Commercial property: new Greek street food restaurant opens in Eastbourne

This week, a brand new Greek street food restaurant .str/eat opens its doors in Eastbourne - with free treats for the first 100 customers. 

Our Eastbourne commercial property team acted for the restaurant owners on the lease of the 1,450 sq ft unit at Langney Shopping Centre, which has undergone a significant transformation in the last two years.

The exciting new food concept called .str/eat is run by the team behind one of Eastbourne's top restaurants - .gr/eat on Terminus Road.

The new eatery opens at 12pm on 14 May - with free gyros for the first 100 customers - and authentic Greek street food being served in an environment resembling the Greek island streets and available for takeaway and delivery.

Greek, fresh, extraordinarily delicious

The story behind .str/eat and its sister restaurant .gr/eat started in 2015 when owners Vicky and Vasilis moved from Greece to Eastbourne.

Vicky worked as the general manager of a tour operator, and Vasilis was the co-owner and head chef of a Greek restaurant. The couple kept getting compliments from holidaymakers on the outstanding cuisine and hospitality and that Greek food never tastes the same in the UK.

Greek cuisine was their passion, so when the opportunity to move to sunny Eastbourne presented itself, they jumped at the chance. They decided to set things straight with our new business venture offering original Greek recipes and hospitality in a relaxed and fun environment.

Vicky says: 

"Since I grew up on a seaside tourist resort in Greece, I needed to live by the sea. We initially started looking at Brighton, but it felt too loud and busy, and we needed a quieter and community-focused place to feel at home and raise our son. That's when we found Eastbourne and fell in love with it.

"We moved here from Greece in Oct 2015 and secured the lease for .gr/eat in December of the same year, and the business launched on 14 February 2016. Hamish Smith was our solicitor back then too.

"We created the restaurant to showcase the authentic Greek recipes and the sharing dining experience we have in our culture in Greece." 

The restaurant at 215-217 Terminus Road was an instant hit with locals and tourists alike - hitting number one on Tripadvisor and Google just three months later and has been consistently at the top ever since.

After six successful years with .gr/eat, the couple has set their sights on their exciting new venture.

"The new venue .str/eat will be focusing on offering true Greek street food that's perfect for every occasion - a quick lunch break, a takeaway meal when you just don't have the time or energy to cook, a cheeky home delivery, a get together with friends, or a Sunday family gathering at the garden.

"From our experience, kids love Greek food and being able to order a healthy and quick meal for the whole family without the stress and guilt of fast food brands is something many families need. Plus, Langney Shopping Centre has ample, free parking is always a win when it comes to takeaway or stopping by for a quick bite."

Local ingredients make the difference

The menu will have the famous Greek gyros (pronounced yeeros) and healthy options like dips, salads, protein bowls, meze boxes and mix grill boxes. 

"Staying true to our culinary ethos, we will continue to use high-quality meat from Burts Butchers in Bexhill, seafood produce from Southern Head Fishing Co here in Eastbourne, and vegetables from Terminus Road Fruit & Veg." 

Commercial lease at Langney Shopping Centre

Hamish Smith, head of commercial property at SO Legal, acted for Streat Greek Limited on the lease of Unit SU 2 at Langney Shopping Centre (64 Kingfisher Drive, Eastbourne, BN23 7RT).

Situated three miles north of Eastbourne town centre, Langney Shopping Centre has undergone a significant transformation recently with many brand new units for shops and restaurants. 

In addition, there is also a wide range of services and leisure facilities, including hairdressers and spas, a 24-hour gym, a community library, and other facilities.

Vicky said:

"Hamish was not only knowledgeable, as you'd expect from every solicitor, but he was happy to work according to our timelines. He supported us during the negotiation and helped us understand the legal implications of each phase of the process. We felt that he had our backs and was an advocate for our business needs. He also suggested several new legal clauses to bulletproof our business for the future."

Hamish commented:

"We were delighted to assist with the commercial lease for .str/eat and wish Vicky, Vasilis and their team every success with the launch of their new venture. Their first restaurant .gr/eat is one of Eastbourne's most popular restaurants, so we can't wait to try the new one."

Commercial property solicitors in Eastbourne

SO Legal assists Eastbourne businesses of all sizes with commercial property leases, purchases and sales, including retail, restaurants, industrial units, and offices.

We have commercial property solicitors in Eastbourne, Brighton, London, Hastings, and Uckfield, and we work with clients across the UK.