Dimitri's Artisan Sandwiches/South Daytona, FL

Took son "SK" for his first ever gyro!  I was pretty confident he would like it.  SK wasn't much of a dining partner though!  He was too busy stuffing his face!  We each went though at least a dozen napkins.  Absolutely terrific gyros!
 
Yup, Dimitri makes a mean gryo!  $7.95 for the gyro and your choice of fries (fz), homemade soup or Greek salad.  The tzaziki sauce is wonderful!
I've had plenty of gyros; this one is on my top two or three list.  The reason being that Dimitri takes the time to put slices of gyro meat (taken off the Gyro Broiler) on his griddle before completing his gyros.  This gives the meat a crispy, wonderful texture when placed within the nicely warmed pita.  There is a HUGE amount of meat in each gyro.  He adds lettuce, tomatoes and onions.  Both of us had trouble getting up from the table we were so full!
 
Dimitri makes his own soups and has a selection of other sandwiches (artisan sandwiches) to please any palate.  He's doing a terrific job.  www.dimitrisartisansandwiches.com - Closed Sundays..He takes all major credit cards. 2450 S. Ridgewood Avenue (US 1), South Daytona Beach
 
Baah Ben

 

 
Our gyros as served.


 
Sk's gyro half eaten and opened to show the amount of meat in the sandwich.

 
Our chef and owner Dimitri.

 
Dimitri's wife from the back who does most of the prepwork and makes the homemade soups and salads.

 
Indoor and outdoor dining.


 
 

Beautiful gyros!  Makes me want one right now!

I certainly am looking forward to going there to eat.  What used to be at that location?  How long have they been opened? 

Thanks for the review.

Those look great!   I haven't had a gyro in about 25 years...I wouldn't even know where to find one around here. 

MD...Big Foot at 2970 Griffin Road in Ft. Lauderdale.  Not open in the evenings.  Do a search on yahoo.com for Big Foot, Ft. Lauderdale and read the reviews from 2008.  I have not been there in a long time..He use to own Tommy's Gyros on SR 7 right near Villa Rosa.  There may also be another gyro place there Tommy sold that one; he use to make a terrific gyro.  If he still owns this one, you can expect huge sandwiches.  Expect an immaculate place, too.  Really reasonable prices and good desserts.  This guy doesn't change.  He's a real pro.  He, his wife and a helper.  I'm guessing he's still packed with truck drivers and locals, who are crazy about his sandwiches and gryos.

Tommy's thing in making his gyros was taking the meat juices that accumulated at the bottom of the gyro broiler and painting the pita bread with them.  His sauce was probably the best I've ever had.

Hey, if you know where the Delaware Chicken Farm store is on SR 7, you just head north to the next light (that's Griffin) and turn right and head east.  It's several miles.  I mention this direction because you should stop at the Delaware Chicken Store, if you have never been there...People in Broward have been going to this store for years.  Store made chicken amd turkey sausages...all things fresh poultry and a fish department, too.  At reasonable prices.

Next door a huge fruit and veggie market.  Also terrific prices.  Good quality.
 
I know it is a long way from you, but if you are ever up that way via the turnpike....Just get off at the Hollywood exit, stop at the casino, win a few thousand and then you're 5 minutes from DCF...10 minutes from Big Foot.  




 

LOL!  Baah Ben, that would be at least a three hour round trip from my house on a weekday! 

I searched online, and I did find a place in West Kendall called the Pita Pit that might be worth trying.  Also, a place called Stoupsy's of Athens downtown near to where my office is.  There are also a couple of places on Miami Beach, and it might be safe to go there (i.e. the winter tourists are gone!).

the building used to be an old Krystal's
Dimitri's opened about a year & 1/2 ago.

MD - They all use the same meat. If the place has a gyro broiler and a cone of the meat you will probably be fine.  The problem is that Kronos, the manufacturer (there are two in ChiTown actually) cam eup with this brilliant idea..They'd sell crovac pre sliced portion controlled gyro meat. 
 
They did so for many reasons.  One is that many Board of Health Departments do not like the idea of that meat rolling around and possibly being exposed to bacterial and not meeting the proper temperature at all times.  We had this discussion about shwarma (sp) on this site last year.
 
