Pi Bakerie: A Taste of Greece in SoHo

In the heart of a neighborhood in Lower Manhattan, internationally known for its boutique fashion stores and upscale shops, a hub of artisanal Greek cuisine has quietly become a local favorite.
Pi Bakerie greets every visitor with the enticing scents of traditional sweet and savory delicacies, including pastitsio, moussaka, baklava and portokalopita (orange pie) — one of its signature desserts.
The store opened in 2014 under the guidance of Regina Katopodis, a Brooklyn native with decades of experience owning bakeries throughout the city and a strong connection to Lower Manhattan.
Katopodis’ father and grandfather served a total of 50 years as the parish presidents of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, just a brisk walk downtown from Pi Bakerie. The church was the only house of worship destroyed in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and Katopodis has remained actively involved in its lengthy rebulding process.
“I think of myself of Greek descent but with an American soul,” she tells The Pappas Post. “And I love Manhattan. The energy in Manhattan is like no other anywhere.
Katopodis decided to open Pi Bakerie following requests from countless customers who had fallen in love with its unofficial “sister store” in Astoria — Artopolis.
Although Artopolis remains closed amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the same authenticity and homemade-style approach which turned that store into an Astoria staple have yielded similar success for Pi in SoHo.
“All of our recipes were out of somebody’s home,” Katopodis says. “It was more than just a store. I wasn’t looking for a fine-tuned chef; I was looking for someone who would make our recipes the way they’re supposed to be made.”