Guy Fieri summed up chef Nikol Zarbalas’ cuisine as “hands down, the best Greek food” he’d ever tasted.
That was during an episode of the Food Network superstar’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” filmed in December 2022, when the long-running TV show profiled Hellenic Republic, a Greek restaurant in Coral Springs that Zarbalas opened in 2019 — and that has become a foodie must-stop for Helleno eats.
The Mayor of Flavortown was so impressed with Zarbalas that a year later, this past April, in fact, he had her compete in his “Guy’s Grocery Games” show.
Now the Fieri-fave has opened a second eatery called The Food Republic smack-dab in the middle of Fort Lauderdale’s busy hub, where Sunrise Boulevard and U.S. Highway 1 meet. The 1,500-square foot, 50-seat restaurant with outdoor seating soft-opened in late May/early June in the Gateway Shopping Center, taking over the space that formerly housed Tipico Cafe.
“The Food Republic is an eclectic dining experience,” Zarbalas says about the eatery’s culinary concept. “You’re not coming to eat a specific thing. You’re not in an Italian restaurant, though I have pasta. You’re not at a Greek restaurant, though I have a Greek salad and chicken soup like your mom made on the menu. You’re not at an Asian restaurant, but I have a beef stir fry on my menu. You’re not at a soul restaurant, but girl can make some shrimp and grits and fried chicken like nobody’s business. And that’s why I think it’s a little eclectic.
“Not only that, the restaurant itself, with all the funky decor, looks like I robbed Grandma’s house when I decorated, I’m not gonna lie.”
Below, learn more about The Food Republic and Zarbalas, who lives in Coral Springs with life partner Alonso Chiessa (photographer, hairstylist, front-of-house) and their five children, in this Q&A interview that’s been edited for brevity and clarity.
Q: How did you come up with the name The Food Republic?
A: So the name of my catering company is called Culinary Republic. The restaurant in Coral Springs is called Hellenic Republic. And The Food Republic is basically a personal note to myself, to my parents — to, you know, pay homage to them. … (At) Hellenic Republic, when I tried (to say), “Hey, we’re doing chicken waffles!” It was, “What is a Greek restaurant doing making chicken and waffles?” Well, you know, I was kind of born in the hood. I was born in diners and stuff. And … I love Southern food. I love traveling. I love the cuisine from everywhere and bringing in some influences. A lot of people were like, “No, you can’t do that,” or “No, you shouldn’t do that.” With The Food Republic, it kind of gives me a blank slate to be able to do and create whatever I want. And that’s the purpose behind it. And that’s where the name came from.
Q: It’s early days still, but what dishes have resonated so far?
A: I would say the fried chicken, which is very surprising because little elderly women that walk in with a cane (are) like, “I want the fried chicken.” And you know they can’t eat a quarter of it. But they sit there and they are thoroughly, thoroughly enjoying it. So I would say the top dishes right now, definitely fried chicken. Definitely the shrimp and grits. Definitely. The skirt steak sandwich has been really popular as well. Those, I would say, are the three top ones. Now, as far as pasta dishes: Carbonara, a traditional Roman style with just egg, no cream.
Q: One of the things we hear about you over and over again is that it is obvious you love what you do. Is that true?
A: Exactly. So when people come here … they sit and they taste the food and they’re like, “God, this is amazing.” And for me as a chef, it makes me feel good, but I knew it was gonna be amazing. The things on the menu are things that I execute really, really well. They are things that I love to eat, the things that I enjoy cooking. If you’re miserable at your job, the food and what you put out is not going to be good. And I look at my cooks and I have an amazing person that’s been with me for the last four weeks. And he’s like, “I love this. I love coming to work in the morning. I love creating dishes.” The plates are beautiful. The menu is beautiful. We’re doing everything the right way. And when you do that, there’s no doubt in your mind that when the food leaves the kitchen, it’s going to be enjoyed and that kind of pushes us even more. You know, it’s not about the five-star reviews. It’s about the personal connection we make with people. … When you come here, I want you to feel good. I want you to feel welcome. I want you to sit down, enjoy yourself and feel like you’re at a friend’s house and that I’m cooking for you.
Q: Where did all this come from? Where are you and your parents from?
A: My parents were born and raised in Greece. They ended up in Toronto for a little bit. Then opened their first diner in Albany, New York. And that diner burned to the ground. And they didn’t have insurance. They didn’t know the language. They didn’t know anything and ended up moving with some relatives and some other people to Philadelphia. And that’s where all of us were born. I have two sisters and a brother. We were all born and raised in Philadelphia. My family ran all of the hot dog carts outside of the University of Pennsylvania my entire life.
Q: How did you end up in SoFlo?
A: So I moved to Orlando first and I got a job as a data entry person. I grew up in pizza shops and diners, but then I got an office job with my sister at a residential management company. And then I moved to a commercial management company and they were looking for somebody to manage their properties here in South Florida. And I stood up and I said, “I don’t really have anything going on here. There’s a lot going on in South Florida.” And I moved down here in 1999, and I’ve been here ever since.
Q: The other thing that several people have said about you is that you are very generous when helping others and supporting charities.
A: You’re gonna get me emotional. So my father is no longer with me, and he was a driving force and just amazing person. … He was physically abused, so I am, you know, very sensitive to people that have been abused in their lives. My father ended up homeless for quite some time. He went into the military because in Greece you have to go into the military. And when he got out, he had nothing … There was just a lot of trauma that he went through. But despite everything that man endured in his life, he was phenomenal as a human being to us, with his children. We grew up in Philadelphia and, whenever there was a frost alert, my dad would empty our hot dog cart vans … and he would pick up homeless people. He would bring them to our home in Upper Darby. My mother would have clothes for them, and they would all shower and we would sit down and — we never knew who was joining us for dinner — and they would stay with us. … That has stayed with me for so long, my entire life. And if I have the opportunity to help someone through feeding them or through sitting down and just talking to them, I think it’s something that’s been lost in this country for a long time. … For me, it’s personal. It’s a passion that I will have forever.
The Food Republic is located at 1910 E. Sunrise Blvd., Fort Lauderdale. For more information, go to ordergreatfood.com or call 954-302-2300. You may also visit Instagram.com/foodrepublic.