A lot of places do not do enough volume and the meat does go from the ref to the broiler and back to the ref and back to the broiler...You really need to do some volume and so it's easier to take out a package, throw it on the grill and serve it.  But, it just isn't the same product! 
 
MD - Just call the place and ask if they have the gyro broiler with the cone shaped meat turning or do they use the pre sliced stuff.

sk bob


the building used to be an old Krystal's
Dimitri's opened about a year & 1/2 ago.

Thanks for the information.  I had my first and last  Krystal there  a few years ago!  I will be looking forward to going here the next time I come down.

There's two more Krystals in Daytona to serve you.  One on Ridgewood off of Speedway and one on Speedway near I-95.  Enjoy!

Thanks SK ... Another one on my list for the next DAB visit.
So much good food in that neck of the woods.

let us know the next time you come down. we'll start at Crooks Den for a beer.

sk bob


let us know the next time you come down. we'll start at Crooks Den for a beer.

Wow.  That's a good time waiting to happen.

sk bob


let us know the next time you come down. we'll start at Crooks Den for a beer.

sk bob, Google "Crook's Den", then click on "Images" on the top of the page.  As a motorcyclist, I think you'll appreciate the results. 

Awesome looking menu!!

MD, you should come up too. we'll make it a weekend meet & start at all the bars that open at 7 a.m. & go from there.

The last time I did that I woke up in Daytona Beach, back in 1985.

I think you should start at 6:00AM..Get a head start on things....

then we'd be standing in line outside with the rest of you old guys with the newspaper tucked their arm waiting for the place to open.

MD. so then you rolled south to Miami where its safer?

sk bob


MD. so then you rolled south to Miami where its safer?

LOL!  No, the last time I started drinking at 7:00 A.M. (in Miami), I woke up the next morning somewhere near the Cape on my way to Daytona Beach in a girl's SUV.  I guess she wanted company. 

atta boy

Dimitri's Gyro's are tops!  I know first hand as I am his "wife" not the woman in the photo above who happens to  be our dear friend Kim and is way too skinny to have been exposed to Dimitri's wonderful food as I have been for ten years, lol! I work in healthcare and am not at the shop too often! But it is not the first time our customers thought Dimitri and Kim were a couple, no hard feelings!  
 
Dimitri gets his Gyros cones from a Greek food distributor in Tarpon Springs, FL.  Dimitri manages to go through about one 40 pound cone per day so meat is as fresh as can be.  Dimitri makes his own wonderfully garlicy Tzaziki sauce and uses yogurt only (not sour cream!!!) .  Also homemade auvguelemno soup, a greek soup made with chicken, egg, lemon and rice and is known for its velvety texture.  Other hand prepared delights incude (but never limited to) Dolmades (stuffed grape leaves), Spanokopita (spinach pies),  Hummus Spread, Greek pasta (pasta, feta, olive oil, oregano)  and an amazing homemade Greek dressing for salads and sandwiches. The gourmet sandwiches are made on ciabatta rolls, and  he has quite a variety (Chicken Basil Pesto, Rueben, Teriyaki Chicken, and more). His burgers are hand pattied and are huge and delish!
 
Recently added are imported (including a wonderful Greek beer!!)  and Domestic Beers and various Greek wines and wine coolers.  A friend of ours is a Beer buff, and loves micro brewed beers, tried the Greek beer and was hooked (I forgot the name of it, but it is great with a gyro and fries!)
 
This a small Mom & Pop shop, nothing  too fancy! The awesome thing about Dimitri is he can get very creative and if you catch him in the right mood or the right time, you may get hit with something wonderful that he has put together and not found on the menu!!  Dimitri is quite an accomplished,  self taught chef (guided by his father and mother and a friend of the family, a retired head chef for Olympia Hotel chains).  Dimitri has worked for his family for the majority of his culinary career with his family who owns a so called dive bar/restaurant in Seattle known as "the Dock" in Freemont.  Breaking away from the family, he started his own restaurant about 3 years ago, with his first location in the Ocean Walk Shoppes in Daytona and moved to South Daytona on U.S. 1, one and 1/2 years ago.
 
