This family-run café has all the right components to make it a success.
The Poulos family has been in the restaurant business for 37 years in Fayetteville. Mother Helen says her two children, Lula and John, grew up helping and learning the business.
“I come from a large Greek family and good food is important to us. My father, brother, uncles, aunts and cousins are all in the business with restaurants or bakeries of their own,” says Lula.
Helen’s grandfather, Andrea Kalouris opened one of the first grocery stores in a suburb of Athens. Helen remembers always being around the wonderful olives, cheeses and lamb in his shop.
“My father John worked there and fell in love with my mother Annie. There was parental disapproval of a marriage (on my mother’s side), but my mother was so much in love that they married without consent,” says Helen. “In September, 1951, I guess I was around seven, we moved here to the United States, sponsored by my uncle in Georgia who had his own restaurant. My parents started at the bottom, washing dishes and learning the business. Their biggest aspiration was to have their own place. My father’s first place was called “The Coffee Shop” at the railroad station. Both my parents were extremely grateful to be in the States so they could make a better life for their family. We’re so proud to be Americans.”
Helen met her husband Pete Poulos at a Greek dance in 1964 and married in 1965. “I wasn’t allowed to date, so we got to know each other that way.”
Lula proudly speaks of her family’s accomplishments.
“My brother John graduated from Johnson and Wales Culinary School in Charleston, S.C. and for the past eight years has been chef at my father’s Trio Café, a fine dining restaurant in Fayetteville,” she says.
She says it has great service, an extensive wine list, wonderful ambience and fabulous food. Her father, who has owned restaurants all his life, now also owns the Pizza Palace, a casual pizza and pasta family restaurant there.
Lula’s mother Helen explained that when her children were very young, they started a tradition of coming to Southern Pines, “whenever we could.”
“We love the area and people. I’ve really seen Southern Pines grow over the years, and we dreamed of having our own restaurant here,” says Helen.
On one excursion to Southern Pines, they met Connie and Dan Landis, owners of Sarabels, through Peggy Viverette.
“It was just fate that connected us to the right people that day,” says Helen. “We were looking at possible locations when we met our ‘guardian angel,’ Peggy Viverette who told us to talk with Connie and Dan. Peggy was the key to us finding our new place.”
When Sarabels closed its doors in June 2003, the Poulos’ knew it was time to make their dream of having a place here a reality.
Lula says her brother “has helped a lot” in getting started.
“John came up, looked over the place and thought that with just a bit of renovation, my concept of a small, quality lunch place would work well here; we opened our doors in September 2003,” she says.
Her brother also was helpful, she says, getting their menu started. It contains many old family recipes such as a delicious creamy portabella mushroom soup, spinach gratin, and wonderful homemade flavored butters, herb and garlic aioli that give their breads and sandwiches a delicious, distinctive flavor.
Helen says, “We’ve included in our menu all the sandwiches that have been all-time favorites at our other restaurants over the years.”
All the ingredients are fresh and of the best quality available.
“My cousin Nicko (Poulos) is a great baker. All our breads come in daily from his “Superior Bakery” in Fayetteville,” says Lula.
“Annie’s Greek Salad” is named in special memory of Lula’s grandmother who she fondly remembers as being so loving and hardworking.
Speaking of the day-to-day operation at Lula’s, Helen says, ”I’m the ‘foodie’ and Lula is the brains behind the business. Lula has done a fantastic job coming up with good ideas for her café.”
Lula says, “We decided to open for breakfast around the end of March, serving made-to-order omelets, breakfast casseroles, fresh croissants and muffins with flavored butters. We also serve “Seattle’s Best Coffee”, which is a wonderful organic coffee blend. Breakfast hours are 8 a.m. until 10:30 a.m., Monday through Saturday. Our lunch starts at 11 until 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday.”
For the convenience of their customers, they will also deliver around the downtown area for five or more orders.
“Our kitchen staff has done an amazing job understanding what we are looking for in our meals and working with the family concept,” says Lula.
Richard Teco is their chef, assisted by Lisa Rogers. Wait staff is Vickie Priest and Kathy Barber, both who have run their own restaurants in the past and have lots of experience.
“Customers often recognize Vickie and Kathy from their other places and are thrilled to see them again,” says Lula.
Calling their staff a close-knit family, Helen says they all have fun working together. “We are so grateful that all of us here are on the same page so that our family recipes and the relaxed and comfortable atmosphere we want to convey to our customers truly comes across,” says Helen.
Lula says that they have wonderful relationship with Fifi’s right next-door.
“Customers come in here to have their lunch then go into Fifi’s; I love the feeling of connection we’ve gotten here,” she says.
“We love people and enjoy making our customers feel at home. Tom Connelly from Pinehurst was one of our first customers and now is an ‘honorary’ member of the family,” says Helen. “I don’t know if it’s the family-type atmosphere we try to encourage here or not, but I’ve never seen so many customers start their meals with a prayer; it’s wonderful.”
Happy that they are on first-name basis with most of their customers, the Poulos’ are grateful that “people have been so responsive” to the “feeling” Lula had envisioned for her place and invite folks to “come in to enjoy the food and conversation.”
Carol Cox is a Pinehurst freelance writer.
