Synopsis

By 1942, the full weight of World War II has descended upon the United States and the hardscrabble Navy town of Vallejo, California. Achilles Pappayannis, a Greek immigrant in his late fifties, owns and operates The Classic Grill, a downtown restaurant largely staffed by spirited Greek cooks and dishwashers — and the best place in town for a steak or a hot turkey sandwich.

But Achilles is not satisfied with his profitable medium-sized restaurant. He dreams of creating a world-class restaurant and duplicating it in major cities across the nation. Achilles' plan hinges on the participation of his oldest son Demo, the first in the Pappayannis family to receive an education.

But Demo has a different dream.

Demo is passionate about ancient Greek drama and art. With the same intense drive as his father, Demo resolves to become an actor and bring ancient Greek culture to life. In his quest to become an actor, Demo reveals his homosexuality.

Chrisoula, the strong, devoted wife and mother, and second son George, who have dreams of their own, help keep the family and business together at a time when immigrant Greeks are shunned in the business community. The conflicts intensify when a beautiful blond woman, Daphne, makes her home at The Classic Grill. Achilles must deal with his zealous passion for Daphne as she builds a life in Vallejo and reveals secrets of her own.

The Classic Grill restaurant is the stage for this family saga as Demo discovers his passion for ancient Greek drama and his true sexuality while Achilles is driven by his insatiable desire to create his restaurant empire at all costs.

The Classic Grill explores profound passions, deep conflicts and anti-immigrant prejudice as this Greek-American family is torn between finding financial success in the modern world and honoring the pursuit of an artistic lifestyle founded in ancient Greece. With its delectable handmade food, bentwood chairs, and sage advice from the local Greek patrons, The Classic Grill evokes an era when good cooking and community nourished the soul as immigrants and their families struggled to navigate in this new land called America.