COVINGTON, Ky. — A longtime family-owned Cincinnati restaurant staple has moved to northern Kentucky.

What You Need To Know

  • Demetrios Vasiliou and his wife Gloria started Demetrios restaurant on Hamilton Avenue in 1962, and almost immediately put their kids to work

  • Over the decades, Demetrios has had several locations in Cincinnati, sometimes multiple locations at the same time

  • On Wednesday, the family cut the ribbon on its new, exclusive home in Covington's Rivercenter Towers

  • Covington’s Mayor-elect Ron Washington said it’s a big deal for the city

Covington’s soon-to-be new mayor says it’s representative of the growth he hopes to continue to see of the city’s strong small business community.

Demetrios Vasiliou and his wife Gloria came over from Greece to Cincinnati in the 1950s. They started Demetrios restaurant on Hamilton Avenue in 1962, and almost immediately put their kids to work.

“He put us to work when we were five, six, around there,” said his daughter, Christina Ledenski.

Carl Vasiliou, Demetrios’ son and current owner of the restaurant, said he’s “58 years old and I’m still doing it. It’s in my blood for sure.”

His sister, Ledenski, and brother still work at the restaurant, too.

“I love that my dad came from Greece, not knowing a word of English when he was 19, and worked so hard for the last 65 years, and still does,” Ledenski said.

Vasiliou’s wife Kara works the front and has grown the customer base. His parents are still there almost every day.

“Still kicking,” the elder Vasiliou said.

Over the decades, Demetrios has had several locations in Cincinnati, sometimes multiple locations at the same time.

On Wednesday, the family cut the ribbon on its new, exclusive home in Covington’s Rivercenter Towers.

“This is the biggest place we’ve ever opened. So this is big for us,” Vasiliou said.

Double-decker sandwiches, gyros, omelettes and their special chili are all available to a new customer base. But they expect a lot of their regulars will still make the trip across the river.

Covington’s Mayor Elect Ron Washington said it’s a big deal for the city.

“Any given day, there’s over 750 people in these buildings. And they can enjoy their sandwiches. And we’re so glad as a city to welcome them,” Washington said.

Vasiliou said the new location is a perfect fit, and besides meeting some new faces, he doesn’t expect much to change.

“It’s just the family. It’s just a part of the family. It’s what we do, and that’s all we know,” he said. “A lot of this stuff, I learned it all from him. He started it all. I’m living the legacy.”

Corporex, the owner of Rivercenter Towers, said it’s excited about the restaurant’s arrival to the building, as it will serve a diverse mix of business professionals, residents and visitors in a thriving urban central business district.

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