Restaurant Opening Signals Growth for Middle River

Elected officials and community leaders gathered Tuesday to mark the grand opening of Zesto Pizza & Grill, the newest addition to the Crossroads Village Center on the Route 43 corridor. 

Zesto, meaning “hot” in Greek, is owned by Nick Athanasiadis, 52, of Elkton and his nephew Teddy Bouikidis, 29, of Philadelphia. The pair own a Zesto restaurant in the neighborhood of Philadelphia and plan to open a third in Villanova, PA.

Offering hand tossed specialty pizzas as well as catering and delivery service, Zesto seeks to attract a variety of customers, and has adapted its menu to the Baltimore area by offering local favorites such as crab cakes alongside more traditional pizzas.

Athanasiadis, who has spent his entire life working in the restaurant business in Philadelphia, claims that the potential for growth at Baltimore Crossroads @ 95 is what convinced him to select the location.

"In two years this will be the up and coming area, with White Marsh so close and Perry Hall," said Athanasiadis. 

Among the many community leaders who turned out for the opening was County Councilwoman Cathy Bevins, a Democrat representing the Sixth District. Bevins thanked Athanasiadis for his decision to invest in the Route 43 corridor. 

"It's all about jobs," Bevins said. "We have to create jobs. And, more importantly, we have to sustain jobs."