Husband-and-wife duo to open new Greek food venture in Hull

A new Greek food venture is coming to Hull’s city centre.

Yiannis Makris and his wife Mata are opening Artemis Greek Taverna this week in premises recently vacated by Rustica Bistro.

Originally part of The Greek restaurant’s cohort - which opened in Princes Avenue, Hull, in May 2018 - the pair left in October last year to return to cooking for friends and family as well as private commissions and other food business opportunities.

Yiannis, who will be front of house, and chef Mata both come from the same place in Greece - the town of Volos which is renowned for its food. They came to Hull to study in 1993 but they didn’t meet until 1995.

Mata graduated from the University of Hull in electronic engineering but her passion for food led her to set up her own business cooking Greek delights for dinner parties, weddings and other events.

The couple have spent the last two months completely refurbishing the premises, which were empty for several months after the sudden closure of Rustica.

Mata said: “All the women in Greece can cook. You learn to cook from a very early age and the knowledge and the secrets are passed down through the generations.

“I have the recipes and the ingredients locked away. Yiannis is front of house - he’s not allowed to cook in my kitchen!”

Artemis Greek Taverna will have up to 40 seats inside with the potential to almost double that with pavement dining during summer months.

Yiannis added: “People go to Athens for the culture and Volos for the food. It is a culinary destination. The majority of our products are imported from Greece, including Greek beer and wine, and everything else will be sourced locally, including from our allotment.

“Being in the city centre is a dream come true and, since City of Culture, we have noticed it’s on the rise. We got the opportunity to open here and it’s ideal because it’s in the heart of the city and it’s nice and cosy.

“Every day is different so why should the food be the same? Our meze will be a pallet of flavours and a pallet of colours. If this place was not a restaurant it would be a gallery! We will try to stimulate all your senses to help you experience something unique.”

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