New Owner Of Romilo’s Brings Smart Changes To Popular Severna Park Restaurant

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By Dylan Roche

As the new owner of Romilo’s Restaurant & Bar, Chris Paradissis wants to preserve the much-loved qualities that have made the establishment a Severna Park favorite for 25 years while still undertaking a few significant changes to keep the business fresh and current. Paradissis bought the restaurant in the summer of 2017 after many years in retail supermarkets, and he sees it as an opportunity to use his skills as a business leader in a new way. “I was [vice president] of operations for Giant Foods and I was managing 100 supermarkets,” he said. “I’ve always enjoyed working with customers, but I had aspirations to own my own business.” As a Severna Park resident, owning Romilo’s allows him to work a mere couple of miles from his house and take care of customers that he also counts as his neighbors.

Loyal patrons of Romilo’s can rest assured that Paradissis will keep the same popular menu of Mediterranean fare so many people love. Specialties include the Greek salads, gyro sandwiches, moussaka, spinach pies, baby rack of lamb, souvlaki platters, Greek orzo soup, homemade pizza and homemade crab cakes. “As far as the food, we have improved the quality of the food, but it’s pretty much the same menu because it’s been very successful – customers love the green and Italian menu we have,” he said. “What’s really changing is the look. We’re doing a total remodel and giving it a new look.”

New flooring and new walls, along with updated tables, chairs and lighting, give the dining room and bar a fresh, modern look. The restaurant is also getting tech advances in the form of a new point-of-sale system and handheld devices for the servers to take orders and accept payments from customers right beside the table.

Another major exciting change Paradissis has undertaken has been a breakfast menu, which launched early last year. The restaurant now opens its doors at 7:00am and serves breakfast until 1:00pm. Omelets, Benedicts, skillets and an array of breakfast sides and brunch options make up the menu. The best part, Paradissis explained, is that Romilo’s can accommodate large groups, so families or friends who are trying to go out to breakfast won’t have to be crammed into a small spot or divided up among several booths.

Paradissis sees these improvements as ways to not only please his many loyal customers but also draw in new visitors who have never heard about Romilo’s. “Customers love this place. What we have is a solid base, but the younger generations and some of the new people moving into Severna Park don’t know us,” he said. “I want to change the perception of this restaurant. When you come in, I want it to look more modern, but I don’t want to lose our identity.”

Romilo’s is located at 478A Ritchie Highway in Severna Park and is open 7:00am-10:00pm Sunday through Thursday and 7:00am-11:00pm Fridays and Saturdays. Happy hour is from 4:00pm to 7:00pm every day, and the bar has live entertainment every Saturday evening and most Friday evenings. For more information, visit www.romilosrestaurant.com.

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