Papa G's Celebrates 21 Years in Business

For more than two decades, George Galanis has been at the helm of Papa G's restaurant in Aurora. The building is just past the Montgomery border, but Galanis says his customers come from all over.

"We've been here 21 years," Galanis said. We're family owned and operated. We look at the customer as part of our friends and family."

Galanis was born in Sparta, Greece and moved to Illinois in 1973. His father had come to the United States in 1969 was also in the restaurant business. Between his father and uncle, Galanis grew up in restaurants, specifically Camelot Restaurant and Double G Gyros, in the northern and western suburbs.

"I was like 11 1/2 years old and they threw me in there, and I never saw the light out of restaurants," he said.

His love of restaurants began as a child and so did his love for another very local favorite - The Chicago Bears.

"Of all the sports, the only one that stuck with me was football," he said. "George Halas, I thought he was Greek, he became my idol.

"I named the restaurant after him; that's why you see a lot of football memorabilia throughout the restaurant."

A lot of the items in Papa G's were things that Galanis' father came up with. Galanis carried the gyro platter with Greek salad, and they serve all gyro sauce on the side, which was Galanis' father's vision.

In addition to the gyro and salad, Papa G's is probably best known for its cheezzzy beef, which won the restaurant a best beef award. It's also the only place that you can get Marengo dressing. The dressing is like a ranch with extra spices.

In addition to the food served in the physical space, 939 S. Lake St., Aurora, Papa G's offers catering. The restaurant will not only cater items on its menu, but it will take special orders for things not even offered at the restaurant.

"You can come in and say 'I want chop suey for 100 people,'" he said. "I'm going to give you a price for that and if we agree, voila."

Galanis said he is still considering opening a second location or perhaps a larger facility to accommodate the catering business, as well as the restaurant. But he wants to make sure a new location would keep all his customers as well as his employees.

"I have people who have worked for me since day one," he said.

For a full menu listing and coupons, click here to go to the Papa G's website.