BELMAR — After 23 years of serving authentic Greek food and American favorites, the Acropolis Café and Restaurant on Main Street closed Monday, with goodbyes to its patrons and friends.
Owner Andy Pendondjis said his plans are only to move forward outside of the restaurant and food business.
“It only came to me this year. I don’t have other plans, but just to retire,” the restaurateur and chef said. “I said it’s time to go, to move to the next chapter of my life.”
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Acropolis has been a fixture downtown, at 506 Main St., just across from the municipal offices, the police department and other local shops.
It is within walking distance from the St. Rose Grammar School and one of the first establishments to greet a commuter coming from the other side of the Shark River Bridge.
Mr. Pendondjis did not reveal who will take new ownership of the place.
“For the time being I think the new owner would like to keep it as a restaurant,” he said. But he also acknowledged the pending plans for redevelopment that could include the building.
In April 2022, the previous mayor and council unanimously approved a resolution to proceed with the Seaport Redevelopment Plan that would convert the entire block into a retail and condominium complex.
The project would affect the Acropolis building, an unoccupied single family house next to it and Atlantic Automotive at 613 Sixth Ave. and the entire parking lot where the shop stands. The resolution authorizes Eastport of Belmar LLC as the developer and Grasso Design Group for the architectural and design plans.
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