Meet Alex Karavias | Restaurateur

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alex Karavias and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alex, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?

I always wanted to work for myself. Even through my college career, the corporate world never really appealed to me. I’m very self-driven and wanted to do something creatively that represents me, my background and my culture. So, while working in the food and beverage industry and learning all the ins and outs of the job, I decided that I could own a restaurant of my own some day and be as successful as the people I’ve worked for because I was gaining the experience and had the work ethic.

What should our readers know about your business?

It was definitely not easy. What sets me apart from others is my competitive nature, but also my dedication and understanding of the craft. I love what I do. I quickly learned that if I didn’t enjoy what I did for living, I would not be happy, and in turn I would not be successful. I finished my college degree in MIS (programming and business), but sitting at a desk all day was not attractive to me. Meanwhile, as I worked as a server, bartender and DJ throughout college, I felt happier, and quickly realized that I could use all the business knowledge I gained from class and couple it with my work experience to do something of my own. After moving to Miami in 2004 and exploring and understanding this city’s unique food and beverage landscape, I could see myself fitting in. Working in all these restaurants and bars throughout the years, as a Greek man, people would always ask me where could they find good Greek food, and more often than not, I didn’t know or didn’t want to answer because I felt that the Greek cuisine had been way under-served in Miami – there weren’t enough Greek restaurants and certainly not any that really stood out that made a guest feel like what I knew to be home. And I love being Greek! I love our culture, our music, our traditions, our language and most of all our food and wine. The recipe was there – to provide something the market was asking for while doing what I loved to do! The challenge was to partner up with someone that felt the same way as I did and when I met Chef Gianni I felt like he would be the perfect person to do this with. We started a friendship that turned to a business partnership. It’s been successful over the last few years because more than anything, we have strayed true to our character and we have not stopped respecting each other. This mutual respect has helped us overcome any issues between us and collectively against everything and everyone else that we’ve faced. Knowing that at the end of the day I had someone to back me up gave me more strength and I believe he felt the same. As far as lessons that we’ve learned along the way, there aren’t many more others than the usual – not trusting everyone too easily and not relying on others to do things for you are two of the most important. Respecting your guests/customers and don’t feel like you know anything more or better than they do. We’re not here to “teach” people how to eat or “what” to eat, or even criticize their choices. We’re here to share OUR experience, our culture and flavors and do it an atmosphere unique and inviting.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

Leaving the airport, we would start with a quick drive around Calle Ocho, considered by many to be one of the hearts of Miami. I like to take people to see the cool little spots of the popular Cuban restaurants and the old timers playing dominos at the park. Have a drink (no matter what the time is) – anything from a Cuban coffee to a mojito or sangria, just to get the blood flowing. From there, I would drive through Coral Gables and show off the city’s majestic architecture, to make the feel like they are driving through a small Spanish Town and enjoy beautiful people and awesome cars on Miracle Mile. Next, I’d take US-1 South to go by the University of Miami campus, bringing up all the cool memories this school has created for locals and the nation alike in the past couple of decades. From the UM area, we would jump on Old Cutler Road and head towards Mattheson Hammock Park and check out the fisherman lining their boats to go in and out of the water no matter what time it was. Leaving the park and turning right, headed towards Coconut Grove, I’d take a slow, cool ride along Old Cutler Road again, covered by the hundred-year-old trees and looking at the big villas decorating the city on both sides of the street. Passing from Coral Gables into the heart Coconut Grove, I’d tell them that this is where Miami began and how blessed this neighborhood really is to be in the heart of Miami – it’s kind of like being in one of the Keys but still staying in Miami. I’d obviously proudly show Meraki Greek Bistro in Coconut Grove and boast a little of how proud we are to be a part of the Grove and the Grove’s historical importance. From the Grove, we’d drive up on Bayshore Drive along Biscayne Bay, explaining all the marine life and beautiful houses again along the water, waiting to reach Vizcaya – the oldest residence in Miami! Maybe we go inside to check out the museum if the weather is not too hot. After we pass by Vizcaya, we would turn right into the Key Biscayne bridge and drive all the way into the island and stop at the top of the bridge to take panoramic photos of Miami’s Skyline and Biscayne Bay. As we’re headed into Key Biscayne, I’d show off Crandon Park and its Tennis Court – which some of the biggest stars in Tennis have called home for very many years. We’d enjoy a ride around Key Biscayne and maybe have lunch at one of my favorite restaurants in Miami – Randazzo’s; the guy’s a legend! Then, we’d leave Key Biscayne and go into Brickell. Again, go through Brickell Avenue and Miami Ave, remembering how much development has come in here over the last 12 years, even pointing out the 4 corners on SW 8th Str and Miami Ave where the Brickell Tennis Club once stood! We’d pause on top of the Brickell Bridge and take a couple of pictures of the Downtown Area and Biscayne Bay again. From there we’d drive around the curve into Biscayne Boulevard and pass in front of FTX Arena, formerly the “AAA” with all the great memories of Miami Heat Finals and parades in the middle of the Summer! As we leave the arena, we’d take the Julia Tuttle Causeway and head to Miami Beach, passing the cruise ships to the right and Star Island to the left into historic South Beach. We will spend 2-3 days here that we are not able to describe!
When leaving Miami Beach we will exit from the Venetian Causeway, the original way of connecting City of Miami to Miami Beach, and drive north into Biscayne Boulevard. On 54th Street we’ll turn left and head into Little Haiti, to see some of the cool Haitian spots and have amazing Creole food on NE 2nd Ave and leading into the Little River district. When we are done with that, I’d hop back on 95 North and head West into Hialeah, again finding ourselves in areas of Miami where some of the most interesting stories have been born and come alive. We will exit Hialeah from the Palmetto and head to the Turnpike towards the Hard Rock Seminole Casino. This is more than a lot to have done in just a week – we’ll need some rest and play, so we’ll spend the next few days here!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?

First and foremost, my father. My father taught me the love of food and the meaning of expressing ourselves from our food, through our eating and drinking and the flavors we use and are accustomed to. Having himself left from home (both his physical home and the place that he grew up as a kid) at a very young age, food was the one way he could connect to the past, to his family and to those fond memories. Having lived a parallel experience when we moved from Greece to the US, I felt the same journey – a sense of leaving behind everything that I had known and a search for identity. Having the opportunity to work next to my father since my early years (14 years old), I got the unique chance of growing into a young man along with him. Inside the kitchen is where he taught me about life, about people, the world, responsibility, ethic, professionalism among others. We played together, we laughed and fought together. The fact that he became sick with cancer also gave me a bigger incentive to spend quality time with him and learn as much as possible, coming into grips with the fact that he would not be around later in life. And having “succeeded’ in a sense is tribute to him, all that he taught me and my way of continuing his legacy.