Anna Maria Kaloumenou, Samantha Macheras, Angelo Macheras and Geoff Gunn on the back deck at Akres on the Pier. (Jasmine Lewin/The Astorian)

With a sparkling blue view of the river and fresh Greek, Spanish and Italian dishes, the team at Akres on the Pier has brought a little corner of the Mediterranean to Astoria’s Pier 11.

Originally from Athens, Greece, Angelo Macheras moved from Alaska with his parents and wife last fall after years of vacationing at their second home in Seaside. With their restaurant in Kodiak doing well, the family figured it was time to expand into new horizons a little ways across the Pacific Ocean.

Macheras owns the restaurant with his mother, Anna Maria Kaloumenou. His wife, Samantha Macheras, has been an integral part of the project since day one. And with renowned Iron Chef Geoff Gunn in the kitchen, the team was prepped to hit the ground running.

“We are from the Mediterranean, and we were always looking for a waterfront location because we’re used to the vibe and the water in Greece and the restaurants there, which are beachfront,” Kaloumenou said. “So we were looking for something similar, and this was a dream that materialized in that way, like it was just meant to be somehow.”

Akres on the Pier is situated in the old Baked Alaska space, which closed in 2020. The interior is decked out with plenty of wood paneling, foliage and light colors reminiscent of the Mediterranean, while a back deck boasts outside seating with a view of the Columbia River.

Gunn was one of the first employees — a classically-trained chef who helped create the Iron Chef competition; he had been looking for a place to use his fine dining skills when he stumbled across the Akres on the Pier posting.

“I was really excited about the direction they wanted to go in, where it was really about attention to detail, not only for the food but for the space and service as well,” Gunn said. “And I think here on the coast, we get a little too caught up in the casual side of things, and we don’t necessarily get an opportunity so much of the time to put an emphasis on the fine dining and really treating people to something unique and something totally different than they’re used to seeing.

“This was, I think, a unique opportunity for me to really, kind of explore my creative side. They gave me a lot of free reign on the menu, which I’m really thankful for, and allowed me to play around and just be kind of experimental. A lot of times we get stuck in the ‘this is how we do things,’ kind of way of thinking. And now it’s more, you know, like, ‘let’s see what’s possible.’”

With a range of small plates, entrees, salads, handhelds and flatbreads, the team at Akres on the Pier hope to reach all levels of hunger and all walks of life. So far, Kaloumenou said she’s been pleasantly surprised by the amount of people who come in with a connection to Mediterranean food.

“One family was Persian, but lived here their entire lives,” she said. “So they just had so many things to say — ‘we’re the same people, and we’re connected, and we’re going to be here every day.’ And the grandma was 81 years old, and she was just thrilled.”

In addition to reviving memories of homemade dishes from the past, the team hopes to get people to try something new with their eclectic menu. The local albacore tuna and shrimp crudo, for example, is a new dish to many, but the customers who have tried it have been all smiles.

“I get a big kick out of seeing people trying something for the first time, or trying something that’s maybe outside of their comfort zone, and really getting into it, really enjoying it, and maybe creating a new favorite,” Gunn said.

Akres on the Pier opened last month, and is open weekends, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. The menu is still changing, but local favorites are beginning to become apparent.

The team uses nearby sources like Portland-based Ocean Beauty Seafoods for fish, and Warrenton-based Reed & Hertig for meats. Gunn also hopes to start collaborating with some local foragers to incorporate more mushrooms into the menu.

“We’re a Mediterranean restaurant with a Pacific Northwest spin,” said Angelo Macheras. “Anything we can get local, we get.”

Starting a new business has not been without its challenges — undergoing construction to get the new place ready and then finding steady employees has been difficult. But the team is ambitious, and the community has welcomed them warmly, with a number of positive reviews flying around town and across the internet.

So far, the team’s favorite part of running the restaurant has been meeting and talking with their clientele, including other business owners in the area who have shown support.

“This is going to be our first experience with the summertime here,” Angelo Macheras said. “We’ve heard a lot of how hectic summertime is, all the people coming in. So we’re very optimistic and excited to see what that looks like and how we will be able to manage it and just provide for the community. Besides that, we’re just glad to be part of the community.”