Unassumingly tucked away at the intersection of N. 185th and Aurora Avenue N. is a pizza and pasta restaurant that contributes to the community in two key ways — filling the bellies of its patrons with its hearty meals and fulfilling the need of community groups with its sponsorship support.
Pizzas dominate Spiro’s menu, with almost 30 varieties available from which to choose. The House Special is the most popular pizza, and it was the one my dining companions and I selected during our visit to the restaurant.
Loaded with Italian salami, pepperoni, Canadian-style bacon, Italian sausage, mushrooms, olives, green peppers and mozzarella cheese, it satisfies the meat and veggie lovers’ taste buds. With a zesty sauce and golden crust, this pizza is a family favorite.
Also top on the list of entrees is Spiro’s chicken fettucini. Although not a regular on Spiro’s menu, this dish has become a favorite of patrons, said Evan Voltsis, the restaurant’s owner.
Not your average chicken fettucini, it comes with deliciously thin-sliced mushrooms and zucchini bathed in flavorful alfredo sauce. It’s a mushroom lover’s dream come true.
Diners who are a bit more creative can create their own pizzas. All traditional toppings are available, as well as shrimp, smoked oysters, artichoke hearts, fresh spinach, zucchini, feta, mizithra and ricotta, among others.
Spiro’s offers several different kinds of spaghetti, ravioli, rigatoni, lasagna and tortellini. They also have submarine sandwiches, which include a variety of meats and/or vegetables. Sandwiches and pasta dishes are served with a garden salad.
Calzones also are popular dishes at Spiro’s. Each is stuffed with any two of the pizza toppings.
If possible, save room for dessert. I enjoyed a serving of spumoni ice cream — one of my favorites — and was pleased to find out it actually has pieces of cherries and pistachios mixed into the three-flavored treat.
Voltsis and his father opened the Shoreline Spiro’s in 1995, a few years after opening their first location in West Seattle. Just last year, they added a third restaurant in Mukilteo.
Voltsis worked for a man named Spiro at a pizza place in Queen Anne years ago, and he and his father decided to open Spiro’s in West Seattle in his name. Voltsis’ father has been in the restaurant business for years, and he, his wife and Voltsis’ sister continue to assist at Spiro’s today.
“It really is a family business,” Voltsis said.
The restaurant, which does not take reservations for the dining room for groups smaller than 10, does almost 50 percent of its business on a take-out basis, he said.
The Shoreline and Mukilteo locations have a banquet room that each can seat up to 50 people. Voltsis recommends reserving the room in advance, especially on the weekends, which can fill quickly.
He believes part of the success of his business has been his family’s focus on community involvement.
The restaurant has sponsored little league teams, school functions, church events and other community occasions throughout the years.
“We try to invest back in the community,” he said.
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