Taverna Violi is the new kid on the block at Oak Brook mall, having taken over the space that was formerly Mon Ami Gabi. Let’s just take a moment to shed a tear for the loss of that superb restaurant at Oak Brook! OK, moving on! Violi is a Greek Taverna, and this is not your regular old Greek diner. It’s most definitely a step up from even the old standard restaurants in Greek Town, and is a worthy replacement for Mon Ami Gabi (which you can still go to in Lincoln Park, Virginia, Maryland, and Las Vegas). I came here with my cousins,who are always awesomely willing to join me and take pictures of their food at all the newest places, for a shopping lunch break.

As soon as you walk through the front doors of the pseudo-outdoor space, you feel transported to a Mediterranean outdoor garden. Faux flowers are everywhere, including adorning the ceiling, that is tricked out to feel like a pergola in a beautiful garden or vineyard. Through the next set of doors is the main dining room and bar area. This restaurant has a chic vibe and has a ton of very cool woven and crocheted chandeliers hanging everywhere. There is a large bar and a lot of seating including booths and tables.

Service here is easygoing and attentive. Our server helped explain some of the more unique items, and helped Irene pick out a non-alcoholic “zero proof” cocktail. This is one of the only places I’ve seen recently that use Seedlip nonalcoholic beverages to make cocktails. Irene chose the Cypress cocktail with pineapple and ginger, and it was definitely delicious!

We started with the “Breads and Spreads” platter, and this was seriously enough food for all of us for our entire lunch probably. I completely stuffed myself with their delicious “60 second” pita bread and all of the delicious dips including Beetroot Tzatziki and Spicy Feta, which were my favorite of the four.

For our mains, I just had to try the lamb gyros, and they was really amazing. The lamb is slow roasted (not hacked off of a giant spit) and is tender, but also has deliciously crispy edges. It comes with all of the accoutrements you would expect like tzatziki, chopped tomatoes and spicy onions. The gyros are served with pita bread and a small cup of fries, which are super crispy and topped with parmesan cheese – super good fries. I highly recommend trying the lamb gyros – even with a half order, you’ll have enough for leftovers.

Irene tried the zucchini falafel sandwich, which she thought were the most moist and tender falafels she’s ever had. Of course, they are made mainly with zucchini instead of chick peas, but no matter – they were delicious!

Vicki ordered the spanakopita appetizer as her main. She said they were delicious, but nothing out of the ordinary. They definitely were plated beautifully with the big bouquet of thyme, though!

By the end of it all, we were way too stuffed for dessert, all of us grabbing boxes for leftovers. The prices here are not super crazy, but you definitely get a huge bang for your buck when you order the breads and spreads. I think the sandwiches are also the most reasonably priced for what you get. Taverna Violi is a welcome new addition to the Oak Brook restaurant list, and we’ll most definitely be back for a filling lunch! I highly recommend checking this new, chic restaurant out the next time you find yourself needing a break at Oak Brook Mall!