“Yee-ros,” “jai-roh,” “guy-roh” … Chicagoans have many pronunciations for the dish piled high on pita. The original Greek word, “gyros,” means “to turn.” Historically, in Greece, gyros was seasoned pork turned on a rotisserie. Of course, Chicago put its own spin on the spinning meat.
Now, I’m on a quest to find the best in town.
Some Gyros History
As Greeks immigrated to Chicago, the gyros recipe changed to reflect our beef-loving town, evolving into a lamb-and-beef combo. It became more popular once local engineer and Greek immigrant Peter Parthenis designed a sturdier meat rotisserie. And that’s not all he innovated.
In the early ‘70s, Parthenis started mass-producing frozen meat cones that restaurateurs could easily warm and slice off the spit. Parthenis opened Grecian Delight, which later merged with Kronos — still the world’s largest gyros manufacturer and still headquartered in Chicagoland, “the gyros capital of the world.”
Whether you’ve realized it or not, you’ve seen (and smelled) this meat turning in diners and hot dog stands across the city. Despite Kronos’ ubiquity, however, not all gyros are the same.
Nothing like Central Gyros to brighten a gloomy afternoon. (Emmi Mack / City Cast Chicago)
Central Gyros in Belmont Cragin
I started my gyros journey at Central Gyros in Belmont Cragin simply because it’s been around for 52 years. I figured, after those decades, their strategy must be perfect.
Ambience-wise, it was: the casual sit-down blasted Greek string music and boasted friendly service. My waiter, Osvaldo, explained that while many restaurants get meat from Grecian Delights Kronos, Central Gyros and others order unique blends. Central Gyros uses more beef than lamb, which helps retain a smooth shape. (Only Gyros Express in Villa Park has the same recipe.)
A pita sandwich, including tomatoes, onion, and tzatziki, costs $10.75. (That doesn’t include fries, but of course I needed fries. The lunch meal deal costs $15.75.) Worth it if only for the massive amount of meat crammed in — that was one beefy sandwich, no pun intended. The strips weren’t as well done as I personally prefer (l love a near-crunchy gyro) but the tzatziki was smooth and fresh, effectively cutting the greasiness.
It wasn’t the best gyros I’ve ever had, but I had a great time in the old-fashioned dining space, shouting “Opa!” at noon on Wednesday. Yes, I tried the saganaki. (I had to!) It was crisp and excellent.
