Marinos Dafnas was born in Greece and came to Canada in 1992. He launched Messini’s as a sit-down restaurant with table service in 2003, using a gyro recipe his restaurateur uncle created in 1969. He saw an opportunity for such a spot after checking out the Danforth where everyone was serving souvlaki — but no one was serving real gyros. Our trick was to put French fries in these marvelous creations, a recipe from back home that dates back at least 30 years.
A gyro is a Greek pita sandwich, in Greece it’s typically made with pork but when we came to Canada we added beef or chicken to our menu to give additional options. The pita is generally stuffed with hand-cut meat, chopped tomatoes, mild white raw onions and a yoghurty-garlic tzatziki sauce. Don’t forget an added bonus is fries in your gyro.
In Greece, gyros are usually made as a fast food, as hamburgers are in the Western world. The gyro sandwich is a very versatile food that can be made a number of ways and can include a wide range of ingredients, depending on the restaurant and the preferences of the consumer.
At Messini’s, the authentic gyros are prepared with French fries, as is the custom in many Greek cities, especially Messini. The most difficult part of eating a gyro? Finding an appetite large enough to finish it.
Monday – Sunday:
12 pm (noon) – 10:00 pm
