The popular Holiday Pizza is back and, to my taste, better than ever. After being closed for nearly three years, brothers Nick and Johnny Kalloniatis along with their mother Dia have rebooted the popular eatery.
        After operating successfully for 14 years in the same location they were forced to close the restaurant during the economic downturn in September of 2013.
        "September is a tough month for our family. In September of 2009 our dad Kostas died. Kostas was a strong presence in the restaurant and the family," said Nick Kalloniatis. "Olive Garden opened along with several other national chains. They pulled enough business from us to make it very difficult to continue and we made the hard decision to close."
        For the next few years the brothers looked for other opportunities but nothing really filled the void created by the closing of Holiday Pizza. Earlier this year, a local investor reached out to them with interest in seeing them reopen. The original location was available and they felt the timing was right to give it another shot.
        "The community was great to us before and we missed the people," said Johnny Kalloniatis.
        "What we discovered is that the customers had a chance to really miss us also!" said Nick Kalloniatis.
        Greek and Italian tradition is deep rooted in the Kalloniatis' family tree and explored through their delicious entrees. In fact, many of the recipes have been passed down from Dia's father who was the chef for King Paulos of Greece.
        The Kalloniatis family, and their staff, make everything in house by hand and only use the freshest ingredients. They even bake the bread in house and hand-make the pizza dough. Many of your favorite dishes are back on the menu.
        If you don't see it there, request it and they may bring it back as a special in the future. Even though they have gutted the building and completely rebuilt the restaurant, they have worked hard to incorporate many of the aesthetics from the original restaurant. The counter service remains and the walls are covered with pictures of the family and the restaurant spanning decades.
        One difference is the menu is now an "ala cart" build-your-own menu. That allows them to contain costs and allows you to create a dish that has everything you love in it. They are known for their great salads, grinders, gyro's, pastas and, of course, pizzas, calzones and Stromboli's.
        Holiday Pizza had a soft opening for dinner last week and the response was overwhelming positive.
        "It is so wonderful to be back again. The love our customers have for our family and our food has been incredible," said Dia Kalloniatis. "They jump up and down and have tears in their eyes when they come in. They have missed us so much and we have missed them! It is so wonderful to have a second chance."
        Holiday Pizza, specializing in authentic Greek and Italian food is located at 406 Fair Road, in the El Sombero shopping center. Their original phone number is back too, which is (912) 764-7669.
        They are now open for lunch and dinner daily from 11a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Sunday. Check their Facebook page for daily specials before you head over.
        If the number of calls, emails and questions I have had in the community regarding the reopening is any indication of things to come, I expect a bright and prosperous future for the Kalloniatis family and Holiday Pizza.