New Owner of Cheshire's Peter's II

It's the kind of restaurant where grandchildren can practice their table manners and regulars get a reserved seat with their name posted at the counter.

That friendly atmosphere is what convinced Anna Partalas to buy restaurant after its long-time owners decided to retire.

"I love the customers, that's why I decided to do it," said Partalas. She and her daugher, Maria Partalas Medina, became the new owners of the cozy restaurant on New Year's Day.

"We have a very loyal clientele," Partalas said. She worked at the restaurant for about three years before deciding to buy it from the former owners, Jimmy and Joanna Pavlou.

The restaurant opened 21 years ago and was named Peter's II because Pavlou's brother, Manny, already had a Peter's restaurant on Cheshire's Main Street. That location was closed years ago and the small shopping center demolished to make way for a  pharmacy.

Judy Herzman, who was celebrating her birthday on Wednesday with a meal at Peter's II, said she likes the staff and the food. "You always meet someone you know. They are very kind to kids. It's a training spot for manners for my grandchildren," she said.

Nearby, 85-year-old Richard Graettinger sat as his reserved seat where his name is affixed to the counter. Partalas said he comes in every day and orders a blueberry waffle on Sundays.

"We have a very big menu," Partalas said, including plenty of of home-cooked Greek food. Business is good, and improving, she said. "I’m happy. We have lovely customers here in Cheshire."

Partalas said she'll keep up the tradition of the former owners by holding a Greek night once a month because she wants to keep in touch with her ethnic roots.

She was born in Katerini, Greece and moved to the United States with her family in 1970s. They settled in Philadephia, which Partalas noted is a Greek name that means "brotherly city." She now lives in Hamden.

Partalas still has family in Greece and she tries visit at least once a year. "Greece is beautiful," she said. "I love America, but you can’t forget your roots."

Editor's note: The last name of the Partalas family was misspelled in an earlier version of this article. It has been corrected.