Violi Brings Authentic Greek Dining to Naples With Heartfelt Service and Festive Flair

Violi opened at Mercato in Naples. The restaurant marks a Chicago group's push into Southwest Florida with Greek cuisine at its core. Owners Luke Stoioff and David Rekhson spent five years planning before they launched.

The grand opening, called The Ritual, had live music, sparklers, and a saxophone player.

"This city was just completely alive with people. And where I was at the time, it was very much not alive. And we thought, man, we should really try to expand into this particular town," Stoioff said, per WINK News.

The pair discovered chef Athinagoras Kostakos on a trip to Mykonos. After eating at his restaurant, they asked who had cooked the food. That question changed everything.

"There was one day in particular where we were at a restaurant in Greece, and we were just really, really loving the vibe, the food, and everything. And we said, Who's the chef, who's in charge, who's making all this delicious food back there?" said Rekhson.

Greek hospitality drives everything at Violi. Opening night packed the house, with guests filling every seat while they sampled dishes.