
Place
Papa Cristo’s
The family-owned business closed its doors after 77 years in Pico-Union, but continues as a business online.


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In 1948, Sam Chrys opened C & K Importing Company, a Greek market on Pico Boulevard across the street from St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Cathedral, in what is now known as the Pico-Union neighborhood of Los Angeles.听Papa Cristo's has been featured in the听Los Angeles Times听补蝉听听and is considered by many as the best Greek restaurant in Los Angeles.听
Today, granddaughter Annie Chrys and her father Chrys Chrys run the business, which includes听the market, Papa Cristo鈥檚 Taverna, and Papa Cristo鈥檚 Catering.
Inside Papa Cristo鈥檚 nearly block-wide storefront, which remains largely intact since 1948, you鈥檒l find jars of marinated olives, Greek spices, staples, and delicacies made by hand on the premises. Chrys Chrys added a kitchen and dining area in 1985. Customers听place their order of听moussaka听or a gyro and then find a seat in the dining area to eat.听
For decades, the market鈥檚 clientele was mostly Greek, but nowadays their customers are from all over the world and the Chrys Family听is听finding new ways to connect with them and meet their needs. According to Annie Chrys, 鈥淸O]ur neighborhood has changed so much, some people may not know how to incorporate feta cheese or kalamata olives in their everyday cooking.鈥 Her father adds, 鈥淎 good recipe is like a good old bottle of wine: You should share it with somebody. Don鈥檛 just sit there and drink it by yourself 鈥 that鈥檚 no fun.鈥
In 2016, Chrys Chrys began offering free Greek cooking classes held once or twice a month in a large industrial kitchen behind the shop鈥檚 floor. Cooks Renata Romano and Apolonia Jimenez, two cooks who have been working at the restaurant for two decades and who are now experts in Greek cuisine, assist in teaching the cooking classes. Some of the recipes shared during the classes have been in the Chrys family for generations, while others are modern twists to Greek cuisine.
In April 2025, as reported in and , the restaurant chose to close due to rising rents. The building was listed for sale for $5.5 million. On May 4, 2025 Papa Cristo's served its last dishes and sold its last products at its original location, after 77 years in operation. Chrys' daughters Dena and Annie continue to run the business, with products available at
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