When Eleni and Danny Chrisidis’ American friends traveled to Greece for their wedding, they loved freddo espresso — a silky, shaken Greek coffee drink — so much that they still talk about it years later.
“In Greece, when we go, we probably drink like four or five of those a day,” Eleni said. “They’re awesome. They’re different. They’re simple.”
Freddo espresso is one of the signature Greek flavors that Eleni and Danny will be bringing to The Brew Room, a “modern tribute to the Greek coffeehouse” opening in Ardmore this month. The Brew Room is a product of Danny’s three decades in the restaurant industry, Eleni’s business background, and the couple’s deep roots in northern Greece.
Eleni said The Brew Room isn’t about the fast-paced coffee model that Americans are used to. Rather, it’s designed to be a community watering hole — a place to eat, drink, study, work, and socialize (though it will have grab-and-go options, too).
“Coffee culture in Europe in general is very big,” she said. “People spend hours and hours at coffee shops socializing, hanging out with their friends, working there. We love that, and we wanted to bring that European coffee culture to the Main Line.”
Danny has been in the restaurant industry for nearly 30 years, working at, and later running, pizza restaurants in University City. Danny and Eleni met while she was a student at Drexel.
While Danny loved the restaurant world, its late nights and long hours became unsustainable after he and Eleni became parents. Opening a café allows him to stay in the food world while spending more time with his family, Eleni said.
At the heart of The Brew Room’s menu will be Greek favorites like bougatsa, a pastry made of phyllo and creamy custard, and spanakopita, a spinach and feta pastry. The café will also carry French baked goods and sandwiches. There will be ample seating, as well as grab-and-go options. Eleni said the café’s proximity to the Ardmore train station will, ideally, make it an easy option for those picking something up on their way into or out of the city.
As they dreamed up plans for The Brew Room, Danny and Eleni met with a branding team in Thessaloniki, Eleni’s home city, which brewed up the café’s logos, colors, and marketing materials. Eleni also plans to bring on a U.S.-based team to do social media marketing (Eleni’s background as a management consultant has made her the project manager of the café, she says).
Eleni said being in the heart of downtown Ardmore was the most important thing to the couple. So much so, in fact, that it didn’t even bother them that they had to build a bathroom from scratch in the café.
“We were ready to invest in it and make it our own and beautify it,” she said.
By the time she and Danny signed their lease in April, Eleni said half of Ardmore seemed to already know their names. The community welcomed them with open arms.
“That’s what Ardmore is,” Eleni said. “It’s like a family.”
The Brew Room aims to open this weekend and will be located at 6 W. Lancaster Ave. in Ardmore.