetables and a saucer of tzatziki. The lunch portion comes with a side of rice, though the dinner portion comes with potatoes.
Everything was cooked to perfection. The chicken and beef were fork tender, and the gyro was charred just enough to add a little crunch to the edges. The grilled vegetables worked well with the bold flavors of the meat.
After the fresh Greek salad, complementary pita bread and my meal, I was set until dinnertime, but I still wish I had tried the cheese saganaki appetizer and given into a slice of baklava.
The square lunches at Zorba’s are topped off by quick service and a warm ambiance. Diners can choose to cozy up in one of the bistro’s plush dining chairs or eat outside on a refreshing patio with blue and white accents, reminiscent of the Greek islands.
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Zorba’s Greek Bistro is at 5713 Essen Lane. The restaurant is open 11 a.m.-2 p.m. for lunch and 5-9 p.m. for dinner Monday-Friday, and 5-10 p.m. on Saturday.
Read our review of Zorba’s after it reopened from the December 2013 issue of 225.
Fast Break is a 225 Dine series that celebrates lunch in Baton Rouge. Follow along each week as we tour different lunch spots in Baton Rouge, in search of that perfect sandwich or salad—and even souvlaki.