Phyllo Bar Melina's

Melina’s on Avenue du Parc is a small place, but its welcoming atmosphere embraces you at the door. “I only hire friendly people,” says the owner, Joanna Chery, “People I would like as friends.” The restaurant Chery refers to as a “Greek pie shop” opened in 2011, and quickly became a neighborhood fixture. “I was overwhelmed by the positive response. Word of mouth spread quickly and we got people every day saying someone had recommended the place to them. We still do.” The Greek pies in question consist of delicious phyllo pastry filled with feta and spinach (the fastest seller), ricotta and feta, or leek and potato. “I’m half Hatitian, half Greek and I’ve always been a foodie,” explains Chery. “I wanted to run my own place – I’ve always been an entrepreneur at heart. I was the kid with the lemonade stand, hocking pictures and photos to family and friends. In high school I made my own shades of nail polish and sold them out of my locker. I was tired of working for “the man” and a friend of mine suggested this business idea.”