A new bakery focused on halloumi, a cheese produced in Cyprus, is preparing to open in the West Village. Hello Halloumi is targeting a mid-October opening in a 400-square-foot space at 48 Greenwich Ave., owner Constantino Papadakis told What Now New York.
Originally from Cyprus, Papadakis noticed that halloumi does not have a strong presence in the U.S. The cheese is popular in Europe, and Papadakis seized the opportunity to fill the gap in the market in the U.S.
“Everyone who knows halloumi is a huge fan because it is so versatile. When I go to restaurants [here in the U.S.], they have other cheeses, but never halloumi or very few have halloumi,” Papadakis said. “I love the opportunity to bring it here and make it more of a staple in New York’s ingredient list.”
Hello Halloumi will center around halloumi-based savory products and baked goods such as cheese pies and bread with halloumi in it. There also will be larger meal items like a halloumi burger, halloumi nuggets and halloumi fries. Some non-halloumi offerings will be on the menu, as well, such as olive pies.
“We’re playing around with it because it’s so versatile and can be created in so many ways,” Papadakis said. “We’re trying to use it to make as many possibilities as possible.”
Expect to see products that are bite-sized, inviting customers to pick and choose a few different items to try.
The small space will feature a long display case that will allow customers to choose items they want to try as they move toward the check-out counter. The concept is designed to be grab-and-go so that customers can eat their snacks as they walk around.
“They’re savory items that are easy to eat and taste good,” Papadakis said. “Since there are a lot of options and flavors, people will tend to try a few.”
Eventually, Papadakis hopes to open up another three locations across Manhattan and Brooklyn and then begin to expand to other cities across the country.
“We have been getting great reception for the concept, so we’re hoping that it will take off and that it will be part of people’s lives just like it is back home,” Papadakis said.