As Dimitri's restaurant grows  he intends on starting a dinner menu with Greek pastas, lamb shanks, lamb chops, fish, rice and grilled veggies to name a few.  
 
Prior to moving to Daytona 9 years ago, I lived in Chicago and actually met Dimitri there! I miss the amazing food the city has to offer and am delighted to have such an amazing cook in my life, as food trends in the Daytona area are limited.  I have always had faith in Dimitri's talents and I hope that everyone gives this guy the chance he deserves! Thanks Sk bob, and to your father for turning you on to our little joint!
 

sorry about the mistaken indetity kimmarie.
for my first gyro it was great, I'll be back. I only live 1/2 mile away.
my "father" BaahBen had been there before & said it was great & so we met for lunch he's never misled me on food.
I'm glad you got the email & responded.
welcome to Roadfood,browse around the forums & don't be afraid to chime in.

thanks sk bob, so glad to have found this wonderful site, as we too love to travel to find those hidden gems and now that I get to write about our food experiences to share with others, how great is this!!!! I already found some places in St. Augustine on this site that we must check out!   
Oops, and Dimitri corrected me, as he goes through 2 to 3 cones per day, my bad!!!

KimMarie..Your husband knows his stuff!  We like him.  You can kid around with him.  We're happy to have you both since I have always loved gyros.  SK now loves em too.  You know the one I had in Tarpon Springs a few months ago could not compare to your's.  I told my exterminator, Pete (The Bug Father) about you...Your husband said Greeks do not get along with Greeks?
 
You say there is a purveyor in Tarpon Springs that makes the cones right there? I wonder why the Greek Festival people wouldn't use them, if they are making them right there?  I will ask my friend Pete.  They get a refrigerated trailer for the festival and the purveyor (Kronos?) also furnishes the gyro broilers.  Pete is in charge of this once a year.  He gets nothing for it..He is very religious...This is something he does for his church.

Now as far as that young woman goes....I don't want to start any trouble but......JUST KIDDING.  Sorry we did not get a chance to meet you, too.  

You guys make a mean gyro!  We wish you much success and good health.  We will be baaack.. Next time we will bring SK's Grandpa John with us.

Hey, if you get a chance, take your husband up to just outside of Jacksonville on your day off..Well, this place may also be closed on Sunday..Call and check.  It's called Blue Boy Sandwich Shoppes..There are two of them..You want to go to the one right off I-95.  Maybe it's McArthur?  I don't remember..sorry.  Just ask. It's not that long of a ride.  And, on the way back you can stop in St.. Augustine and go shopping!
 
You have to see this operation..You will love it..Might get some good ideas, too.   Everything they serve is on Greek egg bread (challah) and he has a two page list of sandwiches.  One grill guy and 3 counter girls calling out the orders.  This guy does it all by himself.  The grill is so loaded down and he's amazing!  Like a machine! 
 
I just loved to watch this guy work!  Been there 3 times..Not recently!  Lines out the door for lunch each time I was there  No dinners.  Not a great neighborhood, but don't worry.  I think they close early on Saturdays? They also have this hot pepper mash that you can put on any of their sandwiches.  There is a dining room, but most people take out... 

Dimitri's, South Daytona CLOSED as of 8-5-11.
the one on A1A in Ormond is still open. they probably concentrated on that property more because of the more tourist that don't leave the beachside.
I haven't been there yet so I can't comment on it.

well, i can comment on it. i ate there  last weekend and thought it was fantastic. can't speak to the gyro, although i'm sure it's very good. i had some kind of  delicious italian sandwich on ciabbatta with lots of veggies-roasted red peppers and portabellas, plus pesto. i could only eat half and i have a big appetite. also for the side i got greek potato salad which was really outstanding. husband ordered from the dinner menu and got some kind of greek spaghetti dish-very delicious. it was a huge portion, had enough left overs that we both ate it for breakfast the next day. i didnt even realize this place had been mentioned on roadfood. we got it as a recommendation from our hotel (the makai). it is obviously a fancier establishment than their other location-very greek inside. nicely decorated, but has that typical beach side restaurant feel of where old people might come for early bird dinners(which i dont mind). definitely worth checking out
 

Great looking Gyros. I like it when the meat has a good crust.