Rotisserie gyro meat is kept warm at Athena Greek and American Family Restaurant in Tyler. (photo by Sarah A. Miller/Tyler Morning Telegraph)

This August will mark two years since Vicky Sklavenitis began using her mother’s recipes at Athena Greek & American Family Restaurant, Tyler’s only 100 percent authentic Greek restaurant. With no franchise support, little advertising, and a cuisine foreign to many in East Texas, Athena has become one of the top restaurants in town.

Ms. Sklavenitis attributes this success to word-of-mouth support from loyal customers.

“The biggest challenge is for people who weren’t travelers, who hadn’t been to Greek restaurants and eaten the food to try something different,” she said. “But when we started, there were a lot who had Greek food before, and were travelers who had been to Greece, and knew this is authentic Greek food — 100 percent.”

Ms. Sklavenitis, and her sister, Effie, were born on the Greek island of Lefkada, where her father ran a restaurant. He sold it and moved his family to North Carolina when she was 11 to help at his sister’s Greek restaurant. There, she said, her mother first began to teach her about traditional recipes, passed down for generations.

Her father started his own restaurant in 1980, where his daughters helped through their teenage years. The family opened a second restaurant in 1992, which she and her sister ran for 12 years after her parents’ retirement.

Five years ago, her husband, Chuck Kutz, brought her along with him to Tyler when he came to build carports.

“We came to visit,” she said. “But we thought, ‘All we see is the franchises and Mexican restaurants.’ We thought this would be a change for people.”

She said her regulars have been the key to Athena’s success, by referring or even bringing their friends.

“The best part is when we have a lot of customers who try it for the first time, and I see them the next day, and bringing someone else,” Ms. Sklavenitis said. “It’s been mostly word-of-mouth, and I also added a few Italian and American dishes so when a big group comes, they can have some variety.”

She said customers most commonly ask for their lamb shish kabobs, rotisserie-style lamb and beef gyros and savory spanakopita pies, a pastry dish stuffed with spinach, egg, and feta cheese.

“Some people hesitated to taste something different, but I was expecting that,” she said. “We make everything authentic here — everything. Travelers know that, and they spread the word.”

Ms. Sklavenitis said her focus on authentic food and family is what keeps them coming back — she co-owns Athena with her sister and brother-in-law, Effie and Angelo Siamos, and their son, his wife and a cousin all work at Athena.

“I appreciate all the support from our customers,” Ms. Sklavenitis said. “When they’re here, they’re family.”

Athena, located at 1593 West Southwest Loop 323 in Tyler, is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Monday through Thursday and Sunday, and through 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. For more information, call 903-561-8065, or visit www.athenagreekrestaurant.com.