Taverna on the Green brings authentic Greek flavors to Cookeville’s dining scene. In the Winter edition of Cookeville Lifestyle, we sat down with owner Nick Maggas to share the story behind the restaurant.
Taverna on the Green owner Nick Maggas
From their website, Taverna says, “Where tradition meets Tennessee hospitality!” On the topic of tradition, Nick shared a quick personal history and the inspiration behind opening a Greek establishment in the Upper Cumberland.
Maggas stated, “My journey began as a teenager when I made the bold decision to leave Greece and come to America. I arrived alone, without knowing a word of English, and found myself in the heart of New York City. The first restaurant that I came across, I walked right in. When the server came to take my order, I simply pointed to the only thing I recognized on the menu, a hamburger.” He continued, “For an entire month, I ate hamburgers for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. That experience sparked my passion for food and inspired me to learn how to cook. In 1972, I opened my first restaurant, Nick’s Pizzeria, in Jamaica, New York. Since then, I’ve proudly owned and operated 13 successful restaurants across New York, Georgia, Florida, and Tennessee. I met my wife in Cookeville. She’s originally from Sparta, Tennessee, and that’s what brought me here to Cookeville to open a restaurant. The community quickly made this place feel like home.”
While Taverna is the latest entry in Nick’s culinary career, it is not the only experience he has in the Cookeville dining scene.
“My first restaurant in Cookeville was Bravo Café and Grill, where we served breakfast, lunch, and authentic Greek dishes. After a short retirement, my wife Cathy and I realized we missed restaurant life, so we decided to open Taverna on the Green at the Golden Eagle Golf Course. We’ve loved experimenting with new Greek recipes and sharing them alongside other favorites on our menu.” He elaborated, “The Cookeville community has really embraced Greek cuisine with open arms. During my time at Taverna on the Green, I’ve been thrilled to see how excited people are to try our Greek dishes along with the other favorites on our menu. It’s been wonderful introducing authentic flavors and dishes from my homeland to our guests here, and especially exciting to serve those who have driven from out of town just to experience our famous flaming Greek cheese appetizer. It’s a true showstopper!”
If you are a reader looking for a new addition to your dining rotation, we suggest Taverna on the Green. To finish our chat with Nick, I asked him to pull back the curtain on Taverna and the approach he and his team take to serving the people of Cookeville.
He stated, “Something many diners might not know about Taverna on the Green is that we have a couple of simple but important rules that guide everything we do. My number one rule is this: if I wouldn’t eat it, I don’t serve it. Nearly everything on our menu is made fresh, never frozen, and never out of a can. We take pride in serving high quality steaks, seafood, chicken, authentic Greek dishes, and delicious house made desserts like our fresh baked baklava and cheesecake.” Nick finished by saying, “My second rule is all about customer satisfaction. From the moment you walk through our doors, we want you to feel as if you’re dining in our home. Our goal is to make every experience memorable, from your first cocktail and appetizer to your last bite of dessert. To us, our guests aren’t just customers, you’re family.”
–written by Andrew Buckner, photos by Brittney Roberts
Visit their website for hours and location information.
