Guy Fieri summed up Chef Nicole Zarbaras’s food as “without question the best Greek food I’ve ever tasted.”
The Food Network superstar was filming an episode of “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” in December 2022. The long-running TV show was showcasing Hellenic Republic, the Coral Springs Greek restaurant that Zarbaras opened in 2019 and has become a must-stop for foodies looking to sample Greek cuisine.
The mayor of Flavortown was so impressed with Zarbaraz that he actually had her compete on the “Guy’s Grocery Games” show a year later in April of this year.
Fieri’s favorite restaurant has opened a second eatery, The Food Republic, in the bustling heart of Fort Lauderdale, at the intersection of Sunrise Boulevard and U.S. Highway 1. The 1,500-square-foot, 50-seat restaurant, which also has outdoor seating, had a soft opening in late May and early June inside the Gateway Shopping Center, taking over the space formerly occupied by Tipico Cafe.
“Food Republic is an eclectic restaurant,” Zavalas said of the restaurant’s culinary concept. “You don’t come for one specific thing. It’s not an Italian restaurant, but we do have pasta. It’s not a Greek restaurant, but we do have Greek salad and my mom’s chicken soup on the menu. It’s not an Asian restaurant, but we do have beef stir fry on the menu. It’s not a Seoul restaurant, but we can do shrimp and grits and fried chicken as well as anyone. So I think it’s kind of eclectic.”
“Not only that, but the restaurant itself is funky decorated and looks like we robbed grandma’s house when we decorated it. I’m not gonna lie.”
Antiques and curiosities greet guests in the dining room at Food Republic in Fort Lauderdale. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun-Sentinel)
Below, in this Q&A interview, edited for brevity and clarity, we learn more about The Food Republic and Zarbaras, who lives in Coral Springs with her partner, Alonso Chiesa (a photographer, hairstylist and hostess), and their five children.
Q: How did you come up with the name “The Food Republic”?
A: My catering company is called Culinary Republic. The restaurant in Coral Springs is called Hellenic Republic. Food Republic is basically a personal message to me, to my parents. So it’s a tribute to them. … I was like, “We’re doing chicken and waffles!” and they were like, “What’s a Greek restaurant doing chicken and waffles?” I was born in what we call a slum. I grew up in diners and stuff. And … I love Southern food. I love traveling. I love food from all over the place and I bring in some influences. A lot of people say, “That’s not right,” or, “You shouldn’t do that.” At Food Republic, we’re a blank slate where we can do whatever we want and make whatever we want. That’s what it’s about. That’s where the name comes from.
Q: It’s still early days, but what dishes have been well-received so far?
A: Fried chicken. That’s the most unexpected thing. An older, little lady with a cane comes in and says, “I want fried chicken.” I know she couldn’t eat a quarter of it. But she sits there and she enjoys it with all her heart. So the most popular dish right now is definitely fried chicken. Definitely shrimp and grits. Absolutely. The skirt steak sandwich is also very popular. I’d say those are the top three. Now, the pasta dish is carbonara, which is the traditional Roman style, just eggs, no cream.
Chef Nicole Zarbaraz says her fried chicken is already a popular dish at Food Republic in Fort Lauderdale. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun-Sentinel)
Q: One thing I hear over and over about you is that you clearly love what you do. Is that true?
A: That’s exactly right. So when you come here… you sit down and you taste the food and you think, “Oh my goodness.” For me as a chef, that’s a joy, but I knew it was going to be great. The things that are on the menu are things that I make really well. Things that I love to eat and I love to cook. If I’m not good at my job, the food and what I cook won’t taste good. When I look at my cooks, I have a great guy who’s been working with me for the last four weeks. He’s like, “I love this. I love coming to work in the morning. I love cooking food.” The plates are beautiful, the menu is beautiful. We’re doing everything right. Then we know that when the food leaves our kitchen, you’re going to be delighted, and that inspires us even more. It’s not about the five-star rating. It’s about the personal connection that 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 and enjoy it and feel like you’re coming to a friend’s house and I’m cooking for you.
Q: Where does all this come from? Where are you and your parents from?
A: My parents were born and raised in Greece. They lived in Toronto for a while. Then they opened their first diner in Albany, New York. That diner burned down. My parents had no insurance, they didn’t speak the language. They didn’t know anything, so they moved with some relatives and other people to Philadelphia, where we were all born. I have two older sisters and one younger brother. We were all born and raised in Philadelphia. My family always had a hot dog stand outside the University of Pennsylvania.
Biscoff Tres Leches cake, made with cookie butter-infused cinnamon sponge cake, at Food Republic in Fort Lauderdale. (Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun-Sentinel)
Q: How did you end up at SoFlo?
A: So I first moved to Orlando and got a data entry job. I grew up in pizza places and restaurants, and then I got an office job with my sister at a residential management company. Then I moved to a commercial management company, and they were looking for someone to manage properties here in South Florida. So I stood up and said, “We’re not doing anything here. There’s a lot going on in South Florida.” So I moved here in 1999, and I’ve been here ever since.
Q: Another thing some people have said about you is that you are very generous when it comes to helping others and supporting charities.
A: It makes me emotional. My father is no longer with us, but he was a driving force, a wonderful man. … He was physically abused. So I’m very sensitive to people who have been abused in their lives. My father was homeless for a long time. In Greece, you had to enlist in the military, so he enlisted. And when he got out, he had nothing… He went through a lot of trauma. But he was wonderful as a person to us, to his children, despite everything he’d endured in his life. We grew up in Philadelphia, and when there was a frost warning, my father would empty his hot dog cart and pick up homeless people. He would bring them to our house in Upper Darby. My mother would get them clothes, they would all take a shower, we’d sit down, and we didn’t know who was coming to dinner, but they’d stay with us. … That’s been with me, through my life. And I think if I had an opportunity to help somebody by feeding them or just sitting and talking, that’s something that’s been lost in this country for a long time. … For me, it’s personal. It’s a passion I will carry with me forever.
Food Republic is located at 1910 E. Sunrise Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale. For more information, visit ordergreatfood.com or call 954-302-2300. Also check out Instagram.com/foodrepublic.
Jars filled with dried citrus fruits decorate the shelves behind the bar. (Amy Beth Bennett / South Florida Sun-Sentinel)
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