As the mother of two young children, Mary Cuclis, chef and owner of Kriti Kitchen, has perfected the recipe of providing the culinary influence of the Greek islands while offering homestyle food options to the kitchens of busy families everywhere who step into her quaint restaurant at the Weslayan Plaza Shopping Center.

In order to reduce food waste, Kriti Kitchen owner Mary Cuclis said she also partners with Too Good to Go that connects customers to restaurants with surplus unsold food. (Melissa Enaje/Community Impact)
In order to reduce food waste, Kriti Kitchen owner Mary Cuclis said she also partners with Too Good to Go that connects customers to restaurants with surplus unsold food. (Melissa Enaje/Community Impact)

Kriti, which is the Greek pronunciation of Crete, an island in Greece, is where Cuclis said she spent time visiting her relatives, immersing herself in the culture and relishing the traditional Cretan cuisine that she brings to her menu, including the use of fresh herbs, seasonal produce from local farmers and another quintessential ingredient–olive oil.

What’s on the menu

Menu items at Kriti Kitchen include meat mezze boards, seasonal salads, wraps and protein bowls. A mezze board could include beef keftedes, or meatballs, chicken souvlaki and flatbread. For more vegetable-friendly items, there’s papoutsakia, which is eggplant stuffed with lentils, and a side of okra.

For the summer menu, Cuclis said she incorporates okra, watermelon and pumpkin seeds to the seasonal salad. The eatery also offers a selection of Greek beers, wines and desserts alongside a shelf dedicated to knick-knack items customers can purchase to take home, including herbs, Greek honey and dry goods.

Meet the owner

Before Kriti Kitchen opened its doors in Houston, Cuclis said she spent nearly 10 years at Pondicheri in River Oaks, as well as the Michelin-starred restaurant Bo Innovation in Hong Kong. By 2023, she opened Kriti Kitchen in the West University area.

“It had been a dream of mine for a long time to get to this point,” Cuclis said. “It’s kind of fun to see it come into reality. We get some amazing customers that come in and are just like ‘thank you for opening this in our neighborhood’ and that’s so sweet.”

Kriti Kitchen also offers a rotating selection of 'Heat & Eat' takeout meals that can be ordered ahead of time and picked up at the restaurant on the same day. (Melissa Enaje/Community Impact)
Kriti Kitchen also offers a rotating selection of "Heat & Eat" takeout meals that can be ordered ahead of time and picked up at the restaurant on the same day. (Melissa Enaje/Community Impact)

Whether guests are choosing to dine-in, order catering services, or pick-up one of the pre-made takeout dishes to reheat or freeze at home, Cuclis said she welcomes everyone to a place where the deeply held values of hospitality are met with the love between family members with every bite.

“I serve this to my kids,” she said. “You can eat here all day and not feel bad. It’s healthy, nourishing food.”