Pete The Greek opens second Long Island location, in Hauppauge

After nearly two years of planning, the owners of Pete The Greek in Old Bethpage have brought their gyros and baklava about 17 miles east, to a busy Hauppauge strip mall, with their second Long Island location.

Pete and Claire Georgatos first leased the space (one that used to be PizzaRev) in late 2019, said Claire Georgatos , but COVID postponed the opening until this August.

The second location is smaller than the Old Bethpage original (which opened in 2017) but shares its modern, tiled lines, with swift counter ordering and a handful of tables. Spits of gyro meat rotate behind the front counter for chicken, pork and beef-lamb gyros ($10.95 for sandwiches, $15.95 for platters) so generously stuffed with shaved meat, lettuce, tomatoes, onions and tzatziki (yogurt sauce) that they’re a challenge to maneuver.

Souvlaki meat, falafel, salmon, salad, fries, hummus and veggies in varying combos fill other sandwiches and wraps, which start at $8.95. Any protein can in turn be made into a bowl ($13.95) with a base of rice, quinoa or lettuce. Among the starters is the chicken-lemon soup known as avgolemono; a slab of spinach and feta pie ($9.95); stuffed grape leaves ($9.95); and a rainbow of dips served with pita ($8.95), from traditional or sriracha-spiked tzatziki to roasted eggplant and whipped spicy feta. On the salad front, Greek salad is joined by horiatiki — essentially, a chunky Greek salad without the lettuce — plus Caesar salad, feta-topped beet salad and a kale salad crowned by grilled salmon. Lunch specials abound, and baklava and rice pudding serve as desserts.

The opening is one riffle of a Hellenic wave of both white-tablecloth and casual Greek spots anticipated to open across Long Island in coming months.

Pete the Greek is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day except Sunday at 694 Motor Pkwy., Suite 2, Hauppauge; 631-387-4976, petethegreekny.com