When Laikon opened in 1976, Richmond’s large Greek population quickly came to rely upon it. For olive oil, otherwise found in chemists where it was sold as skin balm. For feta submerged in big briny barrels. And for the sense of connection to home.

The deli range is broader now, encompassing meats, cheeses and preserves from Spain, Italy, France, and even Australia, as well as Greece. The biggest change of all came in 2018, when they expanded into the shop next door to add a sit-down cafe. It’s where you might eat one of the best spanokopitas in town, with an excellent ratio of crunchy filo to spinach and cheese, or a souvlaki of juicy herbed chicken brightened with tzatziki and red onion.

Whether it’s a third-generation customer swinging by for a box of custardy, icing sugar-dusted bougatsa; local workers planning their week around a Friday souva; or a first-time visitor sitting down with a claypot of giant butter beans in tomatoey gravy, a poached egg and a sprinkling of crumbly feta, Laikon remains a pillar of the Bridge Road community. Here’s to another 50.

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