Zorba the Greek Closes After 46 Years as Plaza Redevelopment Looms

Zorba the Greek, a family-run restaurant that opened Jan. 10, 1980, at 572 Jefferson Plaza in Port Jefferson Station, closed its doors on Dec. 31 following plans by the plaza’s owner to transform Port Jefferson Plaza into a mixed-use complex with apartments, commercial space, a food court, a gym and shops. The closure marks the end of nearly 46 years for a business that served multiple generations of local residents and anchored the hamlet’s retail strip.

Owner Peter Englezos recalled the restaurant’s opening and the community that built around it. “I will never forget that day,” Englezos said two weeks after closing the restaurant, nearly 46 years later. “It was overwhelming to see that restaurant come alive.” Englezos’ memories underline the restaurant’s role as more than a business; it was a community gathering place for Port Jefferson Station families, civic groups and longtime customers.

Longtime employees expressed a similar sense of loss. Elmer Cruz, who started as a dishwasher at Zorba in 1980 and stayed for decades, described the restaurant as his "house" and said he will move to a related location in Selden. Several other staff members are said to be seeking new work locally or transferring to other outlets run by the family connection.

Civic and community leaders praised Englezos for his character and contributions to the hamlet, noting that independent restaurants like Zorba helped define the local retail mix and public life around Jefferson Plaza. For many residents the closure is not just about food service but about the disappearance of a familiar face and place where life events were marked.

The redevelopment plan reflects broader commercial real estate trends in Suffolk County and across suburban Long Island, where aging shopping centers are being reimagined as mixed-use projects that combine housing and new retail formats. For municipal budgets and planners, such projects can expand the property tax base and increase housing supply, but they also raise questions about parking, traffic, local infrastructure and the displacement of small businesses. On the ground, the immediate effects included the loss of a longstanding employer and the end of a local dining option that drew regulars from the hamlet.

For readers in Port Jefferson Station, the story signals an evolving neighborhood profile: a shift from single-use retail to denser, mixed-use development with new residents and businesses. Residents should monitor upcoming planning actions and public meetings as the plaza’s transformation moves from proposal to construction. In the meantime, Zorba’s closure leaves a tangible gap in daily life — a reminder of the human costs that often accompany broader development trends.