We wind our way through the narrow streets of the Cours Julien, filled with warm-weather revelers who gather in the lively neighborhood’s bars and restaurants. Tonight our destination is Rue des Trois Rois (Three Kings Street), where we have dinner reservations at Zesti, a Greek restaurant that opened in fall 2024.
The small, quaint room is already packed with diners. We are quickly greeted by Fiola Lecuyer, Zesti’s co-owner and charming front-of-the-house extraordinaire. She moves through the crowded room with the grace of a dancer and somehow manages to remember everyone’s name. This is a particularly special evening, as a Greek Rebetiko band, Óples, is here to play (whose members confess to us that none of them are Greek, but just love the music). Rebetiko music is an urban Greek genre that originated in the late 19th century. We luck out and Fiola seats us at a table just in front of the band. The dining room is buzzing.
Co-owner Guillaume Dumas commands the kitchen, where a vibrant mezze menu shapes the restaurant’s identity. This was important to the duo because in the spirit of the tavernas in Greece, everyone at the table shares the meal.
The partnership between Fiola and Guillaume came naturally. Friends since childhood, it seems opening a Greek taverna together was in the stars. Guillaume serves as head chef and manages the kitchen. Fiola manages the dining room and serves as the sommelier. She says their differences are complementary; they’re a good team because they intuitively understand each other’s strengths. In describing the dynamic, Guillaume uses a French idiom: coup de main, an expression dating from the 19th century which means “to lend a helping hand.” Everyone works as a team, and if something is needed, they help one another. The coup de main is evident tonight as we see some of the kitchen staff pitch in to help out in the busy dining room.
Oddly enough, there are not many Greek restaurants in Marseille, a city founded by the Phocaeans, and home to the Jardin des Vestiges, an archaeological site from the earliest colony (Massalia) from around 600 BC. While Marseille is a major hub for the Greek diaspora in France, contemporary cuisine from the country remains surprisingly underrepresented. Fiola tells us that her mother’s family moved from Turkey to Athens and Piraeus and because she is from a Franco-Greek family, she always had the idea to open a Greek restaurant. Guillame’s family is from Marseille and Toulon, but he spent three years in Athens where he learned the cuisine and the culture.
Fiola comes from a family rooted in France’s enduring passion for food and wine; her brother is a chef, so a career in gastronomy felt like a natural path. She developed a strong interest in wine, attracted by the traditions and culture, and chose to make it her focus. She came to Marseille for a three-month visit and decided to stay. Guillaume shared with us that, like most French people, he loves to eat and to cook, so when the pair realized Greek restaurants were few and far between in Marseille, the port city on the Mediterranean was a natural choice for them. Glancing around the room filled with happy diners, it appears their instincts were right.
We have frequented Zesti since it opened and look forward to seeing what Guillaume is offering as the plats du jour tonight. He tells us that they plan the menu with items that they simply love to eat themselves, and change it based on what’s available seasonally. He is inspired by traditional Greek dishes, but adapts them with what is available in the local markets. There is always at least one meat, one fish, and several vegetable options along with some of their signature dishes. Keeping with tradition, we decide to order a few – or more than a few – mezzes to share.
We choose the Tarama, a mezze made from salted and cured fish roe (cod, carp, or grey mullet) mixed with olive oil, and lemon juice; Sparàngi, asparagus with crumbled feta, slivered almonds and wild oregano; Tiropita, a filo pastry stuffed with sheep’s cheese, feta, mint, zaatar, sesame seeds, raisins; and Saganaki, grilled feta, mushrooms, balsamic vinegar, honey, sesame seeds, and oregano. We also try the souvlaki, made with pork shoulder marinated in red wine, and served with tzatziki, pita and lemon olive oil; grilled octopus on a salad of black eyed peas, braised leeks, celery, red onion, and fresh herbs. And, unable to resist ourselves, we add the homemade meatballs with tomato sauce, feta and fresh herbs and a favorite of Kolokithakeftedes, a butternut squash beignet with dill, chives, and mint yogurt.
We finish our mezzes and take a last sip of our wine, recommended by Fiola. She suggested an Atma 2021 from Thymiopoulos Vineyards located in Trilofos, Imathia, a village on the foothills of Vermio mountain in Santorini. It is a Xinomavro wine made from an atypical combination of Naoussa and Mandilaria grapes grown in the Greek island’s volcanic rock. The soft, velvety red proves to be delicious and a great accompaniment to our meal.
When asked about their favorite choices on the menu, Fiola says that once a week, she steps into the kitchen to make the Dolmadakia from her grandmother’s recipe, grape leaves stuffed with rice, tomato, mint, dill, oregano, lemon zest, and yogurt. Guillaume says he likes the Saganaki and a glass of Cretan raki, a digestif made from the grape pomace after winemaking – strong, dry, and fruity, with a peppery note.
When Fiola and Guillaume first looked at this space on Rue des Trois Rois, they found out it had been a Portuguese restaurant, but before that, it was a Greek restaurant. They knew right away it was the spot. The space was in very bad shape, and their friends were worried for them, but Fiola and Guillaume had a vision, and they knew they could do it. When people in the neighborhood found out there would be a Greek restaurant opening, many shared their enthusiasm with the pair. There were fond memories of the previous restaurant and enthusiasm for the new one. Fiola and Guillaume wanted the room to feel authentic and welcoming, and their vision works. They have created a restaurant where everyone feels welcomed.
As we say our goodbyes and step outside, live music from Óples echoes into the night along the street of kings. In Zesti’s small dining room, mezze rules. The Greeks are back in town.
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